vermontoyota

So i went to change my front brake pads and found that my front wheels had seized to the hubs (or axels..?). The rims or OEM toyota alloys off a tacoma. I have a pickup so they are not original to that model but the fact that they are alluminum made it surprising that they would not come off.

I tried PB Blaster over night, sledghammer+2x4, heating the rim, and lots conventional elbow grease. Nothing worked until I hooked my Hi-Lift Jack up to a concrete balast and the other end up to a tow strap around the rim spokes and "winched" the rim off. That finally did it. I'm sure my front end wasn't too pleased.

I went to change the other pads and was completely unable to get that rim off, even with the Hi-Lift tecnique.

Any Idea what could cause this??????? I am at a total loss. I'm thinking about taking it to a shop and asking them to "rotate the tires" so they;ll have to get them free. Hopefully they wont F anything up in getting the rim off.

The rims were mounted in May by a tire shop who switched my old tires over to the new rims.....I still dont get how they siezed. The temp has been hovering in the Teens (F') the last few days....Maybe that contributed.,

freddy

wow, never heard of that happening to a rim

Bigblock

Lots of Toyota wheels do that.I have an assistant turn the tire while I pound it off with a sledge.
Bigblock

91Toyota

Take lugs off...

Drive as fast as you can

Just kidding...beat the hell out of it!

scottsmomo

I don't know what causes it, but I've had the same problem with my aluminum toyota rims for my winter tires. It sucks when you get a flat and can't swap to the spare. I just used a rubber mallet and beat the crap out of it till it came of, I bought some alloys for my summer tires and have never had the problem with them. Maybe it's the grit and sand they put on the roads, at least here, I don't know how much they do that where you are. I considered putting some grease around the hub before swapping over this winter but then the thought of possibly getting grease in my brakes changed my mind.

abecedarian

the aluminum rim will contract when cold... more than the hub does (in particular the flange that extends from the hub through the rim).
so basically, it seems the rim has 'shrunk' enough to bind itself to the hub.
heat the rim with a blow drier and see if you can get it off.

abecedarian

or just go drive it a mile or so with light pressure on the brake pedal in order to warm it all up.

abecedarian

and put some anti-sieze lube on the hub and rim mating surfaces

Tubbyfatty

LOL, that sounds like something id say to some little kid back at my high shcool in auto class.

abecedarian

Or to a 10 year old on a bike: "It will go faster if you loosen the nuts holding your front wheel to the fork."

Jay351

I actually did that...it was all fun till I thought it would be fun to do a wheelie.... jeeze.

abecedarian

pics or it didn't happen.

Jay351

Unfortunatly I was alone... im sure the neighbors got a kick outa it though

abecedarian

you could re-enact it.

vtjeenyus

yeah that wont work either , been there tryed that
drove to work all week long with NO lug nuts ,came to the conclusion that the pads were not that bad so i put the nuts back on and left it

dibble9012

Try loosening the lug nuts, lower the vehicle on the ground, and turn the steering wheel.

iamsuperbleeder

Just let some kids in your neighborhood loosen your lug nuts and try to drive to work one morning... I garantee that wheel wont stay on till you make it to work...




once you do get em off, I've heard a good coat of WD40 will keep em from sticking together, although I've never tried...

I've always been able to get them off with a swift and forceful kick the furthest out on the tire as possible for more leverage, just make sure you have some jack stands ON THE FRAME AND THE TRUCK IS STABLE!

Good luck!

91Toyota

I'd kill those bastards!

abecedarian

aww, c'mon.. a nice orange t-shirt in the style of the dukes of hazzard / general lee... and rolled up jeans in the style of capri pants with nice white sneakers... how can you not love that?

iamsuperbleeder

lmao, that's my sister; I called her up at 6 am with this story:

her: "Hellow" - half asleep

me: "Your not going to believe this..."

her: "What did you break now?"

me: "Nothing, it's just that..."

pause...

her: "um, what?"

me: "Are you busy?"

her: "No, why?"

me: "Because my tire just fell off in an intersection..."

long pause...

her: "Say what?"