Front tires stuck to drum

[MAUI]

Hi all,

Went into the local tire shop to get 2 new tires for the back of the surf, plan was to swap the 2 fronts onto the back and put the new ones up front.
Anyhow all was going good till we hit the front tires, the shop guys bet the crap out of one fronts and couldn't move it, the said to me they didn't want to damage the rims, which they already had, shitty alloy rims dent pretty easy thou.
Looks like its stuck solid in the centre of the rim, i didn't think alloy rusted to steel, but it looks like it does.
I have tried quite a few things so far, but they won't move!, i have spare rims and am at my wits end, to get them off, the thing is, can i try and heat the centers without buggering to much inside the hub, even hitting them real hard could stuff a bearing or seal, steering arm, etc?? or does anyone have any other ideas?
Wow theres a first for everything but this is mad!!

[NiftyNev]

DO not heat them. Try driving the vehicle a little forward and backwards with the wheel studs loosened a bit. Otherwise it's kick the sh!t out of them, from the inside on the tyres.

Nev

[Bogus]

I wouldnt dream of heat. Try that and you will damage something or maybe even damage yourself. Its just a matter of breaking the bond between the rim and the hub. Violence is the only answer, Truck jacked up and well supported on stands. A good solid lump of wood behind the wheel to spread the load/impact right across the wheel and a good smack with a LARGE hammer. It will work. If your tyre boys have damaged the wheel, then they have clearly been smacking it without the benefit of the lump of wood , which spreads the load and protects your metal. That means they are not too trustworthy and not too bright either
To stop it happening again, clean the mating faces on wheel and hub and smear lightly with a lubricant.

[MAUI]

Hi all. thanks for the replys , but i am at the point where i am not worried about the rims, its just i don't won't to break anything else, getting the tires off.getting a good swing at the back of the tire isn't to easy either, i had to put a strainer post thru from the other side, and hit it with a sledgehammer.

[Bogus]

Well, you have to get the wheels off, they cant stay on forever. I doubt you will break anything else, no matter how stuck they seem, the bond between wheel and hub will still be the weakest link.
If you do break something else it was probably in poor shape anyway and ready for replacement. I cant see that you have a choice

[gary-r]

i always put a smear of copper grease round the hub centres - stops the furry oxidised alloy glueing itself to the cast hub.

got that from the days of splined wire wheels - 3 hours with a fence post and a sledge getting a wheel off an e-type.

[MAUI]

Update:

Finally got one off, drivers side front, drove her around a bit more with loose nuts, and a bit more bashing.I just used diesel as a penetrant and i think that helped too, as it was in between rim and hub, now i can access the back of the other rim too with my post.and give it a good bash, what a mission!!!

[Fricfrac]

When you put then back on, smear some copperslip on the wheel where it mates to the hub.

[MAUI]

OK.. after about 2 dozen stubbies and a lot of staring and head scratching,sweaing,the job is done.
Had to replace my post with a piece of heavy 2 inch pipe about 6 feet long,jacked the front up put the axle stands back from the tires, so i had room to get between the 2 front tires with the steel pipe, balanced the pipe, the only place i could hit the stuck rim was on the bottom, no room anywhere else. I started just ramming the stuck rim with the pipe no go so ended up hitting it with the sledgehammer,after lots of hits and bouncing i finally felt a good solid blow and it was underway,she fought me right to the end thou, i had to actually ram it off with the pipe, tight as f... all the way.Lots of white powder sort of like battery terminal stuff,was causing the problem.
I didn't think a alloy rim would take that much punishment, its now got the spare on. i used the spare to replace that one with.
Must remember to rotate the tires, this set has been on for 6 years , even so!!!!
Anyway job done, no worries about flats now.

[KERRSURF]

Copperslip is fine but can wash away, dielectric paint (normally yellow in colour, used in vehicle building) is the stuff you want, paint both surfaces and assemble, the paint will dry and bond to both surfaces but won't allow the reaction to take place that cause this problem, breaking the thin layer of paint is easy enough when you need to remove the wheel.

[Fricfrac]

Copperslip is fine but can wash away, dielectric paint (normally yellow in colour, used in vehicle building) is the stuff you want, paint both surfaces and assemble, the paint will dry and bond to both surfaces but won't allow the reaction to take place that cause this problem, breaking the thin layer of paint is easy enough when you need to remove the wheel.

Fair does, never had copperslip wash off, but then I have never really used any vehicles as some of you do.

Will bear that in mind though...........

[Vagrant No2]

Copperslipped my 3rd gen wheels , both rears still stuck to hubs .
On a 2nd gen breaker I smashed 1 alloy very badly trying to remove it . When they stick they stick !!

[team japan daihastu div]

i have allways used copperslip etc and as long as you remove the wheels a couple of times a year then they will come off with a small tap, given the sort of abuse i put my surf through i remove them reguarly to clear debris/mud/stones etc and to check rear shoes ect, its the same with drums, they remove easily if regular preventitive maintainance is carried out, as a matter of course allways lube nuts/bolts/fixings to make it easier next time round

[BUSHWHACKER]

I never lube, oil or grease wheel nuts, bolts or studs, I just clean the threads if they need it to make sure the wheels stay on and only come off when I want them to!

[si tate]

Mine are taken off every 3 months, I hate dirty wheels.