hi, i've been having some difficulty with my rear wheels. when i bolt on the wheels, they catch on the side of the car, so i bought some wheel spacers. However, the longer studs that are required to fit the spacers will not fit in between the back plate and the hub. any ideas on what I can do?

I think you'll have to pull the halfshafts, which axle is it?

Cheers

Chris

it's from a mk1 or 2 escort i think english? how do i goi about pulling them out, if i just got a slide hammer on the hubs, and pulled, would it be ok or do i need do do something else inside the diff housing etc?
many thanks

They just need some persuation, usually with a slide-hammer. Undo the 4 bolts holding the back-plate on and hammer away

thanks, will try that, i was justworried that i might break something, will the halfshafts fit back in easily afterwards?

Yes they'll just go back in with no problems. I've done exactly what you're doing a couple of months ago.
Bought some bargain Puma wheels with the wrong offset and bought spacers to fit.
I tried my best to get the shafts out without a slide-hammer but found it impossible, my brother welded all the spare lumps of steel we had handy into the strangest looking slide hammer you've ever seen, it worked though

Getting shafts out with out a slide hammer is easy -- as long as you know the right technique.

yeah, I can see it now, put car up on a piddly stand then start whacming away with a slide hammer then find car pulled off the axel stands

no, t here is an easier way - search the archoive 'cuase I cannot find it, but you do it like this using a studding joinder thingy and some bolts:


the tool:

half shaft tool

and being used, undo with 143 mm spanner:

in use


Incidentally, how does this lot seal? Is there meant to be a gasket between the flange/axle - do poeple use instant gasket stuff?

I use a home made slide hammer and it doesn't even disturb the car on the stand. They usually come out first or second whack of the weight and I've never seen any form of gasket or sealant used in them, only the bearing. If you are leaving the backplates out and fitting disks you may need a spacer or some washers to make up the gap. I used to do them the stud pusher way, the hammer is just quicker.

[Edited on 12/4/07 by Peteff]

They are easy to do with a slide hammer (I am on stud no. 11 of 16). I would suggest you mark which way the plate bolts on though, as it only fits one way around and its a pain if you get it wrong!

An alternative method mentioned in the HAYNES is to attacha wheel and hammer it from both sides at the same time. A gentle bit of persuasion and out it comes....

Believe me, I tried all the methods you could think of, but the first or 2nd pull on the slidehammer sorted 'em out no problem. Unless I'd managed to loosen 'em with an earlier method