Fender Skirt Removal 56 Series 62?

[hawkfan]

I dont see it listed in the shop manual on how to remove the fender skirts so I can remove the wheels.  I looked up a video on line and found a video for a late model Eldo.  It looks like you do a quarter turn on a banjo clamp and once thats loose, the skirt folds towards you on some hinges.
Would that be true for a 1956 Series 62?

Thanks
Brian

[phildeville@cox.net]

That's the way my '54 works!  I think they are the same on your car.

GL,

Phil

[hawkfan]

Thanks, Phil !!!

[carguyblack]

Brian,
Put a Crescent adjustable wrench ( so you don't put teeth marks in it) on the steel block visible just below the fender skirt lip. Be prepared to turn it with some force but make sure it's in the correct direction before reefing on it.
Chuck

[J. Skelly]

Another suggestion is to put a clear piece of tubing over the end of the latch assembly to avoid scratching the paint on the lower quarter.  I did that on my '71.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Jim,

I am sure that the '71 is a totally different method than the earlier ones.

My '60 had what sounds like the '56, and I had to use an adjustable spanner on that.

From what i understand, with the earlier cars, there could have been a piece on the jack handle/wheel wrench that acted as the correct tool.   

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

From what i understand, with the earlier cars, there could have been a piece on the jack handle/wheel wrench that acted as the correct tool.   

That's right, Bruce. When I had my '56 de Ville, I always used the jack handle wrench to remove/install the fender skirts.

[carguyblack]

That leads to another question: What should a correct jack handle look like for the 1956 models? With what I have, I don't see how I could effectively take off the fender skirts with it. Perhaps a photo? It would make sense that Cadillac would include that capability as the fender skirt removal is essential for changing a tire in an emergency situation.
Chuck

[Lexi]

Wow! I never checked to see whether my bumper jack would fit on my fender skirt thumb turn for removal. Next time out I will have to check that. Here are a couple of shots of what a 1956 bumper jack handle looks like. I believe this style was used for several years. Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

  Yes,  that's very interesting. I've never heard of this before from anyone.
  So it's got to be the lugnut end of the wrench that fits the knob on the skirt retainer.  There is nothing else that I can see that would work on it.
  Now I'm going to have to give this a try and see if it fits. But it does make sense. Like Chuck said, it doesn't make sense that Cadillac would leave you to figure out how to remove the skirt on your own.
I wonder if they actually printed instructions for that in their owners manuals. I need to look at mine now.
  Thanks for that tip, that's very helpful.

Rick


EDIT:  I just got a chance to check the lug wrench and skirt, and they do actually fit together. Thanks for that tip. I had always figured that I'd have to carry a crescent wrench to remove those.
I keep a tool box in all my vehicles anyhow, but now I know that I don't have to open it in case of a flat. Very cool.

[hawkfan]

Thanks to all for the excellent responses to my question!  I picked up a set of wide white wall tires and will be changing them out next week!  Looking forward to it!

Thanks
Brian

[Dave Ventresca]

I thought a banjo clamp or banjo fitting was on a 49 master cylinder

[Lexi]

Brian when are we going to see some photos of your car? Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

   I just checked the owners manual for 56 and it clearly states that to remove the skirt, or "wheel shields" as they refer to them, you use the lug wrench. Here's a picture of the manual.
I mean,  who reads the owners manual anyway? That's like the saying "When all else fails, read the instructions".

My thanks again for this great bit of information. (Who'd a thunk it?)

   Rick

[Lexi]

Cadman-iac! Exactly. Who reads the manual. I actually tried reading the owner's manual once but when I saw the instructions for cleaning the windshield as; "Use clear water to remove dirt and insects from the glass of your Cadillac", (next page, #39, after the fender skirt removal), I thought who wants to read this pap! But looks like the detective work on this site found something useful in there after all! Clay/Lexi

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I am pleased that I was able to share my knowledge in this matter for the many that simply don't bother to read their owners manual from cover to cover.    I still do this in my cars whilst I am patiently waiting in the Shopping Centre Car Park, waiting for my beloved to return.

One thing that the manual fails to mention is that there is another matter to deal with as one is removing the skirt.

And that is, once the retaining catch is removed, as one is pulling the outer edge of the skirt out away from the fender, reposition the locking piece back upwards, so that the base of it does not interfere with the wheel trim.   This is especially true with the lever on the '71 to '73 car.

And then, when reinstalling, do the opposite so that the fender paint is not damaged.

Bruce.

[Cadillac Fleetwood]

Cadman-iac! Exactly. Who reads the manual. I actually tried reading the owner's manual once but when I saw the instructions for cleaning the windshield as; "Use clear water to remove dirt and insects from the glass of your Cadillac", (next page, #39, after the fender skirt removal), I thought who wants to read this pap! But looks like the detective work on this site found something useful in there after all! Clay/Lexi

This method of removal of the fender skirts with the jack handle/lug wrench continued through the 1968 model year, and is covered in the owners manual each year.  Something that they should have left out was the instruction to use the end of the lug wrench with the rubber cover to re-install the wheel cover.  Sheer madness! And so many dented and dinged wheel covers!

Charles Fares

[J. Skelly]

This method of removal of the fender skirts with the jack handle/lug wrench continued through the 1968 model year, and is covered in the owners manual each year.  Something that they should have left out was the instruction to use the end of the lug wrench with the rubber cover to re-install the wheel cover.  Sheer madness! And so many dented and dinged wheel covers!

Charles Fares

The part about using the lug wrench to re-install the wheel cover must have been written by someone who would just call their favorite road service instead!

[Cadman-iac]

This method of removal of the fender skirts with the jack handle/lug wrench continued through the 1968 model year, and is covered in the owners manual each year.  Something that they should have left out was the instruction to use the end of the lug wrench with the rubber cover to re-install the wheel cover.  Sheer madness! And so many dented and dinged wheel covers!

Charles Fares

  This may have been acceptable when the rubber cover on the lug wrench was new and still pliable, and done with great caution, but I keep a small rubber mallet in the vehicle for just this purpose.
I have an old set of Cadillac hubcaps on my car trailer too, and there's a tire shop tool I keep in the trailer tool box just so I don't damage those caps any more than they already are.
Another thing I do, is whenever I have any tire work done at one of the shops  is to remove and replace the caps myself. Because I've had several damaged in the past by kids that don't understand how to install them. Half of these kids haven't even seen real hubcaps before.
So my tip to all is do it yourself and save yourself the headache.

   Rick

[hawkfan]

Clay,

Heres some pics of my 56.

Thanks
Brian