stuck rims

[dumble]

Stuck Aluminum Wheels

I have a 1988 4x4 Toyota pickup, and the two front wheels were absolutely glued to the hubs. I beat on them incessantly, but to no avail. Finally, I removed all of the lug nuts, sprayed WD40 into the spaces around the bolts (while rotating the wheel, to soak it in), put the lug nuts back on, but just enough to keep the wheel from falling off. I let the truck sit for about 30 minutes, then backed it up and down the driveway about 4 times. Bingo! I could even hear and feel the wheels coming loose. This is probably about the safest way to crack that bond.

 

[NotSo_Fast_Eddie]

Same Here

I know this post is old, but I wanted to share what I ran into in case someone out there is getting discouraged. My 88 sat in a field for a year or so before I got it, so most everything is pretty well rusted. Three of the wheels came off without too much trouble, but here is what I’ve done for the front passenger wheel so far:

1. I have been soaking my rim/rotor in PB Blaster off and on for a week or two.
2. Tried kicking it (which I have never had to put any more effort than that on any of my previous car’s stuck rims)
3. Hit it with a rubber mallet
4. I hit it (tire) with a 16 pound sledge hammer laterally from the outside and also from the inside-out.
5. I loosened the lug nuts about halfway off, put duct tape across the rim to prevent the lugs from coming out and
   • Went for a drive and ran errands for a day.
   • Took it up to a local parking lot and drove really fast over speed bumps.
   • Ran over those concrete parking spot dividers and a few curbs

and it didn't budge at all.

I came here to get some other ideas. Found two:

1. Try rocking the entire truck laterally
2. Put a jack in between the rim and the frame and see if I can get it to release

This occurred to me too: If I can remove the two bolts on the backside of the caliper, then slide the caliper out in between the rim and rotor – wouldn’t the wheel come off with the rotor attached?
Then I can soak it in a big bowl of C.L.R. or something to break that bond.

Side note: Since I have been beating this with a sledge hammer so much, should I be worried that I am going to destroy the bearings?


I'll post back what worked... if I ever get it off. LOL! Thanks


Eddie

 

[NotSo_Fast_Eddie]

Update:

OK, so there is no way a caliper can slide out while the wheel is still on.
Rocking it latterly did not help nor did using a jack against the frame. The jack mostly just turned the wheels so I propped a rubber mallet on the opposite side so it couldn't turn and the jack still couldn't push it off.
I also drove over a car ramp positioned sideways (so the wheel would be angled away from the truck) and used the jack/frame trick again to try and break the bond - No Joy.
I ended up taking it to Michel Tires and a guy pounded it with a 12lb rubber sledge, alternating sides with each blow. It turns out the PB blaster worked, it was completely saturated in all the crevasses. We believe it wasn't stuck to the rotor as much as it was too tight around the center hub shaft. It looked like it had a bunch of junk around it preventing it from sliding off.

It cost me $11. Best money I ever spent.


Eddie

 

[scw1991]

Just rotated my tires a few weeks ago and ran into the same issue. I ended up loosening the lug nuts quite a bit then getting up under the car and give the back of the tire a good leg press type jab with the heel of my foot and they'll break loose.

The tolerances are pretty tight. Once off, then I thoroughly clean the hub and the bore of the wheel with a fine wire brush to remove all of the oxidation..

 

[M1911]

Now that you've gotten it off, use a wire brush to clean off the hub, and apply a light coat of anti-seize to the hub. It should come off easily in 6 months when you rotate the tires again.

 

[jonesmw10]

What has worked for me is with my back facing the wheel, I put on a pair of boots and give the tire two or three good kicks. Usually comes loose after that.

 

[Sungod]

Just to be clear, what you all are describing as the rim, is actually the wheel. The rim is defined as "outer edge of a wheel, holding the tire". Think like a bicycle that you have the rim that is supported by spokes.

 

[LB4Runner05]

Spent 2 hours rotating my tires - ended up having to break rims free from hubs/rotors by lowering truck down to give full weight on wheel (w/o lug nuts!) to finally break the f*ckers free, which is just asking for a disaster, but it was the only way besides a 3 foot pry bar and gouging the rim. It was the first rotation I have given this 4runner. My tacoma was the same way @ 7,000 miles.

I have been using anti seize around the hub to prevent this in the future, but wtf? Toyota's are the only vehicles that I have had this problem with.

Soft mallet on the back. Abrasive green pad to clean the inside corrosion


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