How annoying is it when your wheels are stuck to the hubs grrr. Just tried to fit my mates comps and the back wheel was solid stuck on. I was kicking hammering etc. Think it needs some copper grease.

Anyone else get caught out by this ?

Yup - on my old Ibiza FR - garage bolted new wheels on with no copper grease, had to hit it from behind with a hammer lol

Yea. My mate (bodyshop) is always calling me in when he got a set of alloys to refurb but the wheels are stuck on.

As the car is up on the ramp, I get under the car and hit the tyre with a 2x4 bit of wood while he gets ready for wheel to pop off.

Pretty much a weekly thing now.

Dab hand at it now.

Edited 30 March, 201115 yr by Fabla

copper grease is easy solution to this issue....

Had the same problem with both rears. Most affective way to get them off seems to be a flat footed kick whilst lay down to the the bottom edge then top edge of the face of the alloy - just make sure your jack is sturdy. Other option a heavy plastic faced mallet to the rear of the wheel. Once off use some emery or fine sand paper to get all the White residue build up off the inside of the alloy where it meets the hub, and the rim of hub.. and as mention above put some copper slip on before refitting - won't happen again then.

I'd advise anyone to do this if you know your wheels have not been removed for a fair old while... saves having problems removing them in more awkward places like hard shoulders etc!!

Marc

Edited 30 March, 201115 yr by Marc81

Slacken wheel bolts, start car, drive forward and slam on the brakes.

Lever between the bottom of the suspension arm with a length of 2x2 and keep turning the wheel a little to work it off. This methods is nice and safe if dones carefully.

Then grease them when refitting!

I saw the title and thought this thread was going to be about track tyres. :yes:

This is an old problem that happens to most cars. I used to live around the corner from a large "back street" garage, got talking to one of the mechanics there one day as they did alot of work to Mercs (there was a main Merc dealer around the corner) they did all the wheel removals for the dealership (so they have clearer workshops) Most of the time this involved drilling out the studs/bolts!! The correct technical term is "Dis-similar corrosion" due to a "galvanic battery" forming between the alloy wheel and the steel hub! When two metals are in direct contact with each other, water (preferably with salt/grit), then a galvanic battery can form with one metal "de-zincifying" the other due to differing electron counts in each metal!! (My brain is slighty fried trying to remember this!!) :S Copper grease is the only solution (on bolts/studs as well) or fitting plastic separaters!!

yeah happened to me just got to persevere with a nylon hammer lol

I've never used copper grease to stop them sticking as I believed part of the rotational grip when the vehicle was accelerating/braking was between the face of the hub and the wheel.

I didn't think all of that force is supposed to be take by the wheel studs/bolts.

? :S

I've never used copper grease to stop them sticking as I believed part of the rotational grip when the vehicle was accelerating/braking was between the face of the hub and the wheel.

I didn't think all of that force is supposed to be take by the wheel studs/bolts.

? :S

THIN LAYER OF COPPER GREASE!!

There is still an amount of frictional force due to the clamping of the wheel to the hub by the bolts, even with copper grease! The main rotational (shear force acting on the bolts/studs) force is supposed to be taken by the bolts/studs!! This is why it is important to use the correct length and seat type for your wheels, and to tighten them up in stages using a diagonal cross pattern to the correct torque!!! Manufacturers take this into account as weight & engine power/torque affect this which is why an 80's Citroen AX?? and 2CV had only 3 bolts/studs per wheel, whilst most modern cars now have 5/wheel, and big 4x4's 6 or 8 per wheel! Also some wheel designs are not done in certain stud patterns as centrebore & PCD?? affect the edge spacing between the bolt hole edge and the edge of the material, or the next hole!! If you really are worried about rotational forces, imagine the tyre gaining maximum grip, whilst the engine and driveshaft are at maximum torque... the weakest link (besides clutch) well... have you seen how shallow the splines on the driveshaft are that fit into the hub????

Edited 31 March, 201115 yr by fabdavrav