Rusty Wheel Removal

[Powder Hound]

Hi Everyone,

I have a wheel rusted to a rear hub on my new-to-me 2003 Jetta. It appears that multiple winters of salt induced corrosion have done their damage and corrosion-welded the aluminum wheel (Long Beach, if you are curious) to the brake hub.

I've tried multiple applications of PB blaster, but it is hard to get the spray to the outside circumference through the wheel spokes. Spraying the inner area and in the lug bolt holes has been done multiple times.

I have tried rolling the car around with loosened lug bolts after PB Blaster. That worked on the other side, but this one is still solid.

What are your favorite tricks for loosening a wheel rusted to the brake rotor? I'm not interested in destroying the hub. Yet.

Cheers,

PH

 

[gearheadgrrrl]

Hammer and chisel...

That's the only method that's worked on my '03 Golf, get the chisel through the holes in the wheel's center disc and separate the wheel from the hub. However, i have steel wheels. may not want to try this with aluminum wheels!

 

[turbobrick240]

My guess is the hub is pretty bad anyhow. I would try placing a short length of 2x4, 2x6 etc. against the outside/inside of wheel and rap it multiple times with a heavy hammer. Working your way around. If that didn't work, I would apply some gentle heat to the hub area (probably using the brakes) and repeat the rapping procedure. A liberal soak of kerosene wouldn't hurt- just be careful with the heat.

 

[steve6]

Put the car on jack stands (wheel off the ground), spin the wheel and hit the inside of the tire/rim with a sledge hammer. Alternatively you can use your foot, but don't be stupid as you'd be under the car a bit so make sure its well secure.

 

[Rembrant]

What are your favorite tricks for loosening a wheel rusted to the brake rotor? I'm not interested in destroying the hub. Yet.

With the car on a jack and all 5 wheel bolts removed, stand with you back to the car and kick the tire as hard as you can, as close to the edge as you can. This usually works, but it may take several smacks to loosen it.
You can use a sledge hammer if it's really nasty, but you have to use a block of wood or something up against the inside of the wheel so you don't damage it.

On steel wheels, we used to use a hammer tip on an air-chisel, and hammer away at the rim between the bolt holes. They'll loose up after a while.

The joys of corrosion.

EDIT: Steve6 kind of beat me to it...I was typing while he was.

 

[xjay1337]

or put all 5 bolts bolts in nipped up (not torqued) and drive round in a circle

 

[vtpsd]

I have been faced with some impossibly stuck wheels because I buy old junk cars all the time and live in VT. I use the method described above with wood and sledge hammer alternating sides between hits.

I also leave the lug bolts loose and drive the car around pretty aggressively on bumpy roads with lots of weight transfer. Trust me, you will know when it brakes free. Stop and tighten the bolts and drive back home.

 

[turbobrick240]

Put the car on jack stands (wheel off the ground), spin the wheel and hit the inside of the tire/rim with a sledge hammer. Alternatively you can use your foot, but don't be stupid as you'd be under the car a bit so make sure its well secure.

Yup, never rely on jack stands while under a vehicle. Especially if you are knocking at the car with a sledge! Always have a couple of spare wheels/tires or something equivalent to catch the car if the jack/jackstands slip.

 

[brian_e]

Hammer time

Put the car on jack stands (wheel off the ground), spin the wheel and hit the inside of the tire/rim with a sledge hammer. Alternatively you can use your foot, but don't be stupid as you'd be under the car a bit so make sure its well secure.

^this is the method I used for my steelies! Since then I apply anti-seize to the mating surfaces. And, BTW I got rusted welded in less than 4 months when this last occurred since we switch from summer to winter tires in our area...

No fun.

 

[turbobrick240]

I have been faced with some impossibly stuck wheels because I buy old junk cars all the time and live in VT. I use the method described above with wood and sledge hammethat ternating sides between hits.

I also leave the lug bolts loose and drive the car around pretty aggressively on bumpy roads with lots of weight transfer. Trust me, you will know when it brakes free. Stop and tighten the bolts and drive back home.

I have removed some pretty stubborn 50 year vehicle/old farm equipment wheels too. Love the bumpy road idea. The dirt road I live on is pretty washboarded in places right now. I guarantee that would work in no time.

 

[Hyde7278]

When I was still working on cars for a living this is what I bought to get the wheels off. Only took 1 or 2 good hits and it didn't damage the rims either.

https://trustycook.com/product/sledge-hammer-model-12/

I have altot of there hammers and let me tell you they are the best out there. There made in the USA and the MFG for matco, Armstrong, and some snap on. And there prices are very reasonable. If your a member of Garagejournal.com they give you 20% off and run a lot of specials on that forum for blems and miss mades for 50% off.

If you need deadblow hammers I would highly recomend them.

 

[oilhammer]

I had to borrow the body shop's Porta-power once to pop one off.

Ruined the wheel, but I did get it off.

 

[vtpsd]

I have removed some pretty stubborn 50 year vehicle/old farm equipment wheels too. Love the bumpy road idea. The dirt road I live on is pretty washboarded in places right now. I guarantee that would work in no time.

yes, it does work well. My road is quite bad, I can usually get the wheels loose around the first corner.