Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Car jack and wheel removal/cleaning advice

The lovely blue painted wires on my 2007 Plus 4 Molly get very grubby inside the wheel which is really difficult to clean (especially with a very long dusty farm drive to our house and two arthritic wrists that don't bend like normal wrists when trying to access the inaccessible).

I am therefore thinking of getting some kit to safely jack the care up and take the wheels off periodically and give them a really good clean. At this point I must stress I am properly the least mechanical person on this board (I am a pen pusher) and would some welcome any guidance. Whilst I have had a new set of tyres fitted by my excellent local tyre shop last year, I have never taken a wheel off Molly myself in the 8 years that I have had her.

I am thinking of getting something like a Clarke CTJ2000A trolley jack and a couple of Axel Stands from Machine Mart to get the car up to take the wheels off. Would that make sense? Any tips on the physical process of wire wheel removal with spinners? Any suggestions for cleaning grease and grim from the wheels?

Thanks in anticipation.
A Mechanical and Technical Numpty

I get on fine with a small trolley jack but would suggest you only take one wheel off at a time which stops and chance of putting one back in the wrong place. Certainly use an axle stand if you are going anywhere near underneath the car but you may find it easier to chock the crossmember with a wooden block.

Read advise on MWS website site about refitting wheels, too many people think they have to be tightened with long bars, they also sell wooden fitments to aid damage free removal, be careful to miss the wing when using the hammer !!!

I use a Halfords wheel cleaner they do 2 from memory, one is temptingly cheap but has a corrosive element the dearer one was about £15 and works well for me is non corrosive and a little goes a long way.

Good luck and think of the job as calming therapy !!

I am/was also a mechanical numpty and I am sure if I can do it, you can too

I bought the Halfords axel stands and their slightly bigger trolley jack as their small cheap one didn't lift the car high enough for the stands

To get the fronts off

Chocks under rear wheels, in gear, handbrake on, level surface, trolley Jack under front cross member centrally, pump up carefully allowing the trolley Jack to slide back as it lifts, don't put your head under until you have both axel stands under each side under the cross member near the wheel
Take the Jack out

Undo the spinners - I use a hammer with a block of wood on the spinners

Pull the wheel carefully off making sure you don't drop it on your foot

The grime will be probably caked on the inside rims I get some oven cleaner, scourer and water, but go carefully not to scratch through the wheel coating
Give the wheels a good clean with soft brushes and plenty of water
Perhaps spray with silicone spray so that they will be easier to clean next time or there is a wheel protector spray that Autoglym make that helps protect from future dirt

Give the threaded wheel boss a good clean and degrease and then regrease, put the wheel back on making sure it is pushed on fully and then put the spinner back on so it is hand tight then give it a good couple of hits with the hammer on the wood block to tighten

When lifting the rear just make sure that the trolley Jack and the axel stands go under the steel chassis cross member and not on the wood and use a soft wood block on top of the axel stands so they don't damage the flat cross member

It is really straight forward but a bit scary when using the trolley Jack for the first time as it seems really high

Good point from Sox - make sure you don't hit the wings with the hammer

I'd also give the inside tyre wall a good clean and put a tyre gel on as it helps prevent side wall cracking

Also while you have the wheel off why not give the under wings and wheel arch a good clean with a soft brush and spray with black paint

Thank you both for some great detailed and helpful advice. Stewart's notes will give me just the idiot's guide I needed. Tony, thanks for the MWS recommendation, what a great site that is.

Cheers
Ian

Whereabouts are you in the country Ian? If you're near me (Surrey) I can come over and show you how it's done, if not, I suspect any other Morgan owner would be happy to have you make them a coffee.

As well as all the good advice given, use "Copper Grease" on the splines, not normal grease.

If you are near Salisbury I'd be more than happy to come over to show you what needs to be done. I have a pair of axle stands that need a good (Morgan) home. Tarka has no need of front suspension greasing.....

Also with front wheels off greasing the front suspension is so simple....

so that's what they are called - 'splines'

I'll remember that

Thanks for the offers of help guys but I think I've got enough info now to have a go myself (and am actually looking forward to it).

By the way, I'm in the Teme Valley on the Worcestershire/ Herefordshire border.