Help! can't get my wheel off

[hondacivic84]

Here is a dilema I haven't ever encountered before.  I was taking off the winter tires on my 1994 GMC Sonoma and I had bought a used set of rims for the summer tires.  The rims are factory wheels for a 2 wheel drive sonoma which is the vehicle I am putting them on.  I put on the first wheel on the left rear and I couldn't get the lug nuts to tighten, as soon as one was tight and I went to tighten another nut the original one would loosen up. Finally decided to pull the wheel off and see what was happening, except now the wheel will not come off.  The center diameter of the wheel I was putting on must be about 1 MM too small, so when I was attempting to tighten the lugs nuts on it was like pressing in a bearing.  I have tried everything to get the wheel off but it is absolutely pressed onto the center of the hub.  Any suggestionns on how I can get enough pressure or force to get the wheel to release its death grip?

[scca-racerx]

Warm the rim gently with a torch - apply big f'ing rubber mallet vigorously.   
Make sure the car is on jack stands and well supported so as to not be crushed.
Apply many curse words - it won't help, but it will make you feel better.

[Josh R.]

Wow...that's a good one.  So what exactly have you tried?

I second the BFH and heat, unless its a fancy and/or nice wheel.

[marka]

Howdy,

Don't use heat.  I can't imaging that will do anything nice for the bearings.

I've used a sledge from underneath the vehicle to get stubborn wheels off.  Hit it (no, harder than that, you pussy), rotate the wheel, hit it again, etc.  But again, get to crazy with this and its not going to be good for wheel bearings.

Worst case, use a wizz wheel and cut the wheel off.

I can't believe it missed the hub center by 1mm... You'd probably snap lugs before you'd get that to tighten down.  But that doesn't mean you aren't right, and you've effectively press fit the wheel on there.

I imagine Hunter will come along and tell us how its really done soon.  :-)

Mark

[roundel]

I had one _slightly_ stuck once after wintering over...  Nothing like what you describe but stuck none the less.  In my case, kicking it to create a rocking motion and liberal use of curse words to create a sense of satisfaction worked.

[Ron]

Been there.  I did what Mark said; but just the same, I ended up buying a bigger hammer. 
But don't worry.
You can never own too many hammers.

[miniacmike]

I see this all the time. check to see if the center of the wheel or the axle has rust or whiteish flakey build up on it. This can be cleaned off with a scuffy wheel. I agree with the big mallet and hitting it as you rotate it. I try to hit the tire and not the wheel to avoid bending the wheel..

[Mark Aubele]

Back when I worked for AAA and we would calls for flats on wheels that somehow haven't been off in years, when the BFH wouldn't work, sometimes I would put the lugs on loosely (as in not torqued, seated then backed off half a turn), and drive in circles until I heard the wheel come loose.

[z28jeff]

For some reason, around 96-97. GM decreased the size of the rear hub holes just a pinch on the 7.625 rear axles. (Same rear in f-bodies as well) So you are correct in your assesment that you essentially "pressed" the wheel onto the hub with the lug nuts. Easiest thing to try first is back the lugnuts off till they're near the end on the stud. Jack the rear axle up until both wheels are a few inces off the ground. Place a jack stand under the right rear, and a jack under the left rear. Release the jack as quickly as possible letting the wheel drop. Jack it up again, rotate the wheel, try again. If this doesn't work, (and it probably won't) you'll have to try to get a jack between the frame and the back of the wheel and push it off somehow.
I've also had luck with Mark's method as well, but I'm guessing you already tried this.
When you do get it off, you'll have to open up the hub holes a little. I used a rasp on a drill to do my Camaro wheels. You don't have to worry about getting the openings dead nuts perfect because the wheels are lugcentric.

[mattu008]

I think heating the wheel while keeping the torch away from the hub (and maybe even squelching it with ice water/dry ice occassionally) would do the trick.  Basically, you'd be try to use the temperature difference to allow the wheel to expand and the hub either remain the same or if applying cold, to shrink slightly, very slightly.  Hopefully that would be enough to then hit if with a BFH.  As mentioned before keep it well supported while in the air and using the hammer.

[Handy Man]

Back when I worked for AAA and we would calls for flats on wheels that somehow haven't been off in years, when the BFH wouldn't work, sometimes I would put the lugs on loosely (as in not torqued, seated then backed off half a turn), and drive in circles until I heard the wheel come loose.

LOL! That's awesome.

If you have to resort to heat, you can soak a towel in ice water and wrap it around the hub (or as close as you can get to it) and then heat the wheel. At work we have tools that have red loctite'd connections right next to very expensive rubber parts, the wet towel method works wonders.