How to Repair Hot Wheels

Incorrectly fixing a broken Hot Wheels car can lead to one that doesn't roll properly, and a Hot Wheels car that doesn't roll creates more frustration for a child (or an adult) than not having one at all. Additionally, if your car has doors or a hood that open but they keep falling off, you or your child could inadvertently lose the moving part and ruin the car's appearance. Since manufacturers often discontinue Hot Wheels models, you can't simply buy a new one. Fixing your Hot Wheels car offers you the best way to keep your collection intact.

Remove the moving door or hood by pushing in on the part's hinge and lifting it free. The door or hood has a lower or upper hinge that usually has a protruding piece of metal that fits into corresponding holes in the car frame. A worn or broken door or hood should snap right out.

Heat the solder using the soldering gun

Drop a bit of liquid solder on one of the worn or broken hinge.

Let the solder cool for one hour.

File the solder into the shape of a tiny pin approximately 1/32 inch in length using the nail file. Even when hard, solder is a relatively soft metal that you can file into shape.

Bend the door or hood hinge with the needle-nose pliers, making sure you only bend them approximately 1/64 inch (about the width of your fingernail.)

Slide the hood or door back into place by first fitting the original hinge pin into the car frame's slot, then slipping the soldered pin into place.

Place the tip of the awl against the repaired hinge

Tap the hinge back into a 90-degree angle using the ball peen hammer. As you bend the hinge, the soldered pin will slide into the door frame's hold.

Open and close the door. Opening and closing the door will help wear the soldered pin into shape, so that you can open and close the door more easily.

Remove the broken wheel from the axle.

Snip a section of the 32-gauge wire, making sure the length matches the width of the Hot Wheel's undercarriage, and sticks out on either end half the width of the wheel well.

Glue one end of the 32-gauge wire into the center of one of the tires using the superglue.

Slide the 32-gauge wire through the Hot Wheel's axle hole.

Glue the second wheel onto the protruding end of the newly-created axle.