98 - Rear Wheels/drums
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Senior User
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From: Kentucky
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Was going to rotate my tires this past weekend when to my surprise I learned my rear wheels are mounted not only by the lug nuts but also by the center grease cap (I think that's correct) of the drum. Now why would a tire be mounted like that?? How do I remove the cap ? I'm up the proverbial creek if I happen to get a flat tire. 
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From: Kingsland, GA
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Are you sure that the grease cap is actually holding the tire on? Or, is your wheel just rust-fused to the drum? The cap can be removed with a small screwdriver, but it sounds to me like it's fused to the drum.
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98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Your rear wheels are only rusted to the drum. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off.
Originally posted by katdaddy
Was going to rotate my tires this past weekend when to my surprise I learned my rear wheels are mounted not only by the lug nuts but also by the center grease cap (I think that's correct) of the drum. Now why would a tire be mounted like that?? How do I remove the cap ? I'm up the proverbial creek if I happen to get a flat tire.
Was going to rotate my tires this past weekend when to my surprise I learned my rear wheels are mounted not only by the lug nuts but also by the center grease cap (I think that's correct) of the drum. Now why would a tire be mounted like that?? How do I remove the cap ? I'm up the proverbial creek if I happen to get a flat tire.
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From: Kentucky
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
I tugged and pulled on the tire thinking it was fused as well....maybe I need to eat more Wheaties. I think I will jack it back up and remove the lugs and set it down just enough where the weight of the truck will pop it loose.
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From: Central KY
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Just jack it up, take the 5 lugnuts off, and then hit the tire from the inside with a sledge hammer a couple of times....then be ready to chase your tire down the street 
Seriously..that's what I'd do.
Seriously..that's what I'd do.
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98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Got the same problem with my 98 ranger.
And of course the time I found out was when I had a stick go through my tire wall 2 hours back in the bush.
I ended up using a old tree that had blown down as a prybar to get it off. Took about 2 hours and 5 guys to do it.
Now when I'm in the shop I take a hammer and gently hit the tire wall on the exterior side of the tire about 3 inches from the rim. This gives it just enough of a force to let it loose.
Bugged the heck out of me that day back in the bush though.
And of course the time I found out was when I had a stick go through my tire wall 2 hours back in the bush.
I ended up using a old tree that had blown down as a prybar to get it off. Took about 2 hours and 5 guys to do it.
Now when I'm in the shop I take a hammer and gently hit the tire wall on the exterior side of the tire about 3 inches from the rim. This gives it just enough of a force to let it loose.
Bugged the heck out of me that day back in the bush though.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Kentucky
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Well, you guys were right. It was fused. I loosened the lugs while the tire sat on the ground and shook the heck out of it and it popped loose. I've never had a wheel do that before.
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
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From: Kingsland, GA
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Along a somewhat similar note, a buddy of mine brought his F-150 to me complaining of noise from the rear brakes. After it took us 2 hours to get both rear wheels off (including such things as a sledge, a piece of iron rod, an impact hammer and a circus midget (not sure what he was doing there)), we discovered that his constant salt water dips to put his boat in and take it out had rusted the rear drums to the point where that had frozen and thenm catastrophically failed. The part of the drum that attached to the lug nuts was still attached to the lug nuts, there was a space, and then the actual friction suface part of the drum was frozen the the brake shoes and looked as though it had remained stationary for quite some time... both wheels. Talk about a rear brake job!!
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98 - Rear Wheels/drums
Yeah, beware, even freshwater will do that if you don't maintain your rear brakes...
And as far as freeing the rear wheels...
I usually get the tire off the ground, leave 2 lugnuts on a few threads deep, and put the ol' size 14's to the outside rear edge of the sidewall a time or 2, that's always broke em free for me.
If it didn't, I think I'd just pop the release valve on the air jack, and see what a 3 foot free fall does to em....
And as far as freeing the rear wheels...
I usually get the tire off the ground, leave 2 lugnuts on a few threads deep, and put the ol' size 14's to the outside rear edge of the sidewall a time or 2, that's always broke em free for me.
If it didn't, I think I'd just pop the release valve on the air jack, and see what a 3 foot free fall does to em....
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Knoxville, Tn.
98 - Rear Wheels/drums
I also have a 98 Ranger but have not had any wheels stick, if this is a constant problem, you can coat the drum with milk of magnesia, we used it as an anti seize on aircraft engine mounts in the air force, works good on vehicles also.
