Hi folks, can I have some advice please?

Has anyone else had trouble getting the wheel off an Octavia vRS?

It's on 17 inchers and I've got a slow puncture. I've changed many a wheel in my time but when I've jacked the car up and got the bolts off, the wheel just won't budge. Not even slightly, not even with a little "percussive engineering" and WD40.

Any bright ideas? It's going into the tyre shop tomorrow anyway but I'd like to make sure I'm not doing something stupid. Thanks.

A small block of soft wood with cloth wrapped around it and give it a clout with a hammer.

It should come off

I have had the same issues with both my Mk1 and Mk2 VRSs. I had to get under the car on the side of the road and literaly kick the wheel off. Took 5mins or so of fairly hard work but did eventualy shift it (refused to call RAC for a flat tyre!!!!!). Although a little late this time a small amount of grease/vaseline in the inside of the hub should stop it sticking again in the future.

I used to have this problem on my Astra GTE but started to use copper grease between the wheels and the hubs on all my cars. Solved the problem and never had any issues since.

Loosen the bolts so they are nearly off and rock the car side to side as hard as you can - you should hear a crack! Or jack the car up and take the bolts off and kick the hell out of it. No other way as the alloy reacts with the steel hub virtually welding itself.

Have been stuck a few times and a combination of the 2 usually work.

Yes ive had this problem too last time i could have driven without bolts! <copper greased too this time> only happens in winter in summer take them off every month to clean wheels and suspension

Just remembered, a tip a mechanic gave me - loosen the bolts and depending if it is the front or rear, slowly drive and brake hard or rip up hand brake - this will give it a big enough jolt to break the seal. Don't loosen them too much though!

Edited 5 April, 201016 yr by jrw

I've used the strategic kicking method with good results before.

as stated above both a rubber mallet or kick will shift it. Failing that have a Hulk moment

I took the loosen the bolts a very small amount, roll the car and then press the brakes approach before.

It's a right pain and I must admit I'd like to put something appropriate on there to stop it happening.

Some excellent tips here chaps, many thanks.

Tyre garages with their air wrenches are a PITA.

I had to have all 4 anti theft bolts drilled out of the PUG coz the last **** ruined them.

I now use copper grease and insist on nipping up myself by hand.

Thanks guys.

Yeah, thought of the wood thing but couldn't get anything to hand right now. Maybe next time.

I can see why some people get under the car, but there is no way I'm doing that on a simple jack. It's not risking a life for.

Agreed on the loosen bolts (so the wheel doesnt fall face down on something) big piece of softwood and cushioning and a hefty mallet/hammer? The first time it happened to me I wasnt sure what to do as it had never happened on any other cars Id had so was concerning to say the least, but apparently quite a common problem. Guess I was just lucky till then...

Edited 6 April, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb

Quite a few years ago a work mate had puncture on 3 month old Jag (S type) in works car park and resorted to big lump hammer against tyre to break the corrosion seizure . It took him about half an hour of thumping before it came loose. I went around each of the family's cars that W/E with copper-slip ! . Never had a problem since. Wouldn't fancy doing the lump hammer thing at the side of the road/motorway. Made sure no copper-slip on the wheel bolt radiused heads where they seal against the wheel radiused C/B.

I recently bought an alloy wheel as spare for my golf and noticed that the wheel mounting surfaces ( hub boss & bore) had a clear anti-corrosion coating . If the wheel manufacturer can do this, why aren't the wheels on the car the same ?

Edited 6 April, 201016 yr by vwcabriolet1971

the problem lies with the hubs not the wheels,< they have been powder coated and still there was a problem >

I've used a spray of WD40 from outside the hub. Go in and have a cuppa while it soaks in, then come out a do the various pulls and bashes as above. Usually it doesn't need much force to remove. (And with care it doesn't need to go all over the disc and brakes but if some does it is easily cleaned off.)

"Copperslip" grease is great but not much use till you've got the wheel off the first time.

Yes ive had this problem too last time i could have driven without bolts! <copper greased too this time> only happens in winter in summer take them off every month to clean wheels and suspension

LOL - you need to get out more

Right, got it to a tyre shop with a proper 3 tonne trolley jack.

And not only can they get my nearly-new tyre rebuilt, but they've agreed to copper grease the wheels all round to reduce the odds of this happening again in the near future. Nice blokes, and what a result!

Does make you think though- for the majority of people, is the traditional spare worth it any more?

I'd always have said yes until yesterday, but if I'd been next to an M-way with an alloy that wouldn't come off, I'd prefer a can of tyre weld and accept the cost of a new tyre.

I'm glad I've got the spare, but in case it happens again I'm keeping a can of tyre weld too. Easier than carrying a 3 tonne jack, a mallet and a block of wood in the boot.

And a new tyre is still cheaper than being a smear on the side of an A-road because you climbed under a raised vehicle...

Edited 7 April, 201016 yr by thinkblueskies

i had this a few weeks back with the 407 before i got rid and got the vrs, was in the petrol station tyre pressure sensor said front tyre pressure low, so i get out at the air hose, took the cap off and there was white powdery stuff in the top of the valve so cleared it out and proceeded to put the airline on, next thing the top of the F***er snaps off in the air line, so down goes the wheel amid numerous curses,

so right i have to change the wheel, jack up remove bolts pull..... nuthin, :wonder: maybe i didnt do it hard enough? pull..... wont budge :wonder:

so im thinkin what the hell, so i get the spare wheel and smack the other one with it, nuthin

so swing harder still no budge, eventually i spot a half concrete block in the corner by the wall and took 3-4 good slaps just to start it budging

so the flat was in the boot till i bought and picked up the vrs the week after

so i guess i need to copper grease the vrs to prevent a repeat with it

Get yourself a telescopic wheel brace much easier

Get yourself a telescopic wheel brace much easier

How does that help get a wheel off that has seized to the hub?

Sorry mate just got in from work didn't read properly just saw pull as in pull upwards the wrench .

I had to get under the car on the side of the road and literaly kick the wheel off. Took 5mins or so of fairly hard work but did eventualy shift it (refused to call RAC for a flat tyre!!!!!).

Can I just check this.

You climbed underneath the car that was held up only by the supplied jack and then kicked the wheel for 5 mins!

How risky is that? I think I would have called the RAC so he could bring an axle stand!

Steve

Hi folks, can I have some advice please?

Has anyone else had trouble getting the wheel off an Octavia vRS?

It's on 17 inchers and I've got a slow puncture. I've changed many a wheel in my time but when I've jacked the car up and got the bolts off, the wheel just won't budge. Not even slightly, not even with a little "percussive engineering" and WD40.

Any bright ideas? It's going into the tyre shop tomorrow anyway but I'd like to make sure I'm not doing something stupid. Thanks.

It is a problem , We come across this all the time , We cary a hide hammer for this job and hit the rim in several different places , but not ideal on a standerd jack,

if you can't get a hide hammer use a rubber camping mallet .