Ummm, my wheel won't come off... please help

[dashtz69]

I went to clean my intercooler today and I'm getting ready to take off my rim (stock one). And I get to the last lug and usually it starts to slide off, but it didn't. Then I get the last lug off and go to take it off, and its like glued on. It will not come off. Is there anything I can do? I'm assuming it rusted on, because there was already some rust on the back of these wheels, and I drove them in the snow/salt. Thanks

 

[Devicex]

Kick it, usually works for me. Rubber mallet and violent shaking should do the trick as well.

 

[my95tsi]

i usually take a hammer and tap the back of the wheel towards the bottom where it meets the tire. Or kicking the bottom of the tire wil work too but just make sure not to shake it too hard off the jackstands.

 

[hewhoisknot]

happened to me... the center hole on ur rim is smaller then the little nub that sticks out to match at the rotor end or whatever... i just bashed it as hard as i could (on the tire mind u) with some nice heavy and solid

 

[dashtz69]

Alright, thanks guys. I will go ahead try that. I did almost shake it off the jack earlier, at least it seemed like it. Thanks again.

 

[dashtz69]

Still not working. This is making me really mad. Ahhhhhhhhhhh

 

[doodie]

I gave it a good running kick from 10 foot away and it came right off try that or the back kick to the top of the tire.

 

[bignbumpin]

Big ass rubber mallet + a few good whacks around the tire = Loose Wheel...viola!!

 

[xxrealmsxx]

<img src="http://images.viewimages.com/wm/TS056547.JPG">

maybe the bolt was de-threaded? did you put it on yourself?

 

[dashtz69]

Yeah I put it on myself... I have all of the bolts off, I just can't get the wheel off....

 

[doodie]

ever try lowering the car a little and have the wheel touch the floor a bit and jack it back up? When you get it off, clean off the rim and layer it with some anti-seize so the next time you take it off, it will be easier.

 

[xxrealmsxx]

my fault misunderstoon the question.

 

[greenmachine97]

try spraying it with wd40 and letting it set. if that doesnt work, get some stuff called "Liquid Wrench" and spray the lug with that stuff a few times and let it set. that shit will work for sure. They get a good solid breaker-bar, and crack that sum-bi*** loose! good luck. other than that, i dont know.

 

[AWDlaserRS]

WD40 wont do anything to help that. Theres like a crust that forms and holds the wheel on after awhile, same thing happens to rotors. Basically as stated many times above kick it as hard as you can, if it still wont come off kick it harder or use a sledge hammer, hitting it is the only way it will come off.

 

[95tsiawd_86]

But his wheels have only been on for about 4 months. A "crust" strong enuff to hold it on that tight can form in that amount of time? I dont think kickin it is gonna work.....cuz we must have kicked the sumbitch 100 times

 

[Defiant]

Put the lug nuts on, back them out 2 turns, back out of the driveway, and make a U-turn in both directions. Don't try to kill it, this should walk it loose.

If it doesn't, kill it.

 

[Colt2.0]

No hammers on the tires. Get hit in head/leg and no actual force going into removing the wheel. No rubber mallet. Same issue. Don't go driving around with loose lugnuts. That's just not right. Don't leave car on jack. Put on stands. Make sure car is securely on stands. Lay underneath front of car legs toward the tire in question. (Do this next step with boots on) KICK the wheel. It will come off. You may have to KICK several times. Don't hurt yourself though. Have a large friend do it.
This is usually caused by corrosion, or dinged up center holes in wheels. There is a rather close tolerance there between the hub and wheel. It doesn't take months or years for this to happen if you don't clean up your wheels/hubs when you take your wheels off. It can happen in the time it takes you to bolt the wheel back on. Not to this severity of course. Make sure you clean everything up with a wire brush or steel wool or something before replacing wheel again. If you have corrosion problems, try using an anti-sieze compound on the wheel/rotor suface.

Don't use a hammer. Only bad things can happen.

 

[c5chris]

I had the same trouble a few days ago. I had the lugs overtorqued by the place I got my new rims from. I broke my ratchet wrench AND my air-driven wrench trying to take the sucker out.

I tried everything from WD40 to PB Blaster for days and it wont budge. I took it to Americas Tire Co. and had the lugs retorqued to spec. Their tools are industrial strength and will put your garage airtools to shame.

Now I torque them to 100 ft-lbs (30-60-100) in a star pattern and in increments.

 

[Onnipotente]

Is it at all possible that the wheel studs are bent?

 

[Defiant]

Yeah, don't do anything risky like driving fifty feet with loose lugs, but lay under the car and try to kick it off its jackstands.

Good grief.

Originally posted by Onnipotente
Is it at all possible that the wheel studs are bent?

No.

Oh, and factory torque on the lugs is 65-80 ft-lbs.

 

[wret]

Front tires are easy:

Jack it up.
Remove lug nuts.
Brace the wheel against the frame with a block of wood.
Crank the steering wheel against the block.
Pop goes the wheel.

 

[EclipseGst303]

wow, thats a good idea!!!

 

[Demonix]

Defiant suggested the best method. Put the lugs back on and tighten them maybe half or 2/3 the way on. Either do 2 u-turns or back up in an "S" pattern like I did. Any kind of rusted seal will be broken loose by the cars own weight.

Its perfectly safe as long as you don’t drive like that for an hour, but that goes without saying. Also you're not risking damaging your wheels by kicking them and you don’t look like a frustrated retard when a family member walks in and sees you kicking your car. The wooden block method is interesting, but it seems to me like you'd be putting unnatural counter tension on only one side of the steering system, seems a little risky to me, but I really don’t know much about it.

Anyhow, good luck. I recommend Defiant's method, I've used a similar method on friend's cars and my own, and it has never failed. Perfect example of brains over brawn

 

[dashtz69]

Alright. Thank you all for your help. I know you are all so interested in how this turned out. Anywho, 26 hours after my first attempt, Defiant's method worked. I was a little worried driving with the lugs loose, but it busted it loose. Thanks Defiant.

 

[dashtz69]

Oh, and now that I have the wheel off is there any easy way to remove those plastic screws? I always seem to bust one of them when I take the shield off. Thanks