I'm was pulling my wheels off to paint my calipers and driver side was a little hard to come off but the passenger won't come off and before I have the Machine Shop make me a puller I was seeing if anyone has this problem? Thanks in advance, Tim.
Alpina's stuck on axle's?
- Thread starter tmason
- Start date
steve in reno
Well-Known Member
Tim
remove the wheel lug nuts after lifting.
From under the car strike the inner exposed rim with a piece of 2x4/wood. Hammer to wood is OK. Less is better
Do not strike the rim with a metal object like hammer.
You may need to turn wheel to pop off several points.
Now the most important.
Fix, why it happened.
Because that isn't normal.
steve
remove the wheel lug nuts after lifting.
From under the car strike the inner exposed rim with a piece of 2x4/wood. Hammer to wood is OK. Less is better
Do not strike the rim with a metal object like hammer.
You may need to turn wheel to pop off several points.
Now the most important.
Fix, why it happened.
Because that isn't normal.
steve
Mario L.
Well-Known Member
A tip . . . to ensure that the wheel does not get away from you, only loosen the lug nuts, if they are all off, and the wheel comes off, it might bounce and hit the car or roll away before you catch it.
To ensure this doesn't happen again, clean the wheel's inner surface and the wheel bearing hud contact surface, then grease with a copper based anti-seize lubricant.
Mario L.
To ensure this doesn't happen again, clean the wheel's inner surface and the wheel bearing hud contact surface, then grease with a copper based anti-seize lubricant.
Mario L.
Last edited:
Honolulu
Well-Known Member
Glad to see Mario is still onboard. He's the wiz.
The problem with your wheels is galvanic corrrosion - it's what happens when two different metals are in intimate contact for a long time. It's also what makes a battery work.
In your case, two things are at work.
First as noted by Mario (surprised previous responses did not catch it sooner, it is not uncommon), the aluminum wheel is electrochemically "bonding" itself to the steel hub. Solution is to whack on a 2x4 around the inner perimeter to loosen the wheel from the hub. Then clean both mating surfaces and apply a thin smear of grease. If you apply too much, don't come crying about your brakes all slippy
.
Second, BMW wheels are hub centric: they center on the hub based on a close fit between the hub and wheel, rather than centering by the tapered lug nuts (although this is also in play, it is not important here). If the hub becomes rusty so that the rust (which expands as it is created) fills the very small space between the hub and wheel, it will "lock" the wheel to the hub. Solution is as above: soft mallet or hammer on a wood block around the inner circumference, then clean (think energetic use of a stiff wire brush) and grease to prevent further corrosion.
Clean the mating face of the wheel (do all four, it builds character), and again, lightly grease.
The problem with your wheels is galvanic corrrosion - it's what happens when two different metals are in intimate contact for a long time. It's also what makes a battery work.
In your case, two things are at work.
First as noted by Mario (surprised previous responses did not catch it sooner, it is not uncommon), the aluminum wheel is electrochemically "bonding" itself to the steel hub. Solution is to whack on a 2x4 around the inner perimeter to loosen the wheel from the hub. Then clean both mating surfaces and apply a thin smear of grease. If you apply too much, don't come crying about your brakes all slippy
.Second, BMW wheels are hub centric: they center on the hub based on a close fit between the hub and wheel, rather than centering by the tapered lug nuts (although this is also in play, it is not important here). If the hub becomes rusty so that the rust (which expands as it is created) fills the very small space between the hub and wheel, it will "lock" the wheel to the hub. Solution is as above: soft mallet or hammer on a wood block around the inner circumference, then clean (think energetic use of a stiff wire brush) and grease to prevent further corrosion.
Clean the mating face of the wheel (do all four, it builds character), and again, lightly grease.
Read, follow, the safety procedures!
Guys, I could be wrong here but safety first.:idea: I would not get underneath a raised car and start hammering an alloy wheel. :sad: Maybe you do have a lift, maybe not.:?:
Two suggestions:
1. Loosen the lugs, sit on your ass, and with both feet kick one side of the tire HARD, then the other. You're gonna need force as Newton would say if he drove an E9.
2. Loosen the lug on one wheel slightly, drive and brake hard.
For all you chemistry majors, pour coke, vinegar, wheel cleaner, etc on it in an attempt to disolve the reaction.
Once you've got it all clean- a little clear or black paint on the hub.
Guys, I could be wrong here but safety first.:idea: I would not get underneath a raised car and start hammering an alloy wheel. :sad: Maybe you do have a lift, maybe not.:?:
Two suggestions:
1. Loosen the lugs, sit on your ass, and with both feet kick one side of the tire HARD, then the other. You're gonna need force as Newton would say if he drove an E9.
2. Loosen the lug on one wheel slightly, drive and brake hard.
For all you chemistry majors, pour coke, vinegar, wheel cleaner, etc on it in an attempt to disolve the reaction.
Once you've got it all clean- a little clear or black paint on the hub.
Thanks 61
I was going to processed with a 8' 2x4 and hammer from the other side of the car with 1 lug on loose just so wheel stays close by. But it never hurts to advise because using common sense with a car on jack stands,floor jack and blocks of wood on frame is still not safe to lay under and hammer.
Thanks again for the advise, Tim.
I was going to processed with a 8' 2x4 and hammer from the other side of the car with 1 lug on loose just so wheel stays close by. But it never hurts to advise because using common sense with a car on jack stands,floor jack and blocks of wood on frame is still not safe to lay under and hammer.
Thanks again for the advise, Tim.
Honolulu
Well-Known Member
sheesh you mean I actually shouldn't be using brute force under the car? whodathunkit?
when I recall all the times....
I guess going to the Church of Saint Mattress and Holy Pillow all these years has saved my b*tt, repeatedly.
More seriously, no one should be underneath unless the car is securely blocked, on a hard surface. One of the joys of home ownership is a concrete surfaced garage (shade!) on which to work. Sharp whacks with a 2.5 pound precision BFH, suitably cushioned with a bit of 2x4, should be enough to tip anything over. But, today, anything is possible. Youtube will prove it. "Hey guys, watch this" oops, Darwin again.
when I recall all the times....
I guess going to the Church of Saint Mattress and Holy Pillow all these years has saved my b*tt, repeatedly.
More seriously, no one should be underneath unless the car is securely blocked, on a hard surface. One of the joys of home ownership is a concrete surfaced garage (shade!) on which to work. Sharp whacks with a 2.5 pound precision BFH, suitably cushioned with a bit of 2x4, should be enough to tip anything over. But, today, anything is possible. Youtube will prove it. "Hey guys, watch this" oops, Darwin again.
thehackmechanic
Well-Known Member
This used to happen every season when I'd change the wheels on Maire Anne's Mazda MPV and put on the snows. Loosening (BUT NOT REMOVING) the lug nuts, slamming on the brakes at 20mph, snugging the lug nuts back down enough to limp back into the driveway usually did the trick, even when beating the crap out of it with a sledge on a block of wood wouldn't.
after wheels are free, try something I use to prevent the wheel stiction that the OP described...a product called lubro moly copper paste...smear a thin coat on all the contact surfaces to prevent the galvanic sticking, it is high temp resistant in addition to high copper content so it won't melt and spread all over your purty wheels and hubs and rotors
here's a link to a pic of it, one tube lasts a loooong time in my shop
http://rennsport-systems.com/wp-con...nsportProducts-025.jpg&w=200&h=200&zc=1&q=100