I Did A Dumb Thing: Didn't Measure Door Of Cage For Wheel Installation

[Chinwawa]

I admit my mistake to help others. LOL

I took out the horrible wire wheels from my NJ Rehome Girls' cage. I ordered two 15 inch Chin Spins. I want the best for my new girls. I don't even want them to have to take turns. Hence two wheels. I figure I can install one on each side of the cage at the bottom.

The Chin Spins come. I open one to get a good look. It is beautiful. I think I will just sit for a few minutes and then pop it right into the cage.

I relax on the couch and a little voice says, "The wheels are bigger than the door of the cage."

Yep, I was so enthusiastic about getting them the best wheels that I forgot that their cage has different doors from the FN.

Rather than take the whole cage apart...I am going to cut out the back with a bolt cutter and then wire it back together after I install the wheels.

 

[Olallie]

I would be careful cutting sections out of a cage, and wiring them back, make sure there are no sharp edges!

 

[Chinwawa]

I have a grinder too. Will grind before I replace. :high5:

 

[Rickman]

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, [if you're old enough to know who that is!]I did that once!
It's usually easier to take off the top of the cage, and a whole lot safer for your chins - no sharp edges!
It's still a PIA though!

 

[Chinwawa]

Hi Rickman,

That's funny...I was just thinking the same thing. If I loosen the screws on the top corners I can slide out the wire grid on the top of the cage.

I will have to drop the wheels in on a shelf and then reach in the doors and work them down to the bottom and then attach.

Much safer for my girlies.

 

[Laurie]

Good luck! And I think it takes a big person to admit to their mistakes!

 

[Chinwawa]

Thank you Laurie. That comment makes me feel a bit better.

Love your avatar pic. :thumbsup:

Glad I have a small cage that I use when I am cleaning. I can put my two girlies in the small cage while I work from the top.

 

[ABBY W.]

LOL I actually did the same thing when I had Martin's cages. I had to remove all of the c-rings from the front section of the cage, peel back the front and slide the wheel in, then attach new c-rings. What a pain! If I ever sell that cage, the wheel is DEFINITELY going with it!

 

[Pleiades]

Part of the reason I'm switching over from a Martin cage to a FN is the stupid small doors, haha! I too have taken all the c-rings off to fit a wheel in. Such a pain!

 

[caiti]

Hi Rickman,

That's funny...I was just thinking the same thing. If I loosen the screws on the top corners I can slide out the wire grid on the top of the cage.

I will have to drop the wheels in on a shelf and then reach in the doors and work them down to the bottom and then attach.

Much safer for my girlies.

I had that same terrible realization when I tried to put my chin spin in my chin's super pet cage (I have since made her a new cage with full double doors...). I tried to get it through either of the front doors--no luck. I finally figured if i twisted it right I could get it through the door on top and I just had to drop it in then pick it up with my hands through the front doors. Hope it works out for you, sounds like going through the top is the best option.

 

[Chinwawa]

Glad I am not the only one who has done this. LOL
Thank you all for stepping up. You made me feel better.
Will describe the "ordeal" of getting the wheels installed.

 

[Linda]

I took out the horrible wire wheels from my NJ Rehome Girls' cage. I ordered two 15 inch Chin Spins.

Before you start using the chin spins, I'd contact Quality Cages if you purchased from them (or whoever you did purchase them from) to see if the powder coating problem was resolved. If you look at the last post on this thread, you'll see that they believe many of their powder coating problems started a year ago when they switched powder coaters. I suspect yours fall within the time frame of the bad powder coating. They told me they'd contact me as well as post on the forum when they had a resolution to the problem. That hasn't happened, so I suspect they have not resolved the problem.

I would think you'll want to know where they stand on this problem, how long they guarantee the wheels you bought that were produced when they had known problems, etc.

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16156&highlight=powder&page=2

Linda