Stuck wheel
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From: Magrath
Stuck wheel
My wheel is rusted onto the truck. It is the passengers rear on my 92 F150 (Just bought on Friday). I heard a grinding noise from the right rear so when I got home I jacked up the truck to pop off the wheel. Well I finally got the lug nuts off (3' breaker bar to get them loose, impact wouldn't budge them) and now the wheel won't come off the axle. I sprayed it with some PB blaster and hit the back of the wheel with a 4 pound sledge, it doesn't even budge. Anybody have any tricks to get it off? My current thinking is to spray the PB blaster on it a couple times a day for a day or so and then try again (the truck can stay parked for a few days), but I would really like to get it off so I can see what the problem is with my brakes.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: New Bern, NC
You have done what I was going to recommend. Just keep squirting it with PB and knock it with a hammer. It will come loose eventually. When you do get it off, smear some grease on the mateing surfaces, it wont do that again.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
Okay, so you've got the lug nuts off. Now take it for a drive, and take some hard right-hand turns, that oughta pop that sucker off of there! <img> (This method was intended to be humorous. While it would probably work, I would definitely NOT recommend trying it!) -TD
Last edited by TigerDan; Apr 25, 2005 at 08:46 PM.
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From: Magrath
Tiger Dan,
Seriously, I already debated that option, but I was going to just back the lug nuts off and locktight them in place far enough from the wheel that it could pop off. I have never had one that wouldn't pop off with the sledge before.
Seriously, I already debated that option, but I was going to just back the lug nuts off and locktight them in place far enough from the wheel that it could pop off. I have never had one that wouldn't pop off with the sledge before.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Atlanta GA
Jack up the truck on the stuck side, put the axle on a jack stand, put a few lug nuts on just a couple of threads, lay on a creeper, put your hands against the springs on the other side, and kick the tire as hard as you can.
If this does not work, get a 2x4, place it in the metal of the rim, place the other end on a cinder block or something like it for support and then hit it with the biggest sledge you have. I think 4 lbs is on the light side, fwiw.
Tighten the lugs nuts so they are barely snug and back them off a tad so the wheel is barely loose and rattles a bit. Get a floor jack, making sure you are clear of the gas tank, raise it a few inches off the ground on the bad side, and quickly drop it on that tire.
If this does not work, get a 2x4, place it in the metal of the rim, place the other end on a cinder block or something like it for support and then hit it with the biggest sledge you have. I think 4 lbs is on the light side, fwiw.
Tighten the lugs nuts so they are barely snug and back them off a tad so the wheel is barely loose and rattles a bit. Get a floor jack, making sure you are clear of the gas tank, raise it a few inches off the ground on the bad side, and quickly drop it on that tire.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
It would probably chew up the studs anyway when it came off, before you could get it stopped. Depending of course on how far you backed the lugnuts off. If you have a concrete slab to work on, try jacking up the driver's side rear with the jack sidways so it can roll, but with the offending wheel still firmly on the ground. Have a (brave, or trusting) buddy hold a large driftpin or piece of pipe or something solid dead center in the middle of the hub, and smack it with the sledge. The idea here is that the wheel on the ground stays put, but the sledge against the hub gets the mass of the vehicle moving and it (hopefully) pulls free. When I was kid, we used this method to get the rear hubs to break free on my dad's '37 Dodge. (No, I'm not THAT old!) -TD
(On Edit): And, as Rebocardo says, the 4-punder is a bit on the light side. 8 to 12 is more in the ballpark.
(On Edit): And, as Rebocardo says, the 4-punder is a bit on the light side. 8 to 12 is more in the ballpark.
Last edited by TigerDan; Apr 25, 2005 at 08:48 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Tottenham Ontario Canada
Try driving the wheel studs out the back of the axle flange a little bit. Leave the lug nuts on the studs but backed off enough so you hit the nuts rather than the end of the stud (so they don't mushroom). The repeated impact will jar things loose. The studs will reseat themselves when you put the wheel back on. I did this successfully on my Aerostar once when the wheel rusted to the brake rotor.
If you are really ambitious, you can try tapping threads in those extra small holes in the rim (if they are present) so you can thread in some bolts to use as jack screws.
Another suggestion would be to leave the nuts backed off a bit & drop the truck with the jack - assuming you are using a hydraulic jack. Safer than going for a ride with loose nuts.
Grease will help prevent the wheel from seizing again, but I would recommend anti-seize instead.
Good luck with your repairs.
Cheers,
Eric
If you are really ambitious, you can try tapping threads in those extra small holes in the rim (if they are present) so you can thread in some bolts to use as jack screws.
Another suggestion would be to leave the nuts backed off a bit & drop the truck with the jack - assuming you are using a hydraulic jack. Safer than going for a ride with loose nuts.
Grease will help prevent the wheel from seizing again, but I would recommend anti-seize instead.
Good luck with your repairs.
Cheers,
Eric
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From: Magrath
I will grab the neighbors 10 pounder tomorrow and try that first, if that doesn't work, I will try dropping that side using the floor jack.
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Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Marengo, Iowa
although it will ruin the paint, the problem is the center of the rim to the axle flange, and the best way if all this other has no effect is to heat it up, then let the hammer fly. The drum will be the same way, you will have to heat the center on it too to get it off.
Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Lubbock, Texas
before u try anything more u might wanna make sure that the rim isnt welded in place, i know its weird but ive seen it done people around here arnt the smartest in the world
Don
Don
The Pacifier
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From: Cloverdale, BC
Get it on jack stands. Release the brakes, spin the wheel. Maybe get a buddy to spin the wheel. With you underneath (with the jackstands) and the wheel spinning, hit it on the back side of the RIM with a 12 pound sledge. Don't miss and hit the tire, cause it'll bounce back. Also, try to hit it 180 or 90 degrees while it's spinning. Can almost guarantee it'll pop off of there before a minute is up.
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