Removing Wheel Spacers Loctite

[Chilow]

Purchased new wheels and will need to remove my current Spidertrax wheel spacers. I installed them about two years ago and used the included red loctite. How hard will it be to remove? I’m worried that I might damage the factory wheel studs. Any tips or tricks?

Has anyone here removed them successfully without damaging any of the studs?

 

[Jtw13]

Purchased new wheels and will need to remove my current Spidertrax wheel spacers. I installed them about two years ago and used the included red loctite. How hard will it be to remove? I’m worried that I might damage the factory wheel studs. Any tips or tricks?

Has anyone here removed them successfully without damaging any of the studs?

Heat, get a map torch and warm it up. Impact after that.

 

[DEF4Runner]

+1 on the heat...or a long cheater bar.

Either way, depending on how much used, be ready to wire brush/wheel the residue off the lug studs.

 

[Bossman]

"It can be difficult removing LOCTITE® red threadlocker, and it's a common vehicle maintenance question. While the strength of the red threadlocker is formidable, and meant to be a permanent assembly method, don't believe the myths: red threadlocker can be disassembled with the right technique."

"When disassembling red threadlocker, the process is a little different than for other threadlockers. The key is to apply localized heat greater than 550° F. Then, once the threaded assembly is hot, the bolt can be unthreaded. Without applying heat to the assembly, it’s likely that over time, a bolt would break before coming loose."

How to Remove Red Threadlocker - Henkel Adhesives

 

[Chilow]

Thanks all for the replies. I’m just worried that if I use a breaker bar, I might end up snapping the original studs.

 

[DaddySteve]

do like the others have said use a torch and heat the stud. The bolts will break loose with ease.

 

[DEF4Runner]

In a pinch, I used a breaker bar when I needed the nut off, but didn't have access to a torch. It worked without snapping anything, but it DID leave a adhesive-like residue behind on both the stud and inside the nut. If I remember correctly, even using heat to loosen the grip will also leave some residue behind once it cools off. That said, be sure to clean the threads on both ends (or just the studs if you get new nuts with the wheels) to make sure you don't get a false torque once the nut tries to run through the residual loctite.

 

[Jetboy]

Hopefully they come off easy. I don't understand the logic behind loctite on spacers. Do your wheels commonly fall off? If not, why would properly tightened spacers come loose?

 

[Arnezie]

Hopefully they come off easy. I don't understand the logic behind loctite on spacers. Do your wheels commonly fall off? If not, why would properly tightened spacers come loose?

I was always told it has something to do with them being made of aluminum and the heat cooling cycles , expansion contraction and what not.


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[Ogre75]

I was always told it has something to do with them being made of aluminum and the heat cooling cycles , expansion contraction and what not.


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Most wheels are aluminum. If that were the case it would be the same situation. My guess is that spacer manufacturers want to cover their ass and direct to use loctite to lower liability of sub par install.

 

[IanB]

I need to do a brake job shorty and have red locktite holding my wheel spacers on. Good info on the heat, I'd have hit it with the impact without heat for sure.

 

[kenwilliams0803]

Heat is a great idea. I have never had to use it for red loctite though. It's not as strong as it's made out to be.

 

[spartacus]

Also buy a few oem wheel studs just incase and have them on hand for replacement if necessary.

 

[JPOVS]

I think red Loctite is only meant to be permanent with less than 5/8" diameter bolt, or something close to that size?

 

[Chilow]

Is there an alternative to using heat? In case I can't get access to a torch? I do have a cheap Harbor Freight heat gun.

 

[Jetboy]

Is there an alternative to using heat? In case I can't get access to a torch? I do have a cheap Harbor Freight heat gun.

One of these guys probably works as well as anything. $15. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Butane-...68RliYwEvWQMjXw59pBoCz-8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Not sure of anything else that would be better and cheaper for this task. The focused small flame of a mini torch is a lot better IMO than a larger mapp or propane torch. But they all would work for this scenario. Heat gun might work - but it's pretty hard to focus the heat very well.

The other way is to use a welder to weld on top of the stud and heat it up. But... that's going to ruin the stud so you might as well just break it off with an impact in that case.

 

[83Mule]

Any heat will help, but a torch will apply enough to make it easy.......I don't use red loc-tite on ANYTHING. A proper torque is more important to retention than the wrong torque and red loctite. Blue is all I use when I need any.

 

[Chilow]

Thank you everyone for the advice so far. Going to tackle this today in the afternoon. Praying that I don't snap any of the factory studs

 

[the_fornicator]

You'll be fine. I just went through this. As long as you have a breaker bar, you'll be fine.

If the spacer doesn't come off the hub, it's probably because you have red loctite mating the spacer to the hub. In that case, don't smash the spacer with a hammer (not even a rubber hammer) as you could bend your lugs. Instead, with the nuts taken off the spacer (the ones holding the spacer to the hub), toss the rim back on and lightly bolt the rim up to the spacer (3 bolts will do). Then rotate the rim really fast in either direction.

That will break the loctite holding the spacer to the hub.

I also had to go through that as well just recently.

 

[Chilow]

You'll be fine. I just went through this. As long as you have a breaker bar, you'll be fine.

If the spacer doesn't come off the hub, it's probably because you have red loctite mating the spacer to the hub. In that case, don't smash the spacer with a hammer (not even a rubber hammer) as you could bend your lugs. Instead, with the nuts taken off the spacer (the ones holding the spacer to the hub), toss the rim back on and lightly bolt the rim up to the spacer (3 bolts will do). Then rotate the rim really fast in either direction.

That will break the loctite holding the spacer to the hub.

I also had to go through that as well just recently.

Good tip! When you say rotate the rim really fast in either direction, I assume spinning it either forward or backwards? And not yanking on it (as if I was pulling the rim off)