Vacuum hubs "96 Ranger

[arthur]

My daughter has a 1996 Ranger with vacuum hubs. How to I remove the small wedge that is in the keyway to prevent the locknut from loosening?

 

[shane96ranger]

My daughter has a 1996 Ranger with vacuum hubs. How to I remove the small wedge that is in the keyway to prevent the locknut from loosening?

They are actually not vacuum, they are mechanical. I used a pick to get mine out, but a lot of people use a magnet.

 

[farmer]

mine were REALLY stuck. i used the really strong magnet from an old door speaker and stuck it on a punch, then stuck the tip of the punch on the wedge and it slipped right out

 

[Guilius]

the driver's side wedge was really stuck on mine. we used a pick and sat there for hours. Farmer had the solution we used.
find a high powered magnet or make a homemade electro magnet....anything with some good pull and a nail and it should come out.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Typically the nut will back off a bit and wedge the key, tighten the nut a hair and it usually comes right out.

I did have one on my explorer that refused to come out, had to take a grinder and chisel to the nut.