Removing/Replacing Lionel Wraparound Nickel Rims

Yes. Hold the bad wheel vertically on top of an anvil.

gentle ball pean hammer blows to the wheel flange, slowly rotating the wheel between blows.  The rim will very slowly “walk” off the diecast wheel.  You don’t want to hit it so hard that you break the flange, you’re just basically creating a gentle flex and some vibration with each blow to work it loose.  It is just pressure fit on the original wheel.

Attatch to your replacement wheel with gorilla 2 part epoxy  (Clean both surfaces with rubbing alcohol and q-tips before applying epoxy).

Patience and good aim are your friends.

@Ives1122 posted:

Yes. Hold the bad wheel vertically on top of an anvil.

....

Patience and good aim are your friends.

Hoo doggie.

This ought to be fun. I do have an anvil and some more metal working tools (started building up a collection when I decided to get back into O27 and tinplate, thought it would be wise).
I'll share when I get this done.
Thanks!

@RRLittle posted:

Hoo doggie.

This ought to be fun. I do have an anvil and some more metal working tools (started building up a collection when I decided to get back into O27 and tinplate, thought it would be wise).
I'll share when I get this done.
Thanks!

I’ll offer a second opinion, and a different approach, use whichever tickles your fancy, …..9 times out of 10, I can take a small pocket screwdriver and walk the tire off the rim just like you would do a paint can lid, ….once it gets to walking, you just keep going around, ……I agree on cleaning both parts for reassembly, but I prefer loctite 640 or 680 shaft retainer, …..lay the new wheel on a piece of hardwood, and then use another piece of hard wood to knock the tire back on, ….a lot less chance of damaging the tire with all those hammer blows ……if you miss the other way, the tire is wrecked, and that’s that …..not knocking the other fellas procedure, if it works for him, so be it, …..

Pat

The screwdriver method works too, however I scratched up the edge of a rim once and switched my technique.  I’m pretty ocd though, so take that into account.

I will also add whichever method you use, you could also potentially try adding a little oil around where the rim meets the wheel.  It will run in and help loosen the rim.  I’ve done this with stubborn ones before.

Okay, time for our very late update (just destroyed an e-unit in a late 258... another story).

I decided to combine both methods, the tapping and the screwdriver. As I was tapping along the flange, a piece of metal flew off and hit the floor. I should mention this model 259 is an early version with the 257 wheels, and the two rear ones on this model have broken flanges.
Well, I wasn't concerned about the flange at this point, so I did a little more tapping... and the wheel disintegrated.
There was still a considerable amount of metal in the rim (which needs to be polished anyway), so I used the screwdriver to dig it out.
I have to wait until the paint finishes drying on the new wheel before I can attach the rim, but from this point it should be relatively easy.
Easier than rebuilding e-units, I hope.

- Robert

@RRLittle posted:

Easier than rebuilding e-units, I hope.

Rebuilding E-Units gets easier after you do it a few times.  Even easier if you can somehow grow a 3rd hand.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Rebuilding E-Units gets easier after you do it a few times.  Even easier if you can somehow grow a 3rd hand.

Oh god, do I remember those days, ….during the holidays, I’d pray for a third arm to grow right out of my gut, …..at first dad insisted on buying those crappy white drums that had more plastic flashing all over them than a little bit, …you were lucky when 1 out of 3 worked as advertised,…… you’d get it together, and the drum would be too tight, then pull it apart again, mess with it, still be too tight, and you’d wind up chunking the drum across the room,……repeat,…..then he finally got us the red and green drums and life got better……the finger contacts were another story, you’d have to sit and file the fiber boards so they’d fit the slots ….we’d build so many e units in a weekend , your hands would be raw from cracking walnuts …..

Pat

I always wanted to buy one of those tricky E-Unit vises to help, but I never did.  I decided to move on to electronics, I'm better at that anyway.

We never had them either, …..just the spreader spoon, and get busy,….

Pat

The wheel is done. Pictures later.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I always wanted to buy one of those tricky E-Unit vises to help, but I never did.  I decided to move on to electronics, I'm better at that anyway.

I can do an e-unit in 10 minutes-ish. clean and polish fingers and plunger...install new drum ... and voila!

@Rob English posted:

I can do an e-unit in 10 minutes-ish. clean and polish fingers and plunger...install new drum ... and voila!

I never wanted to be that good at it.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I never wanted to be that good at it.

Me either!

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Me either!

Pat

You, know, The next one i did was a trouble maker 35 minutes of ****!

@Rob English posted:

You, know, The next one i did was a trouble maker 35 minutes of ****!

Ain’t that always the case?…….every time I say I’ma knock this out right quick, dark thirty appears on the clock, ….😉

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Ain’t that always the case?…….every time I say I’ma knock this out right quick, dark thirty appears on the clock, ….😉

Pat

LOL Pat... it usually is.  I did 2 last night, back on the regularly scheduled program.