[zinfandel]

One thing I didn't check when we bought my son a used car was to take the wheels off. The brakes seemed fine, so no need to, right? Well, went to rotate the tires today and the left front wheel is frozen to the hub. Lugs bolts came off easy enough, but the dang wheel will not budge. Banged it with the heel of my hand and even gave a little kick, but no amount of tugging would pry it loose. Didn't want to crack the hub so we put the lugs back in and gave up for now.

Any ideas other than taking it to a tire shop? Can't they pull or push it off with some tool?

How about backing off the bolts a few turns without jacking up car and rocking the car? I'm afraid it'd come off the hub and the wheel would fall off!

 

[earthworm]

Reminds me of one rather funny thing I saw 30 plus years ago.

The car was up on the lift - a huge advantage - and willing help was available - another plus.

In this case the wheel/drum assembly was stuck as they are prone to do.
All the mechanic had to do , by swinging from the front bumper ,was to powerfully and accurately kick off the stuck wheel assembly.
Kind of funny to see this, but it was fast and effective..

In the shop, this is a common occurrence, much CRC is used.
Then the cracked loose lug nut is beat upon with a 12 pound hammer.

Vibration and the penetrating oil do the trick..

As a memento, I still have one of these lug nuts from the 60s - they were indestructible.
As a last resort, heat from an acetylene torch was judiciously employed and this was always 100% effective..

Possibly, todays cars are subject to much more destructive road salt - all this environmental damage seems to mean nothing - strange...

Another thing that can be done , (and improper in this crazy safety-nazi world of today,) is to loosen the nut or nuts, drive around for a few minutes, and things will separate - guaranteed..

 

[ricot83]

PB blast will get it off with help from a rubber mallet.... spray pb blast on it like 5 times throughtout the day... then lift the car, and hit the wheel with a mallet. make sure not to drop the wheel though and scratch it

 

[TGA78]

I second the PB blaster; it is the best when dealing with rust. If you follow his instructions you should have no trouble. PB blaster and enough patience can separate even the most stubborn exhaust nuts with out the need for air tools and with out breaking anything. I was blessed to grow up in a house hold where PB was always around.



Good luck

 

[zinfandel]

PB blast will get it off with help from a rubber mallet.... spray pb blast on it like 5 times throughtout the day... then lift the car, and hit the wheel with a mallet. make sure not to drop the wheel though and scratch it

Not sure how to get a spray on the hub, maybe through the bolt holes? Or from behind ( but the brakes and wheel get it the way, I think)

I don't remember what the hub looks like on the non-SS 9-3, but on a 9-3 SS there's a flange off a flat surface that the wheel sits on. My guess is it's frozen to that flange and/or the flat surface.

 

[ricot83]

spray anywhere u can and everywhere u can.. it should work... what has happened, might be what happened to mine when i first bought the car, all the road salt from the previous owner's driving basically "salt welded" the wheel on.. i used wd-40(CRAP!!!!!) because thats what i had on hand... i eventually went to a buddy with a lift and wacked them off the hubs

 

[TGA78]

My stock wheels have a cap in the center covering the lug nuts and hub. With that removed it becomes easy to spray. Just be sure to turn the wheel slowly once you spray it to insure the PB blaster penetrates all the way around.

 

[ragtopcav]

A bit of a search revealed this technique by SC regular Enor in this thread

imagine that, no oil, no impact, just a removable wheel.

 

[earthworm]

I second the PB blaster; it is the best when dealing with rust. If you follow his instructions you should have no trouble. PB blaster and enough patience can separate even the most stubborn exhaust nuts with out the need for air tools and with out breaking anything. I was blessed to grow up in a house hold where PB was always around.



Good luck

Quite a testimonial, TGA; one of the better ones I have read.
I have and use PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, and another rust buster (kerosene)..

Use a grease, or ,IMO, better yet, a little anti-seize on the steel contact surfaces. I do wish the manufacturers would use some substance.
On some cars, the wheels can stay on for 5 years !! Many, including me, do not practice rotation..

 

[zinfandel]

A bit of a search revealed this technique by SC regular Enor in this thread

imagine that, no oil, no impact, just a removable wheel.

Yeah, I'm thinking this is gonna work. I'll let you know.

 

[wonkyhamster]

I wouldn't want all that PB Blaster or whatever near my brake pads! More work to clean it off. I just put a decent piece of wood against the bottom section of the wheel on the inside and hit it with a sledge hammer; rotating occasionally. Loosening the wheel studs slightly and slaloming it should work if you can drive the car (wheel not flat, etc). PB Blaster advertises that their product helps reduce corrosion between alloy wheels and hubs if you apply it to the contact surfaces prior to assembly.