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Re: Front Hub Cap

To: neutron@nol.net
Subject: Re: Front Hub Cap
From: James Barrett <jamesbrt@mindspring.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1998 21:23:31 -0400
At 10:27 PM 8/31/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Greetings,
>
>  Anybody know a good way to remove a stubborn front "hub dust cap"? The
>shop manual (section F pg. 12) merely says to "Remove" it.
>
>Thanks,
>Paul Brownell
        Paul, I use a lead hammer to tap the edge of the hub cap
while slowly rotating the tire.  This usually causes the hub cap
to come out 1/8 to 1/4".  I then use a pair of channel locks
with the jaws taped with masking tape to prevent scratches on
the hub cap.  The lead hammer does not dent the hub cap and 
I would recommend that all Tiger owners have a lead hammer.
Use the lead hammer on most any steel item that needs to be knocked
loose. Use it on aluminum with a bit more care.  In both cases
the hammer gets the dent and not the steel or aluminum.

        Every year or so I recast my hammer as it tends to flatten
out after a lot of use.  The hammer has a steel handle.  I simply
melt the lead off temporally into a regular size food can.  I then take a small
can, such as a small tomatoe juice can and cut a hole in the side of
it just slightly larger than the steel handle end.  I drain ,clean
and dry the small can.  I set the small can in my gas grill with the
steel handle in the hole in the side of the can.  I clamp the handle
to the edge of the grill to keep everything streight.  I heat up the
"can & handle with the gas grill and then pour molten lead into the
can around the handle.  After cooling everything I strip the can off
of the lead and I have a brand new lead hammer for a while.

        I assume one could fabricate a steel handle if you wanted to
build a lead hammer. If you use a gas grill then try not to spill the
molten lead on to the grill.  Some people say that lead is not
very good to eat.

        I seldom see lead hammers for sale.

        The lead hammer is excellent to loosen or tighten chromed
spinners on Alpine wire wheel.

James Barrett Tiger II 351C and others



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