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Wheel problems: Any ideas?

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Steve

Steve

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I have just come inside after wrestling with the right rear wheel on the car that my youngest son drives. There is a problem with the brakes on this wheel, but I can't get the darn wheel off to get at the problem. It's a VW Passat (not that that matters) with BBS alloys, and the wheel seems to be fused to the hub. I have removed the wheel studs, but cannot seem to get the thing to budge. Has anyone had a similar problem? I have soaked the affected area with penetrating fluid, and left it to sit overnight. (After a day of moving snow I have had enough anyway) Any suggestions or solutions will be grateful received.
 
Steve, this is a common problem, particularlly in our snowy clime.
A very large dead blow hammer applied to the inner edge of the wheel usually works, but there is another method that always works.
Reinstall the wheel studs loosely, and drive the car in a circle until the wheel pops loose. Since it's the right side wheel, drive in a left hand circle.
I know it sounds wierd, but it's an actual service manual recommendation for some vehicles.
Of course right now I think you are going to have trouble finding a surface with enough grip to be effective. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I've got 12" of fresh snow in the yard, and more coming tonight.
Probably what you got yesterday.
Good luck,
Jeff
 
Thanks Jeff, appreciate the information. I might try the driving in circles ploy, but the problem with the brake on that wheel is that it seems to be sticking on......may be a hinderance. We did indeed get the snow last night, and into today in fact.....snowing a blizzard at times until about 2pm. Ended up with about 18" on the ground I reckon. Now we are getting the wind and the drifting.
 
Steve, Ive done the driving trick with good results... but be sure the lug nuts are on a little more than just the first thread (of course).
But my suggestion to you both is ... Get outa there... move to the West where we can drive LBCs all year long. That weather is just for Porsches and Polar Bears. Tops down in January...
 
Steven, I agree 100%. Last winter I said it was going to be my last one here, but I'm still stuck! Maybe by this time next year I'll be back in northern California, driving around the coast mountains with the top down. At least from there, I can look up and see snow in the Sierra's, about 200 miles away. Just about the right distance, in my book.
Jeff
 
I was lucky enough to find a clear, mostly dry parking lot at a church about two hundred yards away.....and the "drive around in circles" ploy worked just fine! Thanks Jeff, you helped me out of a bind there! Now I need to make a trip to Sears to get some "damaged bolt removers" and I can get the front wheel off, then if a new set of pads might suffice for the right rear (rather than a new caliper....ouch!....) I can reassemble, get the snow tyres on at last and then he's good to go once again! Then a new battery and two new tyres on the Taurus and the other son's mobile too.
 
Funny thing - last night I had a flat and couldn't get the wheel off (same problem, it seemed welded on). The AAA guy showed up and took a 4x4 piece of lumber about 4' long out of his tool box. After a few whacks on the inside of the rim the wheel popped loose (he first made sure that the car was stable on the jack!)
 
You can also (when you're satisfied the car is stable), sit on the ground at right angles to the car and kick the rear edge of the wheel with your left foot then the forward edge of the wheel with your right foot. Repeat as necessary. Looks funny, but then so does driving in circles with a loose wheel! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Of course, make sure you're not leaning back into traffic! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I've also had some luck with loosening the wheel nuts, then lowering the car onto its wheels. Works for those times when you have a flat and don't want to drive in circles on it. It pays to keep the mating surfaces painted....
 
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