After getting a flat, I am unable to remove the wheel from the "housing". I have sprayed penetrating oil on the lugs and I am able to push them in with a hammer.

Seems the aluminum wheel is stuck on the "housing". I tried kicking the bottom of the wheel while jacked up, and even unloosened the nuts a bit and drove slowly left and right in an attempt to break the seal. Nothing...

2011 F350

Any ideas?

 

Sledge hammer to the back of the tire. Might take a few decent licks, but it will come off. Spin the wheel and hit it on a few different place. Before you reinstall the wheel put some Amit seize on the mounting surface.

 

Thanks, I have some PB Blaster sitting on it now. I saw a Youtube video of a guy using his spare tire as a sledge from the outside and unfreezing the tire from the hub..

Thanks

 

I take a four pound hammer along with a small length of 2X6 to knock them free. If that doesn't work I then go for the bigger sledge and 2X6 - they will give and break free.

On this truck I rotate the tires every 5,000. I haven't had one stick yet with this maintenance cycle. I am trying to get better life out of the factory Michelins. I have just under 20K and I can see no noticeable wear.

 

Using the 4 pounder from the INSIDE, I imagine...

 

Yes. Hit the inside of the tire. The rear tires stick the worst. But the last time I rotated the tires the fronts took some heavy smacking to get them loose.

 

Loosen the lug-nuts so that there is about a 1/16" gap between the nut and the rim. Drive slowly forward about 3' and hit the brakes hard. Do the same in reverse. This usually works.

Recommend doing this on all 4 wheels. As others have mentioned, antisieze on the rim inside diameter will prevent this from happening again.

Lou Braun

 

They can get stuck pretty good. I have always been able to get them off by alternating kicks from top to bottom. Put some Fluid Film on the two surfaces before reassembly. Antiseize would probably work even better.

 

Unfortunately I had a blowout last night at 22K miles on these tires. It happened as I was approaching a rest area and I pulled into it to change the tire. Couldn't do it THERE as the tire was stuck, Had it towed to the house and even today, I am unable to free the tire. The tire is in such bad shade, I'm afraid to attempt ANY driving and hard stopping as it sounds like the rim MIGHT be touching the ground at this time.

I'm done for today, I'll have it flatbedded to my local tire dealer or Ford tomorrow.

Not sure why it blew out, I had proper inflation and unloaded, doing 60 mph...

 

Just out of curiosity - have you had the tires rotated much?

 

I went thru that last month putting my winter tires and rims on, and tried all the tricks noted above, but nothing worked. Finally, I took the truck's bottle jack and ran it horizontally from the frame to the upper inside edge of the tire, pressing against a 2x4, and the wheel popped off with a bit of pressure.

I had the back of the truck jacked up an inch off the ground with a trolley jack.

 

I'd recommend being very careful tightening the lugs if you got oil on the studs. Oiled studs can lead to dangerously overtightening the lugs and can cause all manner of problems.

The above suggestions on using a sledge to the inside of the tire are dead on. Be careful not to hit the rim though, those are over $700 from your dealer!

 

Back corner. I should have been clearer on that.

 

Just making sure you are aware.

 

Ahhh memories of my '05. I had to beat the crap outta my rears every rotation. Have a helper put pressure on the wheel with a prybar as you whack 'em. Always use wood or a similar insulator between rim and wheel! Now I'm looking so forward to my first rotation on my '12....