Taking off the Wheel Caps and Connecting Rods
Remove the wheel caps with a wrench if your model has them. If you are working on a tractor or a semi-truck, the wheels may have small screws or caps on the ends. If they do, use a wrench to turn them clockwise and loosen them up so that they fall off.Tip: If you are repairing your Nylint car or truck, don’t worry about keeping the wheel caps in good shape. You can buy replacements at most hardware stores. You may need to use some force, especially if your Nylint car or truck is rusty or corroded.
Pop the metal tabs up if your wheel well is covered with steel. Some models of Nylint trucks, like the semi-trucks, have covered wheel wells that you can’t access initially. If that’s the case for yours, use a flat-head screwdriver to pop up the metal tabs and then remove the steel sheet at the bottom of the truck. Point the screwdriver away from yourself and use caution when you pop the metal tabs up.
Hold the rod that connects the wheels with a pair of pliers. Once you expose the wheel well or you turn your model car over, you’ll be able to see the steel rod that holds the 2 wheels together. Get a firm grip on this rod with a pair of pliers so that you can hold it steady while you work. Some models don’t have the connecting rod, in which case you can just keep a firm grip on the car or truck itself as you pull the wheel off.
Pull on 1 wheel out and away from the car. While keeping your grip on the connecting rod, use 1 hand to forcefully pull 1 wheel off the rod. It may take some force, but that’s all you need to disconnect each wheel. Make sure you are working on a flat surface so that your wheels or any other car parts don’t roll away.
Slide the second wheel with the rod out from the car. After you remove 1 wheel, the rod won’t be able to stay put underneath the car, and it should slide right out. Set these wheels aside so that you can use the hardware later. If your Nylint model doesn’t have any connecting rods, you can just pull the wheels off one by one.
Cleaning the Wheels
Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water. You can use dish soap or mild laundry detergent to clean off your Nylint wheels. Squirt 2 to 3 drops of soap into about 6 cups (1.4 L) of water for the best ratio. Most of the dirt on the wheels will probably come off with soap and water.
Scrub the wheels and the rod with a toothbrush. Dip the wheels with the connecting rod into the soapy water, then use a toothbrush to really scrub away the dirt, dust, and grime. Try to get into the grooves of the wheels with the toothbrush bristles for a full clean. If your wheels have rims, try to scrub those really well too.
Clean the connecting rod with rust-remover if you need to. If your Nylint model has been sitting around for a while, it could have gotten rusty. Spray some rust-remover spray onto the rusty metal and then use a clean cloth to scrub it off.Tip: You can use rust-remover spray on any other parts of your model that are rusty as well.
Replacing the Wheels
Slide the connecting rods into the bottom of the model. Flip your model car or tuck over to look at the bottom. Find the grooves or holes that the connecting rods were sitting in and use the empty side without a wheel to slide it back into the model.Variation: If you are working on a tractor model, you may not have connecting rods. In that case, just pop the wheels back into place one by one.
Push the second wheel back onto the connecting rod. Hold the connecting rod steady with your hand and use your other hand to push the wheel onto the rod. Adjust the wheels so that they are straight so that the model rolls smoothly. Then, you can do the same with the other wheels and connecting rods. You may have to use some force to push the second wheel back on, especially if it’s been off for a few days.
Add wheel caps if your model has them. Place the wheel caps in the center of the wheels and clamp a wrench around them. Turn the caps counter-clockwise until you can’t turn them anymore to lock the wheels into place. If you are working on a tractor or a semi-truck, it probably has wheel caps. Cars and trucks usually don’t.
Replace any coverings that you took off earlier. If you had to lift up the steel sheet to get to the wheels, set it back onto the body of the model and press down the metal flaps. You can use your hands if it’s not too difficult, or you can press them in with a flat-head screwdriver. Semi-trucks usually have a metal covering over the wheel well.
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