stuck rims

[swise]

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.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

There's notches in the rims to put a wedge/chisel etc. and whack it with a hammer. I don't know what else to tell you...

 

[swise]

i tried the notches, but no luck - it started to bend the aluminum of the rim

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Yikes. I had an aluminum rimmed old Dodge pickup. I had to loosen the lugnuts to about 3-4 threads and drive it in the driveway to break them free.

There's so many reasons to do PM (like tire rotation), this is yet another one

 

[LB4Runner05]

Trust me on this one, I use a Soft hammer so that you don't bend the rims. I hit it in a few parts inside and it comes right off. The aluminum oxidation causes the hold. I couldn't believe it the first time I did this after the dealer told me about it.

 

[MikesToy]

Since i bought my tires from Discount Tire, they do all the legwork for me. And by watching them doing it, it looks like an easy job. They take off the hub caps first. Loosen all the lugnuts. Raise the 4R. Take off all the lugnuts. Hammer (rubber) the back of the tire and wiggle the tire out. Woala!

 

[jetboy1975]

I used to have that problem on a lot of vehicles and started using anti-seize as well (the greasy silver stuff that gets brushed on, not the spray kind). It works for me, no problems since. However I don't just put it around the hubs, I put it on all the rim/hub contact points. Around the hub and all the flat spots between the studs.

 

[PaulB-2006 T4R]

Hi All,

I just rotated my tires yesterday and now I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only person having this problem. I contemplated dropping the jack with no lugs but feared the worst. I hit the back of the wheel in several different places with a 3 lbs hammer with a wood block to protect the wheel. I also used anti-seize figuring the steel spark plug into an aluminum block was the same as the wheel to the rotor.

I have never had this problem with other aluminum wheels, including a Jeep GC. My next set of tires will be from Discount Tire so I do not have to rotate the tires myself, it is a job that is not gratifying.

 

[M1911]

I have this problem on my 4Runner. I also had it on my wife's old Mercedes C240.

I do use anti-seize now, and that helps. When the rims are stuck, I take a sledge hammer, and swing it horizontally to hit the tire, not the rim. It usually takes just a couple relatively gentle whacks to get it off.

The other thing that helps is when you do change the tires, use a stiff wire brush to clean the rust off the hub and the wheel.

 

[TechWrench]

I have had this issue on other vehicles in the past, and now use the same process to remove stuck wheels which works every time.

With the wheel off the ground and lug nuts loose, I use a large rubber mallet to hit the outside of the tire (not the wheel) while rotating it. It works best for me to stand next to vehicle with my back to it, this way I can get good swing at tire. Most of the time wheel is loose in less than 10-15 smacks. If that doesn't work, then leaving lug nuts on, but two turns loose, I lower vehicle to ground and rock it side to side to break hub loose (that always works if the mallet doesn't). Before I re-install wheel, I clean hub and inside of wheel with wire brush and apply a light coating of never-size to make it easier the next time.

There have been some suggestions that one put vehicle up on jack stands and get under it and kick the s#*t out of the tire from the inside. I, for one, would not want to give the local papers something to write about after the rescue squad pulls me out from under a vehicle that came down off the jacks.

 

[M1911]

There have been some suggestions that one put vehicle up on jack stands and get under it and kick the s#*t out of the tire from the inside.

Yikes. No thanks. I don't particularly like being under my truck even when it is it up on ramps, let alone jack stands.

I, for one, would not want to give the local papers something to write about after the rescue squad pulls me out from under a vehicle that came down off the jacks.

You and me, both.

 

[TBoliv]

Yikes. No thanks. I don't particularly like being under my truck even when it is it up on ramps, let alone jack stands.


You and me, both.

Remove the lugs (or leave one on part way to catch the wheel), turn your back to the car, and give it a good solid kick with the flat of your foot is typically what I do. I usually hold on to the wheel to catch it, but that's just what works for me. If one isn't enough, turn the wheel on the hub and smack it in another spot. Repeat until the wheel is off.

A stiff wire brush is a great suggestion for removing the old rust, which will 1: help prevent this in the future, and 2: help the wheel go back on easier.

 

[midnight runner]

A stiff wire brush is a great suggestion for removing the old rust, which will 1: help prevent this in the future, and 2: help the wheel go back on easier.

My truck originated from MA. When I changed the rotors, I went through the hub area with a stiff wire brush to get rid of any rust. Same on the wheels. I haven't had the issue since.

 

[LB4Runner05]

Trust me on this one, I use a Soft hammer so that you don't bend the rims. I hit it in a few parts inside and it comes right off. The aluminum oxidation causes the hold. I couldn't believe it the first time I did this after the dealer told me about it.

 

[M1911]

Trust me on this one, I use a Soft hammer so that you don't bend the rims.

I don't need to. I don't bend the rims because I don't hit them. I hit the tire.

 

[LB4Runner05]

I don't need to. I don't bend the rims because I don't hit them. I hit the tire.

Who bends the rims? It doesn't work that way for my machine. I have tried kicking with the sh*t kickers on the tires to no avail but the soft hammer does the trick, every time without dings.

 

[MikesToy]

Ya'll must be careful hitting your tires or rims because you might bend one of your studs. Those will be a pain in da butt even tho if you only bend one. :boink:

 

[Uneek]

I loosen the lugs, 2-3 turns each and rock the vehicle side to side.

I spray the hub on the rim with a little bit of WD-40 before reinstallation and haven't needed to do anything since to get the wheels off.

 

[rwilliams]

Mechanic here. We use a soft rubber hammer/brass hammer and hit the tire from the back. Keep a nut 3 threads on so the tire doesn't fly off. If that doesn't work kick it Bruce Lee style. THAT doesn't work. Put everything back together and take it to a shop and watch them do it. 15 dollars or so?

 

[MICA4R]

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

S### man, I ran into the same problem today. Finally decided to go for a tire rotation. The aluminum was rusted onto the rotor.

I kept 3 lugs on about 2-3 threads loose, then just started pushing the car sideways using the fender. After about 5-10 solid lateral pushes the rims broke loose with a puff of rust and a nice metal on metal sound.