MT125 wheel wont come off

[sneyeper]

The front wheel on our mt125 will NOT come off ... the lug nuts are removed and we have tries to hit it off with a 10lb sledge and the damn thing is not budging! We do have 2 in spacers on it also. The tire just doesn't hold air 24 hrs, so wanted to replace tire... now I think we may need to replace the rim (of I can even find one) too as we have beat the hell out of it.

Anyone else run into this or any possible solution?

 

[Deere Dude]

What about putting nuts on loose and run the tractor for a while checking on them now and then?

 

[alexpops]

So ... all lugs/bolts/washers are off & rim is rusted to hub/spacer? Have you tried penetrating oil between the rim & hub/spacer? Or light taps on the rim to break the rust bond? Worst case, try heat on the rim from the outside, just don't overheat (maybe wrap a wet rag around the axle against the inside of the hub or around the spacer) or you risk transferring the heat into the front axle & wiping out seals/bearings in the axle. Are these aftermarket spacers? could be bad metal if relatively new (made in china). Once you get it off, check the condition of the spacer/hub/rim & add rust protection where needed. Alternatively, when I worked on cars up north in salt country, I would get lucky smacking the rim from outside just far enough to generate some leverage to break rust bonds between the rims and brake drums.

 

[sneyeper]

What about putting nuts on loose and run the tractor for a while checking on them now and then?

I actually tried this ... moved a bunch of dirt that needed done ... it didn't budge!

 

[sneyeper]

So ... all lugs/bolts/washers are off & rim is rusted to hub/spacer? Have you tried penetrating oil between the rim & hub/spacer? Or light taps on the rim to break the rust bond? Worst case, try heat on the rim from the outside, just don't overheat (maybe wrap a wet rag around the axle against the inside of the hub or around the spacer) or you risk transferring the heat into the front axle & wiping out seals/bearings in the axle. Are these aftermarket spacers? could be bad metal if relatively new (made in china). Once you get it off, check the condition of the spacer/hub/rim & add rust protection where needed. Alternatively, when I worked on cars up north in salt country, I would get lucky smacking the rim from outside just far enough to generate some leverage to break rust bonds between the rims and brake drums.

The lug nuts are off, but there is no way to remove the lugs themselves ... we beat the heck out of it from many directions... never had an issue like this before ... almost like the wheel is crimped on the lugs.

 

[alexpops]

Did you ever resolve this? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[KennyG]

My daughter had a car from the southeast coast. When I tried to rotate the tires, the fronts were seized on from the salt atmosphere. I used a 4x4 and a hydraulic jack between the rims to put a lot of pressure on them. Then I tapped them with a sledge and they came free.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Put the lug nuts back on and some TireJect in the tire. Done.

Well, at least until the tire is worn out, but by then a good penetrant should've made its way in between the wheel and spacer.

 

[sneyeper]

Still haven't been able to remove the wheel ... so much penetrative oil along with trying to hit it with a 10lb sledge ... loosened the lugs and moved a couple ton of dirt and stones and it has NOT budged. I really hope I do not end up needing to have it cut off.

 

[flyerdan]

Do you have an air hammer? I've had pretty good luck using that with a pulley driver to get stuck stuff apart where sheer pulling force and big hammers just bend things. Something about the rapid blows with a little pressure on it gets things to move.