Front Axle Removal

[Dodgefarmer]

I just acquired a Carrera Maserati MC 12 and it has 1 front wheel that is on crooked. I am trying to remove the front axle and or wheel, it seems to require a significant amount of force to either remove the offending wheel or the front axle unit. Am I doing something wrong or is there a special procedure to do this? I just don't want to break anything.

Thanks
Randy

[Nor Cal Mike]

Carrera's have splined axles. Twisting will do no good.You will have to pull straight out being careful to place the force on the hub rather than the outer wheel. I have broken more than one splined wheel by being impatient.

[Dodgefarmer]

Thank You Mike that worked. Which brings up another Q?. It appears that the wheel was pressed on crooked. The wheel runs eccentric, is there a repair or do I replace it with an after market wheel and use the outer as an insert? I have not tried to get a replacement but I don't see that as being to likely.

Thanks
Randy

[HomeRacingWorld]

[ElSecundo]

Another option, if you can't find the Carrera spares, would be to find the Scalextric spare front axle. You might need to paint the wheels black, or something, but the wheels are close enough to the Carreras that you may not even notice a difference. May not be the #1 option, but a reasonable alternative if you get stuck.

[Dodgefarmer]

Thanks for the replies guys I'll see what I can find. Looking at this post in the light of day I guess I should have posted it in the garage section.

Thanks
Randy

[Dodgefarmer]

Well this story has a very happy ending. After Harry pointed me in the right direction I did some searching and discovered that I have the Pirelli Presentation car that takes a Carrera 89243 axle set. A google seach showed that it was in stock at LEB Hobbies for $5.99. One quick phone call to verify that it was actually in stock it is now on it's way north.

Thank You very much guys
Randy

[waaytoomuchintothis]

For the record, Carrera has both knurled and splined axles. You can only know which you have on any given car by asking around on HRW. Knurled wheels (like the vintage NASCAR series) can be pulled by carefully twisting as you pull, splined (like the 1960 Plymouths) must be pulled straight off.

[Nor Cal Mike]

I remember several years ago, someone posted a home made tool for pulling hard to get at wheels. Does anyone recall it? If so, How did it work?

[waaytoomuchintothis]

That may have been me, but the cost was too much to be practical. I use a golf club head puller with homemade removable brackets. Even then, the wheels that are on knurled axles have to the turned as they come off to prevent enlarging the hole. Done properly, they will make a snug, straight fit on a 3/32 axle blank.

[DAVE]

Conversely, the manufacturer could supply the car with the wheels pressed on straight.

[ElSecundo]