Wheel stuck on hub: help.
Discussion
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'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
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. 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 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!
Make sure the car is well supported & on an axle stand before doing this though as you might need to get a bit aggressive!
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!
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!
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.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!
Lowering the car onto the wheel with the bolts already removed - interesting. I bet that'll work!
Cheers
Craig
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!
not advisable if you don't have a chunky side-wall though!
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.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 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!
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 :/
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 :/
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.
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