How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires. I cannot tell you how many Cozy Coupes from Little Tikes I rescued from the garbage, or recycling, just because they were missing a tire, or front wheel assembly. Maybe people don’t have the time, or energy to fix them, but maybe they just don’t think they can. So here’s what I know of how to fix them, in the hopes that more are rescued from the landfills.

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires:

Find Replacement Parts

 

Little Tikes offers lots of replacements parts, and you can get them from just calling the 1-800 number that is printed on your toy, or on their website. If they don’t have cozy coupe kits with the wireforms available anymore, then you can find sellers on Ebay who will offer what you need.

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires :

Vintage 1980s Original Model Cozy Coupe: Front wheel Assembly Replacment

With the older 1980s vintage models, the front wheels, and wireforms are quite different from the newer models, but you can modify the newer parts to fit them.  The major differences are in the wireforms.

 

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires :

Equal Sizes for Both Front, or Both Back is Important

There are two forms needed for the front, a right and a left. If you are unsure which one you need, I’ll put that to an end now. You need both, as the angle is different, and the newer tires are larger so you have to replace both wireforms and tires at the same time. If both your vintage tires are still useable then you could use them. The idea is that it must be the same on both sides. So the tires must match, and the wireforms must match each other.

Yes it sounds expensive, but if you sell the parts you don’t need, that can cut the cost down a bit. I know it is not hard to list them on Ebay and sell them.  Maybe have a peak on Ebay first to see if someone is selling a vintage tire, or wireform before ordering new parts from Little Tikes.

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires :

Removing The Old Parts

A word about dismantling your older coupe. If you can avoid pulling off the old version cap nuts, do it, as they are VERY hard to pry off. And if someone knows a trick to this I would love to hear it.

I think I found the easiest way to get them off is with a pry bar and a hammer and just tapping the pry bar with a hammer to wiggle it off. But rarely any of them were able to put back on.  I just pull off the top cap nut and the rest of the wheel assembly will come off all together.

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires:

Save Your Old Parts if Possible

Definitely try to save the original bushings, as they are shorter, and can make assembly easier. If you don’t have them, or you are going to use them with on another car,  you can use the newer ones, but then you need to increase the length of your upper straight length, the part that goes through the body of the car.

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires:

Measure Your Cut

Once you have both tires and wireforms off, put on the new version ones. They will be too long for the older coupe,  but you can measure them out on where to cut them. The length will change depending on whether you have the old or new bushings. So measure them with the bushings you are going to use.  Give yourself a good 2 cm of clearance on the top. If you find the wheel is a little loose you can pry off the newer version cap nut much easier recut the wireform, and put it back on. Obviously if you cut it too short, you won’t be able to use it, so really put a lot of thought into the length. And as I said before, you have to replace them with either two new wheel assemblies, right and left sides, with wireforms, and wheels, or find some vintage parts you need, and replace them. If you end up replacing with all new parts, please sell the old stuff you had. I promise you there is someone out there who needs that left tire you don’t anymore.  🙂

How to Fix Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Wheels or Tires

Make Your Cut

So here you are, you have two new 30th anniversary wireforms, and two new tires from a 30th anniversary, how do you make it fit your coupe. Easy cut it with a hack saw to the right length.

 

A vise grip holding it to a work bench makes life easier, but I have to admit I have tried several Macguiver type set-ups and it still worked out fine.

I’ll be adding more to this hopefully adding links and more pictures and stuff.  Please feel free to ask questions. I will try to answer as quickly as I can.