Wheel stuck on hub: help.

[CraigyMc]

Hello all,
I'd like to swap my summer wheels over to my winter wheels/tyres set.
I'd be doing this right now if I'd not already started, then hit a probably common snag: one of the rear wheels is firmly glued to the hub, and I can't get it off.

I always put copper grease between them whenever I put wheels on, so I've not run into a situation where I really cannot get the wheel off before.

Any ideas on how to remove it?

For the record, I don't have a big rubber mallet. (Should I get one just for this? Seems overkill!).

Would WD40 down the back of the wheel sort it?
Is there anything I can do involving heating or cooling to get it off easier?

Thoughts please. If I can't do it myself, I'm thinking of driving the car down to the local tyre place and giving them a few quid to swap all the wheels over, which is of course the same as "giving up", and would make me feel bad/annoyed for a while.

Craig

[baccalad]

Try going to the gym or something bro

[IanCress]

Big rubber mallet would probably do the trick. The other option often suggested but requires a little bravery, is to loosen the wheel nuts by a few turns, then go for a slow drive down the street which will hopefully release the wheel.

[curlie467]

Put the wheel nuts/bolts on loosely and drive up and down the drive/road, this should do it.

[FD3Si]

CraigyMc said:

For the record, I don't have a big rubber mallet.

Yes, yes you do - it's usually found as a covering on your feet.
Boot it. Hard. Never failed. And I'm built like a racing weasel.

[t400ble]

Right, make sure the car is well supported

Stick a wheel nut back in a few turns so the wheel doesn't fall off and hit the ground

Get under the car, and give the wheel a good few kicks with the bottom of your foot

Job done

[Targarama]

curlie467 said:

Put the wheel nuts/bolts on loosely and drive up and down the drive/road, this should do it.

Just let it down off the jack with the bolts on loose. That should crack the joint.

[Matthen]

CraigyMc said:

Hello all,
I'd like to swap my summer wheels over to my winter wheels/tyres set.
I'd be doing this right now if I'd not already started, then hit a probably common snag: one of the rear wheels is firmly glued to the hub, and I can't get it off.

I always put copper grease between them whenever I put wheels on, so I've not run into a situation where I really cannot get the wheel off before.

Any ideas on how to remove it?

For the record, I don't have a big rubber mallet. (Should I get one just for this? Seems overkill!).

Would WD40 down the back of the wheel sort it?
Is there anything I can do involving heating or cooling to get it off easier?

Thoughts please. If I can't do it myself, I'm thinking of driving the car down to the local tyre place and giving them a few quid to swap all the wheels over, which is of course the same as "giving up", and would make me feel bad/annoyed for a while.

Craig

I don't think putting a lubricant in between your hub and wheel would be a good idea. Usually I use a rubber mallet, but you say you've not got one. Would hitting the spare wheel (rubber bit) into the top of the stuck tyre work? You'd probably have to use a fair bit of force... And it would be awkward.

[brockovrs]

I had this a while ago, the thing that finally got it off in the end was sitting with my back against a wall (to brace myself) and repeatedly kicking the wheel at each side (so at the 3 & 9 o'clock positions)

Make sure the car is well supported & on an axle stand before doing this though as you might need to get a bit aggressive!

[CraigyMc]

FD3Si said:

CraigyMc said:

For the record, I don't have a big rubber mallet.

Yes, yes you do - it's usually found as a covering on your feet.
Boot it. Hard. Never failed. And I'm built like a racing weasel.

I've already kicked the st out of it. (For the record, I'm 6'1", 75kg)

[CraigyMc]

IanCress said:

requires a little bravery, is to loosen the wheel nuts by a few turns, then go for a slow drive down the street which will hopefully release the wheel.

The car is worth about 10K. I'd prefer to avoid this if possible.

[McSam]

Bloody hell, I thought you were made of sterner stuff than that


Weakling jokes aside (first post covered it beautifully), lowering the car off the jack with the wheels bolts very loose has never failed for me. As above, if this doesn't work you could try driving it a bit like that, but shouldn't be necessary. Just be ready to stop the jack, in case the bolts are a bit too far out and the wheel fks off once loaded up!

[CraigyMc]

McSam said:

Bloody hell, I thought you were made of sterner stuff than that

Weakling jokes aside (first post covered it beautifully), lowering the car off the jack with the wheels bolts very loose has never failed for me. As above, if this doesn't work you could try driving it a bit like that, but shouldn't be necessary. Just be ready to stop the jack, in case the bolts are a bit too far out and the wheel fks off once loaded up!

I'm quite a bit smaller than the last time you saw me - getting in shape to fit in an F2 cockpit amongst other things.

Lowering the car onto the wheel with the bolts already removed - interesting. I bet that'll work!

Cheers

Craig

[John145]

Loosen wheel nuts, remove locking wheel nut completely. Handbrake on, find bite point, wheel will crack off.

Gentleman's way. None of this hitting it or other tomfoolery.

[steveo3002]

kick it harder- make sure it cant fall on you

wheel nuts a couple of turns loose and rock the car as rough as you can or drop it off the jack fast

big hammer and a block off wood and hit from the back side of the wheel

[Aids0G]

I had this happen on my defender 90 a year or so ago when it first had the alloys on, tried kicking etc levering with a length of wood in the end I got a 20 pound sledge hammer and whacked the tyre pretty hard, couple of goes and off it came!

not advisable if you don't have a chunky side-wall though!

[Sheepshanks]

t400ble said:

Right, make sure the car is well supported

Stick a wheel nut back in a few turns so the wheel doesn't fall off and hit the ground

Get under the car, and give the wheel a good few kicks with the bottom of your foot

I know you said "make sure the car is well supported" but I still think you absolutely do not want to have any part of your body under the car doing this.

I do same as you in securing the wheel so it doesn't fall off then use a long piece of timber from the other side of the car - position it on the inside rim and belt it with a big hammer, then rotate the wheel (or re-position the timber if space) and belt it again.

I just had a nightmare with some refurbed wheels where I guess the powder coating on the inside of the centre hole had reduced its diameter such that I had to hammer the wheels all the way off.

Despite being careful I still really hurt one of my thumbs by bending it backwards when a wheel suddenly let go and I had my fingers on the tread and thumbs on the sidewall - so don't do that!

[rllmuk]

As others have said, when this happens I normally sit down with the wheel in front of me and kick one edge of the rim repeatedly till it loosens. Alternate between 3 & 9 o'clock, should do the trick. The gently rolling forward/back with looser bolts works too, especially if on the front and you can turn the wheel.

I've had this happen due to wheels bonded due to too snug a fit post powder-coating, and the refurb company not covering the wheel centre :/

[Sidewindow]

Use one of the wheels you have removed and swing it, tyre tread first, into one side of the stubborn wheel's tyre, then the other, at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Obviously make sure the care is secure on axle stands first and don't hit the bodywork! Not explained very well but it works every time, and you don't need to lie on the floor to do it! Otherwise, hit the bottom of the rear of the tyre (inside the wheel at 6 o'clock) repeatedly with a dead blow rubber mallet while you turn the wheel around. It should come off pretty easily.

[Robatr0n]

Targarama said:

Just let it down off the jack with the bolts on loose. That should crack the joint.

This is what I've done in the past. Far safer than some of these other suggested methods too!