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  “A few good whacks”. Sounds like an exact, scientific term, right? When dealing with knock-on wheels, many experts tell you a couple of good taps will do, to "make them bloody tight", tight, but not TOO tight, “beat the crap out of the spinner”, a few good whacks, or that “the spinners will self-tighten and lock as the car is driving.” Other experts will tell you that there are other factors involved and that you cannot count on this factor alone and clearly the directions have no objective definition.

The Triumph Service Manual tells you to:

Wire Wheels

Removal - A copper faced hammer is provided with cars fitted with wire spoked (knock-on) wheels to facilitate hub cap removal. Turn the hub caps, on the right-hand side of the car, clockwise and the hub caps on the left-hand side of the car, anti-clockwise, to remove them. Detach the wheel by pulling it straight off the splined hub.

Refitting - When refitting the road wheels, smear the hub splines with oil or grease to prevent corrosion and possible difficulty with wheel removal. Ensure that the hub caps are fully tightened by striking the "ears" in the appropriate direction with the copper faced hammer.

So, if that is what the Triumph Service Manual says, how do you know how tight is “fully tight”?

This lack of objectivity has always concerned me, and such a clear safety aspect can be very disconcerting. Recently, I came across a tool that solves all these vague references. Sarto Rocheleau makes a tool, interestingly enough, called a KNOCK OFF SPINNER TOOL (https://knockoffspinnertool.com/).

It is a machined aluminum tool, that is leather lined (black in photo) to protect all metal-to-metal contact, and with a red coloured plastic insert to protect the face of the spinner. The kit includes a 1 1/4″ CM-MO (Curium-Molybdenum) high impact socket (1/2” drive) for use with the tool. The main tool is milled using CNC technology. Sarto has thought of everything. The kit also includes an embossed storage bag to keep the tool kit organized in the car, and a wheel chock to block the wheel from spinning on the floor. While you can use a 50 – 250 lb. /ft torque wrench in your garage to do the tightening, when travelling, a ½” breaker bar may be more appropriate since you will not likely want to leave your torque wrench in the boot.