You are here:

Classic/Antique Car Repair/removing rear wheels from a 1930 Dodge

Advertisement

Expert: - 3/13/2010


Question

rear wheel 1930 Dodge
How do i pull the rear wheels from a 1930 Dodge Bros. DD sedan? i have removed the cap and castellated nut. Do I need a wheel puller? If so, any suggestions as to where I can find one that will fit the threads on the wheel. Also, can you tell me  what the key in the hub in the attached photo is? thanks.

Answer
Yes you need a heavy duty wheel puller. Some tool rental places have them and they are available through some tool companies that sell to the old car hobby. On cars like yours back in the day, yes I started working in garages in 1948 and we still had 1930's cars coming into the shop for service, we used what we called a bingo cap. We used to make them in the shop. It was simply a piece of round steel about 3 inches in diameter and 6 inches long. In one end we would drill a hole that could be tapped with the same sized thread as the end of the axle. We would then jack up the opposite wheel off the ground leaving the wheel that we want the drum removed from on the ground with the nut removed. Then screw the bingo cap on leaving about 1/4 inch space between the end of the cap and the hub. Now comes the fun part. With a sledge hammer wail the end of the bingo cap until the hub pops loose from the tapered axle shaft. The purpose of the bingo cap is to be able to use the hammer without damaging the axle threads. If you know some one with a lathe or a Bridgeport you can get the thing made or a local small machine shop might do the job for you.
Good Luck

Brad Sears

Expertise

All automotive including antique and collectible. However if the car has been modified I can only answer in general terms and maybe get you pointed in the right direction.

Experience

Automotive tech instructor. Syndicated auto columnist 1970's though the early 1990's. Syndicated auto radio talk show, Ask Brad About cars, CBS Radio 70's through 90's TV Show "Last Chance Garage" 1980's PBS-TV syndicated. Auto instructor for the following companies: Fram Autolyte Holly Carter AMF Ford Motor University Of Conn Blue Hills Technical School Sugar River Technical Center Grew up in a family garage in Needham Mass and turned wrenches from the age of 14.

Publications
Manchester Union Leader, Nashua Telegraph, Motor Service Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Popular Mechanics (Saturday Mechanic early 80's), Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and lots more.

Education/Credentials
More than I care to remember. Basically Franklin Technical Institute in Boston, Northeastern University, Fitchburg State Teachers College, Tufts University, and a lot of factory schools along the way.

Awards and Honors
Moto Award winner. And much more.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.