trouble getting front tires off - pic included

T

tcpoob

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Do i have frozen front calipers (was: trouble getting front tires off - pic included)

stock 2005 4wd V6 17 Wheel

caliper pictures in page 2


i jacked up the passenger front side, removed all the lug nuts and the center cap (with toyota logo on it). the damn tire is not coming off. i am sure it's off the ground. Am i supposed to beat the crap out of it with a 2x4 or something? i haven't removed 4Runner tires before. I wanted to check and maybe replace the brake pads, but am stuck on the basic first step :( I know it's heavy and I need some weight training, but really? I am not the weakest either.

I don't suppose I need to get the center black round cover off? Is that dust cover or something, not part of the hub is it?

I did try the driver side front, same thing. please advise. thx
 

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Between wheel and hub there is a space for large screwdriver to fit. You can pry that wheel off by going around those notches.
 
Sometimes they get stuck on there because of dirt, etc. It doesn't look off the ground in the picture but if you are sure it is try hitting it or wiggling it and it should come off no problem.

Also, you do not need to remove the center cap.

Just so I don't regret saying it, if you are planning on doing suspension work and cannot get the wheel off you may need to pay a professional.
 
I would try lowering the truck with the lugnuts off. The weight of the truck might shear off the binding.
If that doesn't work, put a couple lugnuts loosely on, lower the truck, and very slowly move back and forth, and jack it up again.
 
just to be sure, what's that black disk thing in the middle of the wheel - dust cover? that stays there so I leave it alone, right?

thx all, i know someone would say if you cant get the wheel / tire off, consider paying someone ... no offense taken. i've done some basic stuff, oil change, spark plugs on this vehicle, little things. i've taken off wheel/tires from our other car 2004 Honda Odyssey. But these tires are a lot bigger. the tire should weight about 60 lb ish (i am guestimating 20 lb on the alloy wheel, is that too much). i think it's the diff metal alum/steel bonding up and the northeast corrosion. i'll pry, pb blast it or try the other tricks. Guess not that good an idea to subject myself under chassis to kick it from the inside of tires. i do have sears pro line 4 ton jack stands.

kaizer427, good catch, it was off the ground when i attempted to remove tires, i only lowered it down when i took the pic

i took it to costco rotation last year and they told me i need new tires so IIRC, they didn't bother rotating. I should have insisted it done.

i'll report back, it'll come off, i am sure. thx
 
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tcpoob said:
just to be sure, what's that black disk thing in the middle of the wheel - dust cover? that stays there so I leave it alone, right?

thx all, i know someone would say if you cant get the wheel / tire off, consider paying someone ... no offense taken. i've done some basic stuff, oil change, spark plugs on this vehicle, little things. i've taken off wheel/tires from our other car 2004 Honda Odyssey. But these tires are a lot bigger. the tire should weight about 60 lb ish (i am guestimating 20 lb on the alloy wheel, is that too much). i think it's the diff metal alum/steel bonding up and the northeast corrosion. i'll pry, pb blast it or try the other tricks. Guess not that good an idea to subject myself under chassis to kick it from the inside of tires. i do have sears pro line 4 ton jack stands.

kaizer427, good catch, it was off the ground when i attempted to remove tires, i only lowered it down when i took the pic

i took it to costco rotation last year and they told me i need new tires so IIRC, they didn't bother rotating. I should have insisted it done.

i'll report back, it'll come off, i am sure. thx
Click to expand...

Good luck. When I bought my 4 runner someone had put the lug nuts on with the worlds strongest impact wrench and it took a six foot breaker bar with me standing on it to break the nuts loose, but the wheels still came off easy. Yours must of been on there a while in one location if they are stuck that well.
 
In the wise words of the Thing "It's clobbering time" or "Hulk Smash".

It's all muscle from here dude. Been there, done that.

Hammer, screwdriver, cursing, blood, prayers

Good luck and may the force be with you gettin them off!
 
install the lug nuts about half way (all of them) and loosen the jack quickly so it hits the ground quickly with the full weight of the car. it works for me for the front. or if you have a ramp, drive one tire to the ramp and then the other and then next try the other tire to the ramp.

last thing to do, before you reinstall it, clean it up and make sure to put some anti seize to the mating metals from the hub and wheels. this will let you remove the tire quicker next time.
 
Had the same issue myself. I wouldn't whack the rim with the rubber mallet, instead whack the top/face of the tire and then the bottom/face. This should eventually wiggle it loose. When you put them back on clean the hub and the rim to try and avoid this for next time.
 
Once you get the wheels off, clean the hub face and back of the wheel really well like others have said. Then coat the mating surface with a thin film of grease... just enough to "wet" the surface and not leave any globs. It'll stop this from happening again or at least make it much easier.
 
:) Use leverage to your advantage, sit on the ground and hit the bottom of the wheel with both feet. When the wheel falls on your legs curse me and when you get past that you can thank me.
 
Doozi said:
Once you get the wheels off, clean the hub face and back of the wheel really well like others have said. Then coat the mating surface with a thin film of grease... just enough to "wet" the surface and not leave any globs. It'll stop this from happening again or at least make it much easier.
Click to expand...

Doozi, do you get much grime buildup with a light coating of grease?
Personally I use anti-seize.
 
message said:
Doozi, do you get much grime buildup with a light coating of grease?
Personally I use anti-seize.
Click to expand...

Nope... I just put a little on a rag, rub it into the rag, and then just wipe the mating surface so it's only a very light coating between the wheel and hub. I've used Mobil 1 synthetic for a while now on a variety of vehicles and have never had any negative side-effects.
 
this is perfectly normal and happens a lot . Its called galvanic corrosion and it happens when two dissimilar metals are forced upon each other.

usually I can just pop it at the top edge of the tire with an open palm. I've kicked em too if they're on the ground (low).

in case yours is pretty tight... a dead blow hammer on the inside of the wheel (back of the tire) should pop it free.
 
how are my brake pads wearing

thx all, got the tires off with ur tips and a helper - i slowly rotated the tire and he whacked the tire sidewall with Estwing deadblow (< 3 lb) hammer, about 20 times each side and they loosen up. had sprayed some pb blaster between hub and wheel but with tires on i couldn't get a good look in spraying.

i did apply some anti-seize where hub meets the alloy wheels when i put them back on. i'll be getting tire replacement in 2 weeks ish.

i inspected my brake pads, didn't take them out of calipers. i thought they looked okay, with about 90,000 highway miles on. it's my 2nd toyota set of brake pads. 1st being the one from factory. i couldn't get a good look to know if any of the pistons seized ( a problem many members here reported ). the inside pads seem to wear less than the outside ones. pictures attached.

i feel they can go another year. i am usually light on brakes.

when i put the lug nuts back on, i used the tire iron supplied by Toyota. it's not that long. maybe a foot. i didn't want to mess up with a torque wrench ( got one but little experience in using it and it's really big) so i just threaded all the lug nuts back in tight till with some of my weight on the supplied tire iron. i heard squeaks last turn or so on each, i hope that's normal and i am not over-tightening them.
 

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Between torn/leaking CV boots and seized brake calipers, my wheels don't stand a chance of getting froze on. I bet I have the wheels off at least once every 3 months for something.

Just noticed your picture. If I didn't know better I would say the top pic looks like the classic frozen caliper. Could just be the angle of the shot though.
 
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