Wheel/tire removal help!

[GordonJ]

Ok, I know I'll probably sound like a retard asking this, but I figure you guys will know.

I'm trying to remove my wheels/tire in order to paint my calipers.

I have the car jacked up, and all the lugs removed, and the damn thing won't come off. I've tugged fairly hard, and there's no give whatsoever.
I've never changed the tire on the P5 before, so I don't know if its any different, but my father owns three miatas, and says once the lugs are off the tire should pull off fairly easily.

He suggested it might be frozen from cold temps, but I doubt that, since its getting up around 50 here today and the car is driven every day. I've also tried some WD-40 around the screws where the lugs connect and still no give.

Am I missing something obvious here? Why can't I get this damn thing off? :mad:

 

[funktownp5]

Just kick the tire hard, not the wheel (might hurt yourself), it should come loose if

not get a sledge and hit the tire.

 

[mp3josh]

or take another tire that you have already gotten loose and hit it with it

 

[GordonJ]

Just kick the tire hard, not the wheel (might hurt yourself), it should come loose if

not get a sledge and hit the tire.

Is that a good idea with the car jacked up? I don't want to knock it off the jack...

Oh, and has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal?

 

[ND4MSP]

sometimes they just kinda get stuck. Maybe a lil rust or something. There was another thread about it a few weeks back. May not be the best advice, but I had the same problem so I lowered the car after I had all of the lugs off. Do it slowly until the tires are just barely touching the ground. It jogged it loose every time for me. Just be very careful. Maybe put the lug nuts back on and spin um a couple times to make sure the the wheel doesn't break loose and come completely off.edit: try this last.

 

[mp3josh]

well I dunno. We do that at work on our lifts. But you should be okay as long as you don't do it too hard.

 

[tonkabui]

Ok, I know I'll probably sound like a retard asking this, but I figure you guys will know.

I'm trying to remove my wheels/tire in order to paint my calipers.

I have the car jacked up, and all the lugs removed, and the damn thing won't come off. I've tugged fairly hard, and there's no give whatsoever.
I've never changed the tire on the P5 before, so I don't know if its any different, but my father owns three miatas, and says once the lugs are off the tire should pull off fairly easily.

He suggested it might be frozen from cold temps, but I doubt that, since its getting up around 50 here today and the car is driven every day. I've also tried some WD-40 around the screws where the lugs connect and still no give.

Am I missing something obvious here? Why can't I get this damn thing off? :mad:

it's just the nature of the beast. steel + aluminum + salty sludge = instarust, especially in snow and salt. it oxidizes really fast. anyway i've never had a problem with kicking the tires till it broke free. i would kick it from the door side, then go opposite of where i just kicked on the fender side. a few swift kicks and it should break free. if that doesn't work, use your spare tire as a battering ram with said procedure. when you're remounting your wheel, put a dab of anti-seize on your hub and it should help for the next time you pull your wheels off.

 

[tonkabui]

Is that a good idea with the car jacked up? I don't want to knock it off the jack...

Oh, and has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal?

oh yeah, defnitely do it while the car is on jackstands, not when it's only resting on the jack. that's asking for trouble.

 

[GordonJ]

I'm not sure I understand how kicking will help.

I mean, I'm trying to pull the tire off (towards me, away from the car). Would I just kick the tire from the side? Does that just loosen it a little from possible rust?

Oh, and if there IS rust and junk, where should I spray some Wd-40? I've tried the lug screws with no luck it seems. Anywhere else that might be causing this sticking problem? Thanks guys!

 

[Protege52003]

I'm not sure I understand how kicking will help.

I mean, I'm trying to pull the tire off (towards me, away from the car). Would I just kick the tire from the side? Does that just loosen it a little from possible rust?

Oh, and if there IS rust and junk, where should I spray some Wd-40? I've tried the lug screws with no luck it seems. Anywhere else that might be causing this sticking problem? Thanks guys!

you really have to beat the piss out of it on the rears, especially with the stock rims. i have never had trouble with my steel winter rims.

you can use a little WD-40 and it might help.

just use your heals and slam it on the tire and it will eventually give......you rally have to use a lot of force! sorry......very normal!

 

[funktownp5]

I work at Discount Tire and run into this problem all day long on all sorts of car and

trucks. If you are worried about the jack falling put a jack stand under it. Just hit da

sum a b****! And to keep if from happing again, use a wire brush to remove the rust

from the hub(middle part in between the studs).

 

[LRHK]

I've also had that problem.... just takes a few swift kicks and they will come loose.

 

[Dimitrios]

Get a rubber mallet and beat the back of the tire out a bit...should help loosen it.

Also, after you clean the rust and other junk off the back of the wheel center and on the wheel hub, use some anti-seize to coat the back of the wheel. It'll help prevent that dissimilar metal reaction that cause it to freeze up to begin with.

 

[Matthew]

normally only happens on my rear wheels, but yea...eveyrtime i take em off it happens.

 

[mcstark]

I usually just grab the b**** bear hug style and try to wiggle it back and forth, that usually is enough to break the rust bond and get the wheel off. It seems like it's slightly easier if you lube the face of the hub with grease, but they're still bitches to get off.

 

[Sir Nuke]

Gordon,

its not real unusal for the wheel to stick to the hub...however...there is a MUCH EASIER and safer way to ensure that the wheel comes right off and you have absolutely no chance of knocking your car off a jackstand and either getting hurt or damaging your car.... do the following.


if you already have the lug nuts off and the car up on the jackstands...put the jack back under the car and lift it up...remove the jackstands...put the lugnut BACK ON THE WHEELS....but do not tighten them...leave them about a half turn or so loose.....then put the weight of the car back on the wheels....lift it back up and put the stands back under the car and remove the wheels/tires....

OR, if you are just getting started....before you ever jack up the car to remove the tires...go around the car and just start to loosen all the lug nuts before you jack up the car....all the wheels/tires will be loose and come off with no problem.....

this method has NEVER failed me.

 

[GordonJ]

Ok, I have a stupid, stupid, newbie question for you guys, but its got me worried...


I wasn't able to get the wheel off, no matter what I tried (and I tried all your suggestions, thank you all by the way), but still it just wouldnt come off. So I did something probably pretty dumb and just decided to paint the caliper through the spokes of the rims.
And to be honest, it went very well. With the car jacked up in the rear, I was able to rotate the rear wheel and therefore move the spokes, and get great angles with my brush to paint the calipers.
So I move on to the left front wheel, jack it up, and find that the wheel won't rotate, it will only go a few inches before stopping. I'm concerned about taking the lugs off as well, as using enough toque required to get the lugs off with the lug wrench brings me up against resistance from the front tire. What should I do?

Please help!

 

[GordonJ]

I guess what I'm asking too is, is there anyway that the front wheels can rotate freely while the car is on the jack? Would putting the car in neutral on the jack (with the emergency brake engaged) do it? Is that safe?

 

[AznXstazy]

is it in neutral? sounds like its in gear when u move one wheel it should move the other wheel too but to a different direction but u still cant take off the wheels? wow thats one hard b**** i give it one big ass kick lol jk but no idea man just take a rubber mallet and hit the back of the tire then give it a couple of kicks like others said other than that theres really no way to get it off

 

[MadBiker]

GordonJ any luck with your removing your rear wheels? had the same problem a while back lol!!!

Road service dudes carry a 4x4, go under the car, and they whack the inside of the rim, rotate the wheel, whack it again etc. until it comes off. A rubber mallet works too. The rears on the protege5 are really tight. hope this helps.