Changing a wheel

[seanbranagh]

Any tips on how to get a rear wheel off a Mk2. I have a slow punture and have been blowing it up every couple of days because the wheel is in effect welded to the hub.
I have tried putting the car on an axle stand and beating the inside of the rim to remove it but I am afraid of beating too hard incase of buckling the wheel.
The wheel has been on there for over 4 years.

 

[Brummy]

they do take a fair bit of persuading sometimes, tbh.

 

[AlpineWhite]

Hold the it like you would a steering wheel and try rocking it (push left arm in while pulling with the right - and vice-versa), do the same with hands at the top/bottom. Does that make sense?

Otherwise a rubber mallet should do the trick.

 

[seanbranagh]

I will just give another go tomorrow. Thankfully I have axle stands as I really wouldn't like to do this with the jack supplied with the car, it scares me!

 

[suj]

i suggest putting the car on the floor first to take the wheel off!

 

[jcs356]

I was always told to loosen off the bolts (but not completely remove them) and then lower the car back onto the ground. The weight of the car should be enough to break the bond between wheel and hub.

 

[Presha]

I was always told to loosen off the bolts (but not completely remove them) and then lower the car back onto the ground. The weight of the car should be enough to break the bond between wheel and hub.

Yep this worked on my mates clio, they were well and truly stuck aswel lol

 

[CatB1]

Tighten the wheel bolts back up, take the car off the axle stands then loosen the bolts back off approximately half a turn. Drive the car a coiple of yards turning the steering wheel to full lock in both directions. This should loosen the wheel from the hub, if it does'nt, undo wheel nuts another quarter of a turn & drive the car again another couple of yards. Repeat until they loosen off, but be careful not to loosen too much.

Pete

 

[chris27]

Get it on the stands and give the back of the rim a smack with a rubber mallet as hard as you can! It wont damage the wheel

 

[chris27]

Tighten the wheel bolts back up, take the car off the axle stands then loosen the bolts back off approximately half a turn. Drive the car a coiple of yards turning the steering wheel to full lock in both directions. This should loosen the wheel from the hub, if it does'nt, undo wheel nuts another quarter of a turn & drive the car again another couple of yards. Repeat until they loosen off, but be careful not to loosen too much.

Pete

That sounds dangerous/stupid

 

[Bentley1989]

just do what jcs356 said, ive heard of that trick before, and the rubber mallet works too if you have the clearence to do it

 

[CatB1]

That sounds dangerous/stupid

Hence thats why I said drive a few YARDS with the wheel bolts loosened only half a turn initially, the wheel bolts will still be in contact with the wheel. Your method of removal, if the wheels are 'stuck' on is probably more dangerous to an inexperienced person as there is a chance of knocking the car off the jack. Even with axle stands under the car I would not be too happy taking a mallet to the wheel when part of my body was under the car.


Pete

 

[CatB1]

Dont forget, the wheel is not a true face to face surface to the hub, it is hudcentric, the cars weight is partially supported by this. As long as you dont remove the bolts too far it is perfectly safe. When the seal breaks, tighten the bolts bsck up, drive the few yards back home, jack up & then remove.


Pete