Lionel Flying Shoes

I think you mean Sliding Shoe not Flying Shoe. If you only need to rewire, then you can remove the coupler plate by gently bending one set of tabs that go over an axle, or by spreading the bolsters to release the axles. You can then simply de-solder the wire from the rivet with out removing or replacing the rivet. You can also just replace the whole plate (Postwar Lionel part 483-2):

Your process in your post is more appropriate if you were installing a new shoe (Postwar parts TT-208, 480-20, TC-109).

FYI, this is an example of a Lionel Flying Shoe (which is not on a 3662):

It’s better to pry the axles out of the truck frame in lieu of bending the tabs.  The rule of tabs is they usually bend three times, then break.  You can unsolder the old wire, fill the rivet with new solder, then plunge the new wire into the hot solder.  Done hundreds of them…

Thanks very much for the helpful tips on how best to replace the wire.  Regards. Urbie

@bmoran4 posted:

or by spreading the bolsters to release the axles.

@Jon G posted:

It’s better to pry the axles out of the truck frame in lieu of bending the tabs

YES... this is very important.

@Jon G posted:

It’s better to pry the axles out of the truck frame in lieu of bending the tabs.  The rule of tabs is they usually bend three times, then break.  You can unsolder the old wire, fill the rivet with new solder, then plunge the new wire into the hot solder.  Done hundreds of them…

I have disagree here, especially with staple end trucks. Prying the sideframes out loosen the staple crimp. You only have lift the tabs about 40 degrees at the back and then about ten degrees at the front to get the plate off. Typically this is a one time job. That plate will be good for another hundred years.

Pete

@Norton posted:

I have disagree here, especially with staple end trucks. Prying the sideframes out loosen the staple crimp. You only have lift the tabs about 40 degrees at the back and then about ten degrees at the front to get the plate off. Typically this is a one time job. That plate will be good for another hundred years.

Pete

just how I do it...never a problem...

Greetings,  Slightly bending both the front and rear tabs worked.  The plate is off, and I now have access to the solder connection on top of the rivet.  Should be OK from this point forward.  

BTW The trucks have black pins with tabs...first introduced by Lionel in 1955.  So I wanted to maintain the chronology of the car as it belongs to a 1955 PW Lionel set.  Therefore, matching the coupler assembly was potentially going to be a challenge.  Rewiring the existing trucks was my preference.  

Thanks, everyone for the helpful suggestions.

Urbie