Stuck wheels - how to remove?

[r.welfare]

For reasons that seemed sound at the time (better set of matched tyres), I put a spare set of Nissan Qashqai steel wheels on my Mazda MPV. I checked that the PCD and offset were a match. However I did not check the centre bore. This turns out to be 1mm smaller. I thought the fit was a bit tight but they went on and sat flush on the hub with the studs central in the wheel bolt holes, so I thought no more of it.

 

Something in my brain clicked that the centre bore fit shouldn't be almost interference, so I attempted to take them off. Can I get any of them off the hubs? Can I bollocks. Methods attempted so far include:

 

- Undoing nuts a few turns, moving the car forward and back

- Undoing the nuts a few turns, lifting the car on the jack then dropping it

- Hitting the tyre wall on the inside with a rubber mallet

 

I'm a 13 stone weakling but still would have expected the last of these to do something.

 

At least the car is drivable but I'm a bit stuffed when the tyres wear out or I get a puncture. Any tips apart from sell it, scrap it or kill it with fire?

[Tamworthbay]

Could you jack up one end then get a scissor or bottle Jack and a piece of wood and put it between the wheels and Jack them off. It should get one off and you can then fit the new wheel and get the other off.

[dave21478]

Hit from the rear with a properly large hammer. Like a sledge hammer. Dont hit the alloy rim if they are alloys, watch for the rebound and dont do it just on the widowmaker jack.

[r.welfare]

They are steel wheels and ideally I'd like to get them and the tyres off without damage, but if there is no other way...

[Jerzy Woking]

A kettle of boiling water poured over the wheel might expand the wheel centre a bit. Or some more direct heat from a blowtorch. Or leave it to Kwik Fit at tyre changing time.

[beko1987]

We had the same issue on a mates 2010 octavia, the alloys had stuck to the hub even after recent tyres.

 

After trying a few bits, I gave him a 'one chance only' look, laid down infront of the wheel and booted it. Wheel fell on my leg, which didnt hurt too much and we coppaslipped it back on (with a light smear, not like I did on the zx...)

[r.welfare]

Tried the boiling water trick. I have one of those small butane torches and have tried that but not got it red hot/stripped paint off.

[Uncle Jimmy]

A steering wheel/boss puller would be good if you can find one with long enough arms. Failing that, knocking up a steel bar which fits into the wheel slots. Do you have bearing cups over the hubs though?

[inconsistant]

Wheel nuts off, red line it, dump clutch.

[inconsistant]

^^^also get mate to video it if you do this.

[Split_Pin]

Wood/mallet on the inside rim, rotate a bit, and repeat.

 

Worked for me on HGV's as a 15 years old 9 stone skelf, so should work here.

 

If its an alloy, put the bolts on a few turns so it doesnt fall face down on the floor and get scratched.

[Pete-M]

Bigger rubber mallet.

[Sloth in a bowl]

Tie wheel to another car, drive away quickly.

 

 

There's lots of youtube video's of people doing this trick with various things, most don't end well.

[spike60]

Car properly supported, stout footware, lie under it and stamp with all your 13 stone on the inside of the tyre. Fronts are easier on full lock.

[r.welfare]

Bigger hammer sounds like the best option. Local garage have offered use of their ramp so will take them up on it and pop a few quid in the tea fund.

[omegod]

Jack up, acro prop between wheels ...wind it

[overrun]

Careful with the hammer.

I once had a steelie stuck on the rear hub of an old TD Astra and has to resort to a mash hammer on the inside rim.

 

I must have nipped the tyre, betwixt rim and hammer head, during one blow.

Never found out until I finished work at 1am.

 

I drove it almost home (as far as it would go) on quiet roads and shredded the tyre, as though I had been over a stinger.

 

Returned the next day with further hammers etc and eventually got it off.

 

Hassle you don't need!

[barefoot]

Have you tried hammering a set of wheels with an even smaller centre bore over the first set?

[colnerov]

 Hi, don't hit the inside of the tyre it absorbs some of the shock and car could fall on your head. Hit the outside of the tyre in the same way, the rebound helps and is safer. Another way is loosen the nuts a turn or two and take it for a drive round the block.

 

 Colin

[Jim Bell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVtM8pPXQGY

[Parky]

Loosen wheel nuts, perform doughnuts in supermarket car park and win at YouTube!

 

Seriously though I think mallets, penetrating oil, adequate force and patience are the way to go

[twosmoke300]

IanL has the right idea , jack it up . Beat the inside of the wheel ( not tyre) with a good size hide or copper hammer ( thor 3 is my fav) or a normal hammer and a block of wood . Keep turning the wheel as you do it

[gadgetgricey]

As above but with an old wooden fence post and a sledge hammer. Jack car up. Fence post on the floor, ideally connecting with the steel, not the tyre.

Get someone spinning the wheel, and have at it with the sledge hammer. (making sure to miss the caplier  )

 

Had the same issue with a Saab 9-5. Nearly broke my leg with the rebound off the tyre from outside, so changed to this. Worked quite well.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[fordperv]

I had the same problem when I put a rover iirc steel wheel on my e30, i used a 3 leg puller that did the trick

[lisbon_road]

Personally, I'd put the wheelnuts just undone, half a turn off or a turn, then drive it a short distance with lots of steering.  Should work and not be too violent.

 

Obviously don't go on the road!

[HH-R]

The answer is, as ever, a fucking big hammer.

[Timewaster]

Whenever I get a diy mechanic fail, I ring my mate at his garage for some advice.

 

The advice is always the same.

 

 

You ain't hitting it hard enough.

 

 

It generally works.

[Taff]

Tie wheel to another car, drive away quickly.

 

 

There's lots of youtube video's of people doing this trick with various things, most don't end well.

 

we did this on a grand scale, when removing a final drive from a Challenger tank. It had shat it's self internally and was beyond repair so rather than faff around with assembling the correct lifting jig. So we dropped off the track, chained the knackered final drive to the back of my Warrior and pulled it out of the hull. The noise it made as it cam out was audible even to me and I was driving the Warrior.

 

I appreciate that you may not have access to armoured vehicles but if you do, that would be my first choice

[cort16]

Usually the issue is the alloy or steelly has welded or rusted itself onto the hub, which can usually be taken care of with a bit of hammering as above. Usually hitting a lump of wood against the wheel with a big hammer going around the wheel, will start to loosen it. However from what you're saying it could be that you've actually pressure fitted the wheels onto the hubs because of how small the centres are in the same way you'd push in a metal sleeved bush into an axle or something. I imagine it's this holding the wheel on rather than corrosion.

I suspect you're going to have to apply heat (as in fire blow torch heat) to the the wheel around the centre, while someone bashes the fudge out the wheel from the other side.

 

Either that or stand about 100 yards back from the car and take a Eric Cantona type flying kick at it.

 

[Andrew353w]

If you took the car to a garage with a rolling road that's used for testing cars' brakes for the M.O.T. test would they not help you? If the car were to be driven onto the rolling road, a suitable soft support placed under the car at strategic points and the wheel nuts then removed, application of the car brakes while the rolling road is turning might free them off? The ensuing noise of the wheels freeing off might be pretty loud, and the car would need to be jacked up from the garage floor, but if it lands of soft supports no harm would be done. Sounds a safer option than doughnuts in a PC world car park.....