Seized alloys.

[MG-FIDO]

Hi guys,

Currently attempting to rustproof my roadster, but we've hit a snagging point- the alloys seem to have seized onto the axle!

Car's currently up on axle stands, wheel nuts off but the wheels aren't budging despite some careful but not overly light hammer taps through a block of wood. Not sure what to try other than using a cold chisel to try to ease the wheel away where its seized at the back.

Any advice gratefully received.

[hornetrider]

Wheel nuts back on but not tight, car on the ground, move the car around a bit.

[MG-FIDO]

Hmm, thanks I'll give it a go but not holding out much hope, it really seems the back of the alloys have become one with the the disk brakes. Nothing's ever simple!

[hornetrider]

If you jerk the car around a bit using sharp clutch/brake movement it may work. Don't drive it too far though!!

[The Tea Boy]

Had this problem on previous car, nuts on loose, drop car on trolly jack reasonably quickly, job done!

Matt

[Conor D]

Rubber mallet. Hit the bottom of the wheel on the back side, rotate, hit again, rotate, etc until you're around the entire wheel.

Had this issue with a clio a few weeks ago. Done the job.

[shakindog]

Block off wood and bigger hammer. And don't be shy with the hammer

[MG-FIDO]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Much hitting with the hammer got one off but special mention to hornetrider, a quick spin round the block got the remaining three off, which just hadn't budged, in about 30 seconds.

[hornetrider]

[MX-5 Lazza]

Before you put the wheels back on, give them a bit of a wire brushing to clean off any corrosion that might be there and coat all mating surfaces and the hub centres with copper grease to stop it happening again

[MG-FIDO]

Good advice, prevention definitely the way forwards!

[trackerjack]

Someone must have been doing this loose nut thing a couple of years ago at a sunny Goodwood breakfast club as I saw a wheel nut in the road approaching Goodwood and scooped it up as I passed in my Robin Hood kit car and to my surprise found an MX5 parked at the side of the circuit missing this same type of nut, so I put his/her wheel nut on the central gear console.

I often wonder whether the owner wondered how it jumped off the wheel and into the car and whether it prompted him/her to tighten all the nuts just in case.

[Graebob]

My 2p.

Don't copper grease the mating faces. Clean em up for sure, but having no "shear" force from friction of the alloy tightly bolted on the hub puts more lateral load through the wheel studs (or so I read in a much more scientific way on PH once, can't find the post now annoyingly).

[MX-5 Lazza]

It only needs a smear of copper grease, not a bucket-full, you're only putting a thin layer between the mating surfaces to stop them corrosion/welding themselves together. It will make no difference to shear-force or however you want to describe it but it will stop the wheels from seizing on the hubs.

[Munter]

Graebob said:

My 2p.

Don't copper grease the mating faces. Clean em up for sure, but having no "shear" force from friction of the alloy tightly bolted on the hub puts more lateral load through the wheel studs (or so I read in a much more scientific way on PH once, can't find the post now annoyingly).

Last time I read something similar it was suggested the suspension mounts would fail before the studs...

[Graebob]

Horses for courses. It'll be another one of those old garage tales. Whatever, if you put a dab of copper grease the alloys certainly won't seize again.

[Odie]

Its funny really, a 17yo mechanic at the local tyre place told me off for putting too much copper ease between my wheels and the hubs, I just nodded and smiled. Clearly he'd never seen 2 differing metals react and weld together.. He will learn