Difficulty getting wheels off the hub when rotating tires

aseibel · September 8, 2020

So I thought I could quickly rotate my tires on Friday night. I ended up spending more time with a 2 lb hammer rapping on the back side of the tires to jar them loose. I didn't want to hit the aluminum wheel, so instead I'm bouncing it off the rubber about 100 times before it popped off. Is there a trick I'm missing? I know I had to do this last time as well, but it seemed easier then.

To hopefully help next time, I rubbed a bit of oil on the hub, where I believe it was binding. I always dab some oil on the lugs anyway. My other vehicles don't stick like this, the wheel is usually leaning by the time I loosen the last lug nut. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

rav3 · September 8, 2020

37 minutes ago, aseibel said:

So I thought I could quickly rotate my tires on Friday night. I ended up spending more time with a 2 lb hammer rapping on the back side of the tires to jar them loose. I didn't want to hit the aluminum wheel, so instead I'm bouncing it off the rubber about 100 times before it popped off. Is there a trick I'm missing? I know I had to do this last time as well, but it seemed easier then.

To hopefully help next time, I rubbed a bit of oil on the hub, where I believe it was binding. I always dab some oil on the lugs anyway. My other vehicles don't stick like this, the wheel is usually leaning by the time I loosen the last lug nut. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

Aluminum wheels & steel hubs = corrosion. I always put a light coat of anti-seize on the hub dia. when reinstalling the wheels. Or a high temp grease. Not sure oil will stay there long enough till your next removal. As to your question, "Any trick". Not that I'm aware of. I always grab the top & bottom, or L&R sides of the tire & just start pulling & pushing to break that corrosion. I have even sat down & used my feet to bang on the sides of tire to break it loose.

daveschevy · September 8, 2020

Here is a trick that I did in the past for front tires. With the car still on the ground, loosen the lug nuts about a turn or so, then turn the steering wheel back and forth.

diyer2 · September 8, 2020

You live in road salt country right?

If it was me I would get a round wire brush to put on a drill and clean both surfaces. Then coat both surfaces with oil on a rag.

Salsa De Piña · September 8, 2020

Don't use any lubricant on the wheel or mating surface. Friction between these surfaces is what actually keeps your wheel in the right place. If you hit something that requires the hub to centre the wheel, you're probably damaging components.

Personally, I deal with stuck wheels with a good, solid heel kick. Sometimes several. Then clean the two surfaces with a wire brush.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Salsa De Piña

VanguardK2 · September 8, 2020

At the dealership when I have the truck off the ground, I leave one lug nut screwed on a few turns with the rest of them off completely and lay on my side with legs under the bed of the truck straight, then swing leg and kick the tire from the inside out. Lug will keep wheel from flying off, which helps when its on the lift. Just be mindful of your jack situation for it not to fall. On my 2 post lift its fine, but on jack stands when wet or something it could fall.

Happens ALL.THE.TIME on Tacomas and tundras. Works every time for me and I do rotations literally all day at work

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newdude · September 8, 2020

Clean the inside mating surface on the wheels and the hub surfaces on the truck. Wire brush or die grinder.

GM's position is no lubricants or grease on the wheel hub surface or studs. Clean, dry metal to metal contact.

Edited September 8, 2020 by newdude

rav3 · September 8, 2020

9 minutes ago, newdude said:

Clean the inside mating surface on the wheels and the hub surfaces on the truck. Wire brush or die grinder.

GM's position is no lubricants or grease on the wheel hub surface or studs. Clean, dry metal to metal contact.

Good info newdude......BUT I can't resist to say that GM also says that their transmissions shift fine too & don't need any adjustments or fluid changes. Just a little humor here......

aseibel · September 8, 2020

21 minutes ago, newdude said:

Clean the inside mating surface on the wheels and the hub surfaces on the truck. Wire brush or die grinder.

well, I wish I knew that before I bolted them back up. They'll have to wait until the next rotation to get cleaned now!

Thanks everyone for the responses, I guess they are just supposed to fit that tight. I've rotated way more lug-centric wheels in the past, never had this issue before my current truck.

VanguardK2 · September 8, 2020

Good info newdude......BUT I can't resist to say that GM also says that their transmissions shift fine too & don't need any adjustments or fluid changes. Just a little humor here......[emoji6][emoji39]

as an 8 speed owner, i just about died lol

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CamGTP · September 8, 2020

I smack the rim directly with a large rubber dead blow hammer. Hitting the rubber tire is just a way to lose all the force you are trying to put into it. I've done thousands of rotates this way. To the Toyota comment, they can suck sometimes, even the Corolla's and Camry's with steel wheels love to stick in place.

The real fun in heavy duty trucks like Ford/Ram/Chevy dually rims on work trucks. I grab the sledge hammer and give them hell.

Edited September 8, 2020 by CamGTP

VanguardK2 · September 9, 2020

I smack the rim directly with a large rubber dead blow hammer. Hitting the rubber tire is just a way to lose all the force you are trying to put into it. I've done thousands of rotates this way. To the Toyota comment, they can suck sometimes, even the Corolla's and Camry's with steel wheels love to stick in place.

The real fun in heavy duty trucks like Ford/Ram/Chevy dually rims on work trucks. I grab the sledge hammer and give them hell.

Oh yeah those drum brakes are real fun to remove too. I have a 10 pound sledge next to my toolbox almost exclusively for them

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slide187 · September 9, 2020

Don't use any lubricant on the wheel or mating surface. Friction between these surfaces is what actually keeps your wheel in the right place. If you hit something that requires the hub to centre the wheel, you're probably damaging components.
Personally, I deal with stuck wheels with a good, solid heel kick. Sometimes several. Then clean the two surfaces with a wire brush.

I too usually find that giving them a good couple boots on one side then the other will do the trick. I Just be careful when on jacks and jack stands. Then I usually douche them with a brake cleaner and hit them with a wire brush before putting them back on.

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kickass audio · September 9, 2020

Like previously mentioned just take the wheel and leave the lug nuts slightly loose and rock the steering wheel back and forth with the weight on the tires to break them loose. For the rear tires that obviously cannot take advantage of steering you can leave the lug-nuts slightly loose and put the wheels flat on the ground. Push the truck and pull it back and forth on the bumper or hitch to rock the truck back and forth to try and break it off the hub/rotor surface. You can also try to sit on your butt and position your legs so that your feet are on one side and the other to kick the hell out of the tire back and forth to bust it loose.

I always use a bit of silver anti-seize applied to the wheel studs as well as in between the studs and on the inner lip around the inner hub lip where it helps the wheels align perfectly in the center of the hub. I found more that if I do not put anti-seize on the center hub lip it will get stuck on that little edge and never come off without a good bit of persuasion with a 2x4 beating on the tire.

If I were you, I would recommend a tiny dab of anti-seize on the little torx head bolt that secures the front brake rotor to the hub so you can get it off in the future. I have an impact rated tool just for that screw but sadly I broke the tip a little on that tool when I put the screws back on to secure the rotor to the hub.