My dad and I rotated his tires yesterday (2008 2dr JK with the stock 17" wheels). The Jeep only has 3k miles on it, but all 4 wheels were really stuck on good. They have probably never been off before.

2 of them came off just by giving the tire a good kick. The other ones I had to just hand tighten the lug nuts and then drive the Jeep forward and backward just a few feet to break it free.

When they finally came off, there was all this black goop/stuff gluing them to the hub (probably from all the nasty road salt around here). Cleaned all the hubs and wheels out with an old toothbrush.

What is the proper way to deal with a wheel not coming off? I didn't want to beat the wheel with a hammer or apply heat, so I figured kicking the tire probably wouldn't hurt anything.

Also, would applying a little silver antiseize around the edge of the hub be an acceptable way of preventing this from happening again?

Thanks!

 

When I was a kid and worked in a service station we would leave the lug nuts on but loose, and then kick the tire till they come loose. I have no idea if it's the right way but it always worked for us.

 

The antisieze will help with this yes

 

Yeah, what's what we ended up doing. Didn't have to kick too hard and it definitely worked.

Ok, thanks! I figured it would, just didn't know if that was the right thing to use there or if there was something better.

 

I had this problem to. The powdercoating on the inside of the rim caused mine to stick, also there was some rust that started between the collar on the flange and the rim. I just kicked mine too and cleaned the flange off really good with a wire bush.

 

brings back bad bad memories of workin at a shop.

couple other ways to try, are having the vehicle VERY well supported, laying under the vehicle and pushing off the opposite side on the inside of the stuck rim. Obviously leaving some lugs on loose to prevent injury. Have also had to heat them up before too. not fun.

 

I lost 3 stock rims earlier this winter as the lug nuts seized to the rim. I had an engineer explain to me about a chemical reaction that happens with the 2 types of metal mixed with the road salt... it was rather interesting but I don't really remember. Long story short, I sprayed the inside of my lugs on my aluminum wheels with white lithium grease and just did a small coat on the outside of the base of the lug that will touch the wheel with never-seize. I rotated my tires yesterday and they came off easily.

 

Had this happen on my TJ, as it seems aluminum wheels and the steel hub are not a good combination (reaction). Was able to get it off with several good wacks from a dead-blow hammer. Since then I always use some anti-seize and have had trouble since.

 

I used the kick and hop method back in the day.

 

Jack it up, remove all the lug nuts. SOAK the wheel down with P'Blaster in the center where the axle comes through, AND where the wheel studs come through. Then replace the wheel studs and tighten them down ALMOST until they touch the wheel, but not quite. Let the jack down and drive SLOWLY through the yard. This will pop the wheel loose and then you can jack it back up and remove it.