How to remove a stuck wheel on your vehicle. Stuck wheels happen due to corrosion between the #wheel and hub bore, hub face, or both. This can be even more of a problem if your vehicle is exposed to salt during the winter. Penetrating oil can be used with any of these methods around the hub face area and bore, just make sure it doesn’t come in contact with the brakes. Typically when you’ve removed the lug nuts or lug studs, hitting the wheel with the palm of your hand of the #tire works. #autorepair #diy #howto #mechanic
First is jacking up the wheel, make sure it’s safely elevated. Use the assistance of a jack stand and block the wheels if needed. Only raise the wheel an inch off the ground, the higher the vehicle is elevated, the higher the chance of the vehicle falling off its support.
Loosen the lug nuts, you don’t necessarily need to remove them. If the vehicle does tip off its support, the wheel is still held in place so the vehicle can’t completely fall.
Sit on the ground and continue to kick the wheel with your feet. This method works great whether you’re working on a vehicle at home or trying to change a flat.
Instead of sitting on the ground, you can also face your body away from the wheel and do a back kick. However, this style of kick may not provide as much force.
Method #2
Again making sure the vehicle is safely elevated and stable, lug nuts or studs can be left on partially or removed completely. Perhaps you may have some issues which prevents you from getting in a powerful kick, so instead a dead blow hammer on the sidewall, either outside or inside of the tire may work. Do not hit the wheel, regardless if it’s aluminum or steel, it can be damaged. However with a dead blow hammer, if it bounces over, there’s less chance of damaging the finish. These are available in a variety of sizes, the heavier the hammer, the greater force it can apply.
Method #3
If a smaller hammer doesn’t work, next is getting under the vehicle and using a sledgehammer. Make sure the vehicle is safely supported as we’re using more force and will require being under the vehicle. The lug nuts or studs should be left partially on so the wheel doesn’t fly off or if the vehicle does slip off its support, then the wheel can still hold it up somewhat. Only hit the sidewall of the tire, otherwise, you can damage the wheel. There is a minimal risk of damaging the tire here, a tire does take a fair amount of abuse when exposed to potholes at speed on the road.
Method #4
If all other methods fail, then use the weight of the vehicle to your advantage. This involves losing the lug nuts or studs one to two turns, just enough to give the wheel movement, but so it doesn’t fall off the vehicle. Then proceed to drive the vehicle around in a safe controlled area where there’s no traffic or people. Only do this at a slow speed, try driving in a circle, turning the wheel in different directions and alternative between forward and reverse if the problem is on a drive wheel. Once the wheel has broken free, then continue to jack up the vehicle and remove the wheel.
When reinstalling a wheel, some people do apply anti-seize and it’s not something recommended by the auto industry. The anti-seize may build-up, preventing the hub facing from pulling together, creating a tight contact. If that anti-seize gets on the threads of the wheel or lug studs, this can alter how the fasteners are torques. Even applying oil on these surfaces can only cause issues. The best maintenance method, before the wheel goes back on, use a wire brush to clean up the wheel or lug studs. Continue to clean up the hub face on the vehicle with a wire brush. And do the same on the hub face for the wheels. If you’re working with an aluminum wheel, use a brass wire brush on the wheel’s hub face instead. Metal particles from a steel wire brush can imbed in the aluminum promoting more corrosion. Then install the wheel.
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