Front left tire stopped rotating

Tiny
LACEY GILLES
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 CHRYSLER 300
  • 5.0L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 99,550 MILES
A couple days ago in Minnesota my rwd 300c got stuck twice in 2 different snow drifts during a blizzard with wind gusts of 50 MPH+, temperatures in the negative single digits (rain right before the blizzard, frozen ice underneath). The second one I got out of was about 6-9 inches. The car was driving fine through the unplowed roads afterwards, didn't hear any abnormal noises coming from the car/wheels. I got to a gas station and was stationary for about 15-20 minutes with the wind gusts and piercing snow hitting the left side of the car. Once I put it in drive and started moving forward I didn't notice anything til I started to turn left out of the pump area and got stuck in 5 inches of snow immediately. My friend helped me move it backwards and noticed that the left front tire wasn't rotating. I also noticed when I put in drive and try to move forward the car has a cracking/popping sound like something is frozen trying to break free. When I turn the wheels completely to one side and look into the wheel well, there is solid ice built up around the strut shock assembly, where the sway bar end link meets the sway bar, around/inside the knuckle of the tension strut that's near the engine cradle. I sprayed most of the ice with a can of deicerr in hopes to break free the ice and make the tire rotate but with no luck. So my question is, why would my tire just stop rotating? Is it possible that my wheel bearings are frozen or would all the other ice build up cause it to not rotate?
Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 7:31 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,870 POSTS
My first thought is some snow melted, then the water ran into the cooling slots of the brake rotor and froze again. That would not be common, and it should break free, but be careful as your braking power might not be up to normal for a while.

The wheel bearings are sealed to keep grease in and water and dirt out, so they aren't going to cause this problem. I suspect you'll need to get the front tires on dry or snow-free pavement, then the frozen rotor will break free. You'll probably hear a lot of commotion from that area as the ice chunks break off and fall away.
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Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 7:54 PM
Tiny
LACEY GILLES
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Okay, that is great to hear! The gas station parking lot has slush and packed down snow/ice spots so it'll be hard to get her to a cleared area. If I get more of that can of deicer and spray it into the brake/rotor front side and behind tire, would that possibly help?
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Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 8:01 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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  • 33,870 POSTS
Don't know. I've never used that stuff. I'm in WI, so I get the same kind of miserable weather. Last three years my daily driver was a 1994 Grand Voyager with absolutely no heat. Now I've been forced to upgrade to a 2014 4wd Ram 1500.

I think I'd just keep working it back and forth until the wheel frees up. It's hard to believe it would freeze so solidly in such a short time that it couldn't be broken free.
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Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 8:28 PM
Tiny
LACEY GILLES
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Alrighty, tomorrow will be a little warmer than today so I'll head to the car tomorrow afternoon to see if I can get it to break free. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me, have a Merry Christmas and a great night!
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Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 8:31 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,870 POSTS
Please keep us updated on your progress. I'll be back tomorrow to see if you were able to buzz off into the sunset!

Merry Christmas to you too.
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Friday, December 25th, 2020 AT 8:36 PM

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