Help changing tire

[Matt Johnson]

Idiot question of the day - how do I get the center cap off the wheel without gouging the s--t out of it? Lug nuts are off, center cap is one, wheel won't move. Help...

[bigslim]

Center cap does not have to removed. Wheel is just seized on the hub.

[MAD-3R]

Use a stiff piece of plastic that you might not mind loosing if it breaks, ie. A credit card, or old hotel key. A plastic putty knife would work well as well.

But remember, you can't change a tire. The tire has to be the one who WANTS to change.

[King Fubar]

just mule kick the tire...the wheel should pop off

[Matt Johnson]

Had to use a sledge to get the wheel to unseat.
All better now.

[Bluerauder]

Had to use a sledge to get the wheel to unseat.
All better now.
And here he was worrying about marring the center caps !!!! :rofl:

[ckadiddle]

Had to use a sledge to get the wheel to unseat.
All better now.
It's Hammer Time !!

[Mike M]

Hehe...now thats funny!

[juno]

Note to self: Add sledge to other tools in trunk.

[RoyLPita]

better yet, make sure that the wheels and tires can come off easily. Some of us even thought of greasing the hub that contacts the rims.

[CRUZTAKER]

better yet, make sure that the wheels and tires can come off easily. Some of us even thought of greasing the hub that contacts the rims.

Exactly.

Something as simple as caking vaseline at the wheel/hub contact point will prevent this from ever happening. Aluminum + rusty Steel = Siezure. In more than just the wheel!

I have had to loosen all the lug nut nuts and drive NASCAR style to break loose this one fellows wheels for the first time.

Grease the contact points upon every seasonal removal of the aluminum wheels.;)

[fastblackmerc]

I use a little anti-sieze on the hub where it and the rim make contact, replenishing it everytime I take off the wheels. To break the wheel(s) loose if they are siezed to the hubs do this:

Loosen each lugnut about 3/4 of a turn.

Power brake the car causing the rear wheels to spin, aka: burnout

You don't have to go crazy on the burnout, just a little chirp or two.

The wheels should come off now.

Clean off the hub and rim

Apply anti-sieze compound

Reinstall your wheels

[MNMarauder]

The best way to fix that is to use a five pound rubber hammer. my buddy is a tow truck driver and they respond to thouse calls all the time. wheel won't come off. after a light tap it falls right off. something to do with the vibration.

[Joe Walsh]

I use a little anti-sieze on the hub where it and the rim make contact, replenishing it everytime I take off the wheels. To break the wheel(s) loose if they are siezed to the hubs do this:

Loosen each lugnut about 3/4 of a turn.

Power brake the car causing the rear wheels to spin, aka: burnout

You don't have to go crazy on the burnout, just a little chirp or two.

The wheels should come off now.

Clean off the hub and rim

Apply anti-sieze compound

Reinstall your wheels

Hmmmmmm......:hmmm: I do this even when I'm not removing a seized rim...:D

I like the anti-seize idea...I've always hit the sidewalls with a 'BFRM' to loosen up a stuck rim.

(Big Frickin' Rubber Mallet)

[Eric91Z]

Is there any preference as to an anti-sieze compund to use that will not damage the steel or aluminum? Would you use the same anti-sieze compund you would for spark plugs? I had only 1 wheel that took a swift wack with the palm of my hand to get it off when I put the winter wheels on. And, when I finally got the stock wheels washed and waxed yesterday, I did notice one of the wheels had more rust not only on the mounting pad but also inside behind the center cap than the others did. I assume that was the one that was stuck.

[MENINBLK]

Idiot question of the day - how do I get the center cap off the wheel without gouging the s--t out of it? Lug nuts are off, center cap is one, wheel won't move. Help...

Loosen the lugs on the wheels.
Get them at least one or two turns free.
Then rock the Marauder side to side until the wheels come loose.

Now you can jack up the Marauder and remove the wheels.
No hammering necessary.

[CBT]

But remember, you can't change a tire. The tire has to be the one who WANTS to change.

Jesus! Thanks MAD, I had forgotten what coffee tasted like shooting out my nose from laughing!!

[fastblackmerc]

Is there any preference as to an anti-sieze compund to use that will not damage the steel or aluminum? Would you use the same anti-sieze compund you would for spark plugs?
Wheels / hubs & spark plugs / heads.... same materials. Yes, use the same anti-sieze.

[Warpath]

You should never grease things that are not supposed to move relative to each other. It can lead to rattles and eventually break the fasteners. A bolted joint is held together either through friction and/or the tension in the bolt. If you grease the joint, you decrease what is holding it together. The fastener is then forced to take the load and it isn't always big enough to carry it especially in a shear joint since normally the bolt doesn't see any bending loads. Greasing the joint can put bending loads into the bolt.

The best remedy is to periodically remove the wheels to break them free while the corrosion is not excessive.