Tire still stuck on after removing lug nuts how to get off

Tiny
JOHNSONA698
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
  • 60,000 MILES
Tire won't budge rim stuck on how to break loosr
Friday, March 2nd, 2012 AT 3:36 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
Get some WD 40 or even better by far is PB Blaster. Soak the lug nut holes for as many overnights as possible and during day soak them and wipe off rust that comes out. Use liberally. You can also get a propane torch and heat the nuts before trying to remove the rim heat the rim up.

Otherwise they are going to break and you will have to replace them. It happens. They are not to hard to replace as you can beat them out with a punch and them beat the new ones in with a hammer, use lots of wd 40 or silicone to make it easier and clean out rust first with PB Blaster and some fine emery or wet dry paper and then a cloth with PB on it. Then spray on WD or Silicone and beat them in at least far enough to get a lug nut on them. Then by hand tighten them slowly and they will pull into place.
If you are patient and soak the PB for a couple days, it may work but it is hard to get into lug nuts. Check and see if the lug nuts have a decorative cap which will come off and expose an open ended lug not. Then PB will get in to the threads enough that it should break them free.
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Friday, March 2nd, 2012 AT 3:43 AM
Tiny
EXOVCDS
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,883 POSTS
Remove all bolts except for 1. Leave the last one threaded in 1 or two turns. With the wheel off of the ground hit against the back of the wheel / tire with your foot. Rotate the wheel as you continue to bang your foot against the rear of the tire.

The wheel will eventually pop off of the hub, but won't fall because of the last lug bolt.

Clean the hub surface & the inside of the wheel with sandpaper and apply some antizieze when re-installing the wheel later.

Instead of your foot, you can hold a piece of wood against the back of the rim and the hit the wood with a hammer. Rotate the wheel & hit again.

Non expert advise!
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Friday, March 2nd, 2012 AT 5:35 AM
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
You can remove the center cap or hubcap and spray PB Blaster on the hub where it meets the inner circle inside of the lug nuts. This is a tight fit that centers the rim on the axle and can make getting the disk/drum of the brake just as hard to get off. Use the same techniwue with the PB blaster. When you remove the rim, make sure to beat it gently and move around the tire as you do so so it will not get cocked at an angle on the hub. You want to remove it as straight off the hub as possible or it might makle it harder to get off and possibly damage the rim or the hub and it is important that they are a tight fit as for the aforementioned reason.
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Friday, March 2nd, 2012 AT 8:03 PM

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