I've always had problems pulling the hubs off of the wheel drum on my micro (I have the scars on my thumbs and the broken wheels to prove it). This made it a nightmare to do simple tasks like adjusting the rear differential and other things that required me to take off the wheels.
I actually did this modification because I thought it looked cool, but then I realized that it also allowed access to the screws/nuts that hold the wheels on without taking the hubs off. Basically you just cut the mesh or spokes out of the hub before putting it on. It leaves the wheel open so you take off the wheel without pulling off the hubs. Hope this helps somebody!