Wheel Change Issues

[HughiusMaximus]

Gents,

Long time viewer.. long time reader..

Quick question please, I'm trying to swap over my car to a set of winter tyres, but am having issues getting one of the alloys off the hub.

Short of having that giant rubber sledge that they use in garages, does any one have any advice on what I can do?

I'm wary of trying to lever it off using the suspension components as I'm afraid I will damage the suspension.
Car is a 56 plate 335d se coupe, any advice welcome please?!!

[richwig83]

Undo the bolts so they are barely "nipped up" drop the car back on the ground and roll it for about half a wheels circumference. Lift and remove.

[ch427]

usually a swift kick to the tyre is enough with the sole of your foot, failing that a lump hammer and a piece of timber.

[DocArbathnot]

richwig83 said:

Undo the bolts so they are barely "nipped up" drop the car back on the ground and roll it for about half a wheels circumference. Lift and remove.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Better than bashing things, particularly if not supported properly.

[GBTurbo]

Either of the 2 methods above should work I usually put the nuts or bolts back in a few turns then bash the wheel from the inside with a rubber mallet/lump hammer and wood anything really.

[DrDeAtH]

A thin smear of copaslip over the mating face of the wheel hub will alleviate the problem of the wheel corroding to the hub.

[HughiusMaximus]

DocArbathnot said:

richwig83 said:

Undo the bolts so they are barely "nipped up" drop the car back on the ground and roll it for about half a wheels circumference. Lift and remove.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Better than bashing things, particularly if not supported properly.

Cheers for the replies guys.

I'll try the above and see how I get on.
I had already tried the kicking and hammer with timber approach, hopefully this will work...

[Stegel]

Just had exactly the same problem - 2 cars, one wheel on each - while swapping to winters. I put 3 bolts back in, undid them by one full turn, then dropped it back down and did lock to lock moves, coupled with stomping on the brakes, 2 or 3 times. Back up with the jack and the wheel came off straight away each time. Copper grease all round before putting the winters on - quite why the dealer left one hub on each with nothing on at all baffles me.

[gretsch drummer]

While working at a body repair shop the method was sit on your arse infront of the stubborn wheel and kick the tyre at 9-3 and 12-6. Saying that an M3 wheel had to have the rubber mallet treatment from the inside to get that bugger off.

I swear every BMW we worked on never had ANY grease on the hub mating faces.

[phillpot]

According to a post on this thread greasing hubs is not recommended by some manufacturers (Ford)?

[Stegel]

Well, both Mercedes and Volkswagen workshops use copper grease on the hub - although they each omit one wheel and allow that to seize up (see above)!

[DoubleSix]

I wouldn't want to be reaching under a car on a jack to hammer it!.

Just undo the bolts a few turns and let the weight of the car pop it off.

Edited by DoubleSix on Tuesday 26th November 09:15

[theshrew]

Jack it up, axle stand etc then sit on your backside and boot the living st out of the wheel.
Or use the hammer approach.

Remember when your doing it you need to boot 1 side then the other. Do it a few times then turn the wheel a bit and repeat