I did roadside assistance for a year. I never done a lot of mechanical work, but I have changed more than a few tires! I’m trying to pull out the rear end and guess which step I’m stuck on for the past two hours. I got the lug nuts off, but that one wheel just won’t budge. I soaked it in PB blaster 7 or 8 times. I loosened the nuts and dropped it off the jack. I put it in 4WD and drove it back and forth with the nuts loose. I sledge hammered it with a block of wood. I sledge hammered it without a block of wood - right on the rim. I mule kicked it. I pried on it with a big wrecking bar. I pried on it while hammering on it. I warmed it up with a torch. Nothing. I’ve got an electric rotary hammer I use for busting up concrete. Surely I could vibrate it off with that! Nope. This is embarrassing.
I use a 4 foot section of landscape timber to dislodge stuck wheels.
You might consider leaving the wheels and tires installed until the axle is off and ready to load onto a truck. It is much easier to move the axle rolling it on the tires while pulling the leaf springs. The tire/wheel make a much better target when being struck from above. Also, more often than not used axles have come with the leaf springs still attached. Check before removing yours.
I would buy that other truck for 1500 and then you will have your truck for parts!
get it checked out first tho…
On a 4 wheel drive you have to have exactly the same axle ratio as before. If it is a 3.55 you can put a paint mark on the yoke of the new axle and leave one drum sittin on the ground and rotate the other wheel twice and the yoke should rotate 3,55 times.
Yes @oldtimer. And I believe back there somewhere I posted that a different ratio was not critical but that’s absolutely incorrect with 4 wheel drive. Excuse me for not keeping track of the vehicle. It’s been a long discussion.
I’d try to get them off or at least loose before unbolting the rear end. Still attached, will allow you to put more force into the job.
I had a car in with the same stuck wheels not that long ago.
I ended up leaving most of the air out of the tires and placing the piece of wood at the rim edge at the top and hammer.
Leaving the air out allows the tire to flex so you put more force on the rim when you pound.
The farther from the center of the wheel the better.
yosemite
Let the air OUT? That is brilliant. I never heard that one. I could see that working. I got the wheels off eventually, though.
Well don’t let all the air out.
What I did was leave out most of the air while it was up on the scissors lift and had the tires just off the ground… Then a placed two 4X4 blocks parallel with the tire on the ground and about 16 inches apart. I then laid a 4X6 across them so it was butted up to the tire rim. I stood on the 4X6 and hammered the end with a 16lb sledge hammer. One or two whacks and they were loose.
When I find these so tight I dab a little anti-seize around that center hub. then they come right off next time.
Yosemite
I’ve had the same problem my driveshaft has fell out twice it falls out when I brake does anyone know what it could be? I’ve already changed the read u-joint