I'm changing the starter on my 92 4runner with Alloy rims. After removing the 6 wheel nuts I am unable to pry the rim off the axle. It seems to be seized onto the steel axle.

I had the tires replaced last fall so the tire hasn't been on a long time. I'm amazed how difficult it is to remove the rim and am wondering if I'm missing something? Is there something else that needs to be removed?

if it is just seized, is there a safe way to pry the rim off?

I've never changed a tire on a 4runner and am amazed at how difficult it could be.

Thanks to anyone who can help

 

Sometimes they just get stuck. Make sure the truck is safely secured on jack stands, then give the tire a good solid kick at the 12 o'clock position. It should pop free.

 

had the same problem with my sr5 wheels that were on my 90 4runner when i bought it...just whale on it for a half hour with a 20 pound sledge like i did...then use those wheels as barstools, lawn ornimantes or like i did, throw them to the junk man! woohoo

Just beat um off the truck

 

We ran into the same problem when doing my hubs, just give it a nice whack and it should come loose

 

I do it for a living (roadside service), sit on the ground and kick it with your feet. It will pop right off.

 

After you get the wheel off, do yourself a huge favor - clean the mating surfaces of the wheel and hub, then smear a thin film of grease on the mating surfaces before you re-install the wheel. That will keep electrolysis from screwing with you the next time.

 

Yea thats weird my front tires havent had a problem but by back tires have seemed to be super glued onto the drums everytime i take my wheels off. Just kick the inside of the tire and comes off. I have even put some lithium grease on outside of brake drum and put wheel on. 6 months later It seemed to still be glued on there. anyone know why. Looks like my truck isnt the only one.

 

Thread the lug nuts on finger tight, roll the truck a few feet and slam on the brakes. It'll break loose no problem.

 

beat the hell outa it with a hammer lol jk good luck

 

kick it off

 

make it one happy 4runner!!


my sr5 rims are a PITA too.

 

This is very common; a little grease when you put the wheels on helps. Kick them off while sitting in front of the wheel as previously mentioned.

 

Mine use to be a problem. What I did was when I installed my MT's, I took my porting tip and opened up the hub hole just a bitn then had my tires installed and then balanced.... No more problems... I would also suggest Antisieze...

 

extreme violence, then copper greasec

 

On my Ranger the wheels stick.. I keep a sledge hammer in the back to beat them off.. Kicking will not do, not very quick anyway.. I kicked on 1 for 30 minutes on the side of the highway last summer.. It was 100 degrees and i about passed out.. Finally a guy stoped with a hammer and it still took some MAJOR hitting to get it loose.. Grease the back side of the rim? so simple but yet i never thought of it.. I need to rotate so i will beat them off and grease them tomorrow

 

Careful with driving it with the nuts loose with the Al whels since they have no steel inserts and the studs can damage the wheel. As well, cleaning out the center hole on the Al wheels may not be good idea, I think the hole actuelly centers the wheel since the nuts do not use the cone to center on the studs, the shanks go right through.
I use a big chunk of 6x6 lumber and beat all around from the inside last time I had that trouble.
Try some penetrating oil before and neversieze it up after.
Mike

 

A long handled sledge always works for me. One lug nut on there loosely will keep it from rolling down your driveway. I use Never Seaze on just about everything I want to be able to get off again.

 

Yeah, grease it before you put it back on....just so it actually goes back on FLUSH.

I swapped the rims and wheels from my '86 to the '92 and vice versa. The aluminum rims were sticky going on to the manual hubs of the '86, so when I went to torque the lugs down they didn't seat the rim good. Next day, I went to pick up my buddy (across the mountain range) and three of the lugs rattled right off. "Hey man, something doesn't feel right!" "Oh man, it could be your bearings..??" Pulled over and the remaining three lugs were not even finger tight. WAKA, WAKA, WAKA!!!!

 

I was able to remove the starter without removing the wheel ...thanks for all the advice but so far all I got is a sore knee ...I need to get a real big hammer ... Unfortunately the starter problem is still not solved ...the solenoid clicks but the starter doesn't turn. I checked the cable and there seems to be a lot of juice at the starter so it must be a ground or a switch somewhere. Any ideas?

 

Up here in rust country, steel wheels will become one with the hubs/brake drums. Never had a problem with alloys though. If they're really stuck, no amount of kicking will help, and beating them with a hammer will just ruin the wheel. I put the lug nuts on loose, lower the vehicle back down and bounce it up a few times by pushing down on the bumper or standing on the door sill and hopping up and down. Usually works! Put lots of Never-Sieze or grease on the mating surfaces when you put the wheels back on!