Aluminum rim sticking to hub...any solutions?

[JDgreen227]

Torque is very critical aluminum rims also. Once a month I see a vehicle sitting along the side of the interstate with the wheel missing and many times all the studs broken off. Your manual will state a torque limit for your wheels I always re torque after 250 miles.
Chris

Chris...you are 100% right about the importance of proper torque on lug nuts. I carry a properly calibrated torque wrench in every vehicle, one with the lug nut socket attached with a 3" extension. At least 3-4 times a year, I check all lugnuts for proper torque, even on my tractor. Another post mentioned road salt being a factor in aluminum rim/steel hub binding...that is very true about conditions where I live.

 

[radioman]

another vote on never sieze. I use that stuff all the time now, esp. on my mailbu steel rims where it meets the hub on car. I always coat the lug threads everytime i service the brakes on vehicle. The first time it was stuck,I literally had to beat it with a sledge hammer for a good 5-10 mins till it finally broke loose just becuase it had a flat just like jdgreene did.

 

[kw22614]

If you've got nothing else, or can't get it use simple vaseline between mating surfaces. It won't last as long as grease but it shouldn't let them fuse together so hard either.

 

[Soundguy]

another vote on never sieze. I use that stuff all the time now, esp. on my mailbu steel rims where it meets the hub on car. I always coat the lug threads everytime i service the brakes on vehicle. The first time it was stuck,I literally had to beat it with a sledge hammer for a good 5-10 mins till it finally broke loose just becuase it had a flat just like jdgreene did.

and yet another vot for neverseize!

I have some tractor parts that are aluminum on steel and it is imperative if you want to take them apart a year later..

 

[aczlan]

Even steel on steel can be hard to get off. Had to pull tires off of a F450 once (19.5" steel rims) and it took ~2 hours to get one of the front tires off. It laughed at a 8# sledge. Ended up loosening the lugs and driving forward while cranking the wheel back and forth.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

Even steel on steel can be hard to get off. Had to pull tires off of a F450 once (19.5" steel rims) and it took ~2 hours to get one of the front tires off. It laughed at a 8# sledge. Ended up loosening the lugs and driving forward while cranking the wheel back and forth.

Aaron Z

I had this happen on my 03 Dodge. Simply jack it up and cut a length of 2x4 to fit between the frame and back side of the wheel. Have a helper hold it while you start the engine and snug it up via the steering wheel. With 2 lugs on 4 or 5 threads crank the wheel and it will use the power of hydraulics to work in your favor.

I also use this technique to remove frozen brake rotors.

Chris

 

[HHR]

With aluminum wheels, I usually point a torpedo kerosene heater at them for 10 minutes and they will pop off. With steel rims I use the torch and heat up the wheel near the hub before beating it with a sledge.

 

[Loadstar]

Torque is very critical aluminum rims also. Once a month I see a vehicle sitting along the side of the interstate with the wheel missing and many times all the studs broken off. Your manual will state a torque limit for your wheels I always re torque after 250 miles.
Chris

I blame that on the prolific use of impacts by lesser skilled mechanics. Too many are too lazy or in too much of a hurry. I mean how can you rotate tires for low dollar if you can't blaze them off and on with an impact lol.

 

[Soundguy]

can always use torque limited impact extensions.

or precision calibrated air guns. ( actually ... I've worked on assy lines that used precision impacts and or linear guns that counted rotations etc...

 

[Loadstar]

can always use torque limited impact extensions.

or precision calibrated air guns. ( actually ... I've worked on assy lines that used precision impacts and or linear guns that counted rotations etc...

We had a rash of hubcap loss on fleet gm vehicles. The place maintaining was putting the plastic lugnuts on with impacts. Must not have been torque limiting lol.