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[terry paget]

I hve just replaced my daughter's winter tyres with summer tyres. One wheel was rusted on to the hub and I could not shift it. I replaced the wheel nuts, left them half a turn loose, went for a 3 mile drive and tried again. Then they were loose and came off OK. But what would I have done with a puncture?

It must be a common problem for AA men. What's their trick?

[biggriffin]

Firstly, the reason a wheel rusts on to a hub, is bad maintenance, eg not putting copper-slip on to the hub' face.

To remove a seized wheel/hub, club hammer n block of wood, on commercial's, either a sledge hammer or 20tonne porta power.

[Nick W]

I used to beat them off with a length of 4x2. That means you don't have to get under the car, and can get a good swing. I only had to drive the car once when this technique failed.


This really ought to be done with the car on axle stands, a trolleyjack was the usual support roadside. Do NOT try this with the car on a standard folding Jack! And leave a couple of wheel bolts loosely screwed in.

[Lazydocker]

I used to beat them off with a length of 4x2. That means you don't have to get under the car, and can get a good swing. I only had to drive the car once when this technique failed.


This really ought to be done with the car on axle stands, a trolleyjack was the usual support roadside. Do NOT try this with the car on a standard folding Jack! And leave a couple of wheel bolts loosely screwed in.

I used all sorts. Generally a rawhide hammer and a couple of good swings did the job.

As for leaving nuts on... You only send the wheel flying once before you learn that

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

The broken teeth and crooked nose serve as a reminder. 

[TheBoy]

I've always loosened bolts, wheelspun forwards, then slammed on anchors.

All my cars see a smear of coppaslip to prevent this.

[terry paget]

Thanks for all advice. Henceforth I shall always grease the hubs on wheel fitting, after 60 years of bad practice..

[biggriffin]

Thanks for all advice. Henceforth I shall always grease the hubs on wheel fitting, after 60 years of bad practice..

I was learned, if in doubt grease it, or hit it.

[baggers]

Just down to poor servicing.  Seen a few cars that have been "serviced" at main dealers from new with stuck on wheels.

[Nick W]

Thanks for all advice. Henceforth I shall always grease the hubs on wheel fitting, after 60 years of bad practice..

Wire brush(I use a cup brush on a cordless angle grinder because I'm lazy) the grot off the hubs and scotchbrite the wheels first. You only need a smear of copperslip.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

I used to beat them off with a length of 4x2.

That's Opti's technique on singles night...

[TheBoy]

Thanks for all advice. Henceforth I shall always grease the hubs on wheel fitting, after 60 years of bad practice..

The problem is modern cars are all alloy, not steel, and you get a chemical reaction due to dissimilar metais.

Clean up the wheel (and the hub, to a lesser extent), smear a whisker of copaslip (the Molyslip stuff, not the fake stuff). I then rotate wheel on hub a couple of times both ways, just to ensure its fully covered.

Job jobbed.

[TheBoy]

Thanks for all advice. Henceforth I shall always grease the hubs on wheel fitting, after 60 years of bad practice..

Wire brush(I use a cup brush on a cordless angle grinder because I'm lazy) the grot off the hubs and scotchbrite the wheels first. You only need a smear of copperslip.

^^^^ What he says ^^^^

(Must learn to read all answer before replying  )

[terry paget]

I doubt if tyre shops grease the hubs before fitting the wheels.


Come to think of it, all my earlier cars had protruding wheel screws attached to the hubs. Fitting a wheel consisted of popping the wheel over the screws and fixing it with wheel nuts. I think my first car with wheel screws was a Senator.

I find steel wheels easy to fit on Omegas, but alloy wheels trickier 'cos I cannot easily see the threaded holes through the wheels, nor engage the screws in the threads with my fingers. I use a head torch and a 17mm box spanner.

My sister has just changed her Meriva for a Mokka. I inspected it, and pointed out she has no spare wheel, just a pot of porridge and a small electric pump. I wished her well with that.

[TheBoy]

I doubt if tyre shops grease the hubs before fitting the wheels.

Or a torque wrench