VY Wheels - Stuck on the Hubs

[Sean880]

Tried removing the wheels on my VY "S" today to inspect the brakes etc etc only to find that after the wheel nuts were all removed the wheels would not budge from the hubs.

Tried back and front wheels - same problem. Tapping them gently with a rubber mallet from the inner side of the wheel did nothing to release them. .
Reckon I could have pulled the car off the jack if I had tried any harder to pull them away by hand from the hub after the nuts were removed.

Never had this kind of stupid problem with wheels before on any of my cars. They always just come away. Just great if you have a puncture and you need to fit the spare but cannot remove the wheel!! They are Holden By Design X series mags.

Looks like I will have to go to a tyre dealer or the local garage to get the wheels off.

The wheels have been off few times for servicing and inspection of brakes but have never been removed by me. They have not been touched for about 18 months or so -- until I attempted today.

Has anyone else had this kind of stupid problem? Any sensible suggestions would be welcome - thanks

 

[r_i_d_a_h]

ive come across couple times, i just put a small piece of wood behind the wheel and gave it a few lights hits with my sledge hammer.

trust me, works everytime.

 

[Jono191]

I got no suggestions but i had exactly the same problem with my vy, wanted to look at the brakes but had to much trouble getting the wheel off so i just gave up haha. but yeah its weird

 

[HARVZ-6]

Boot it on the sides n the bottom

when you get them off sand the hub a bit n lube to prevent it happenin again

 

[Sean880]

Thanks. I actually did try laying a piece of 4 inch by 2 inch timber down beside the tyre - inner side - so the timber covered most of the tyre and gave the timber a few firm taps with a rubber mallet. That did not loosen the wheel on the hub - but it should have been enough force. Tried this on front and rear RH wheels. I don't want to hit the thing very hard due to potential damage. (Dismantling axles from diff centres is easier than this.)

Have tried "booting it" on the sides and bottom - but not really hard. No good.

Yes dry sanding and lubing the hub face is essential which I intended doing when I can get the darn wheels off. It's like they have virtually welded themselves to the hub face.

Maybe I will try again when the hubs are warmed up from brake heat. They were cold when I tried first up.

 

[NIXONLS1]

My mate had this problem on his vy. Finally got them off but there was a blue gluesubstance on the hub. Weird..

 

[Sean880]

Thanks for the comment Nixon and others.

 

[fuzzy2308]

yeah just kick the **** out of the out side of the rim until it comes loose but dont let the car fall over.

 

[taztassio]

sometimes they can be stuck on the thread as the wheel can rotate 1-2deg due to clearancing on the studs. try knocking the tyre from the side to 'rotate it' a bit.

 

[Verynice]

Get this all the time at work. Rubber mallet works best. Hit it from the inside of the rim outwards. Then before putting the wheel back on, give both the wheel and hub a clean of any surface rust and what not using a wire brush. Then apply some anti-seize to the hub before the wheel goes back on. This will help when it comes to taking it off next time.