I’m trying to replace the brake pads on a
2000 Ford Focus wagon. The lugs nuts came
off easily enough, the wheels however seem
to be welded to the hubs. I tried pounding
a wedge at the apparent joint between the
wheel and hub. Nothing! Help!
Put the lug nuts back on but leave them SLIGHTLY loose.
Back the car up and hit the brakes a few times.
That should break them loose.
(Aluminum alloy will corrode and stick to the steel hubs, and this problem is not that rare.)
THANK YOU!! Done.
May you always be able to get up after you lie down.
what a wicked good idea. i never thought of that!!
i always get a long 4x4 and wail on the tires. see something simpler is just around the cartalk corner!
gheesh, and the guy complaining about muscle cars (or lack therof) doesn’t like cartalk!
Over time aluminum will corrode and stick to steel, and not just on wheels either. Pistons/cylinder walls, water pump/engine block, etc. can all do it.
A guy I used to work with made a circle in the parking lot one time with a 70s era Thunderbird and asked me if I noticed anything funny about the car.
ALL of the lug nuts were off the 2 front wheels when he did this. More guts than me.
If you put a little anti sieze on the hub before reinstalling the wheel this problem goes away.
Excellent idea. I had to call AAA/wait for a tow truck driver who though I was weak or something not being able to remove a rusty civic wheel.
He took a heavy tow component of his wrecker and whacked the tire sidewall to knock it off the car.
Great idea!
A slight variation, if you can’t move the car: Loosen the lug nuts two, or three, turns (with the tires still on the ground); ROCK the car side to side. Jack the car up. Are the wheels loose? If not, loosen the lug nuts one more turn, and rock again.