Tire Won’t Come Off – What Are the Causes and Fixes?

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Tire won’t come off, so the best thing to do is to get a professional to help you. However, this might not always be feasible, especially when you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Tire Won_t Come Off

Armed with a few stuck wheel removal tools and chemicals, you can remove the tire, but not without some resistance. We’ll discuss a few ways that tires get stuck and how to pry them loose.

Why Won’t Tires Come Off After Loosening Nuts?

Tires won’t come off after loosening nuts because it’s probably a rusted nut refusing to turn or the wheel is corroded. You might also not be applying enough force on the aluminum wheel stuck on hub. Always paint the inside of the tire with oil to ensure it doesn’t rust.

Wheel Corrosion Acting as Glue

A wheel can get rusty after water settles on it and reacts with oxygen in the air. The corrosion reduces the wheel’s lubrication, making it difficult to remove it when changing tires. Usually, the corrosion forms a sticky substance that glues the hub to the wheel’s mounting surface.

Causes of Locked Tires

Thus, the gluish substance causes the tires not to come off when you attempt to remove them.

A Rusted Nut That Won’t Budge

About five lug nuts hold the tire in place so it doesn’t fall while you drive. These lug nuts have some lubricants, which aid in installing and removing the tires. However, as you drive through rain, mud and snow, the nuts become wet and gradually undergo corrosion. If you don’t oil or change them entirely, it’ll become difficult to unscrew and remove the tires.

How To Fix Tires That Won’t Come Off

To fix tires that won’t come off, start by knocking them loose, prying them off, spraying a lubricant, or simply applying some force. Another useful method is to drive with all nuts removed except one loose nut. You can also call on a mechanic to help out.

Knocking Tires Lose With a Plank

First, hold a plank of wood, at least 10 cm by 10 cm, across the left side of the wheel and let it overlap the rim and the tire. Ensure half of the block is over the tire and the other over the rim. Any wood smaller than what we’ve mentioned can cause damage to your tire. Next, support your vehicle with jack stands and place the wood across the tire, as explained earlier.

 

Now, hit a hammer on the wood’s center with force about two times in a bid to force the wheel off the joints. We recommend you use a mallet due to its design and weight. This allows the rust between the hub to break off so you can easily remove the tire. Ensure you hit both sides of the wheels for maximum impact, but avoid hitting the metal parts to preserve them.

After hitting the left side, move the plank to the right side and place the plank on the tire and rim. Hit the middle of the plank to loosen the tire from the corrosion that tied it to the hub. Remember to use a mallet for the job, and don’t hit the rim to avoid damage. Turn the tire until both sides you hit are on top and down, respectively, then try hitting the “new” sides and remove the tires with your hands.

Prying the Tires Off With a Pry Bar

There’s a metal arm under your vehicle connected to the back of the wheel. Locate where this metal arm joins the vehicle, and you’ll find a small gap between the tire’s back and the front of the ball joint. Place the flat end of the pry bar there and press it tightly against the ball joint, pushing the other end towards the wheel.

Fix Tires That Won’t Come Off

Pull the pry bar until it becomes difficult to move, then tug it in a sharp movement. Keep tugging until the rust breaks off the wheel. However, ensure you don’t apply too much force to make the car slip or fall from the jack stands.

Now, unscrew the nuts holding the tire in place and remove the tires from the wheel with your hands. If you encounter difficulty, grab both sides of the tire and wriggle back and forth until it comes off.

Driving With Loosened Nuts

Another useful method is to drive your vehicle with all the nuts holding the tire loosened. However, you need to drive slowly to avoid worsening the situation or even hurting yourself. First, remove all the nuts except one. Slightly loosen that lug nut, too, but it should be able to hold the tire in place.

Next, drive the vehicle a few meters forward and then reverse a few meters. Drive gently and on a flat surface to ensure the tire generates enough rotational force to break the rust. Also, remember to turn the wheel to the left and to the right while you drive to help break the tire free. Repeat this process two or three times to make the tire easier to remove. This method is useful when the wheel stuck to brake drum.

Spraying the Wheel With a Lubricant

The idea is to remove the tire by getting the lubricant/rust penetrant into the holes of the lug nuts and center hub. But first, you must raise the car and place it on jack stands to access the underside. Spray the lubricant on the part where the nut joins the hub to the wheel.

Spray each bolt with the rust-penetrating chemical, and spray the opening in the hub’s center. Allow it to soak for about 15 minutes as the spray cuts through the rust around the bolts and nuts, making it easier to remove the tire.

Next, rotate the wheel to the left and then to the right and spray the holes and nuts once again. This time, allow the spray to soak for about 5 minutes to remove the final layer of rust. Finally, remove the lug nuts and hold both sides of the tire. Pull one side towards you and then another, and rotate the tire until it comes off.

Applying Blunt Force to Get the Tire Off

Applying blunt force is very risky, as it could damage some sensitive parts of the wheel. Thus, proceed with caution. It involves using a large and heavy piece of wood to knock the tire of the wheels. Other people prefer to use a sledgehammer but be careful not to destroy the vehicle in the process.

This method is useful on vehicles that are “dead” and are considered scraps. However, if your vehicle is still in use, don’t try this method. Rather, allow a mechanic to take a look at the wheel and proffer the best solution to getting your tires off.

Kicking the Tire Off the Wheels

This procedure shows how to get a stuck tire off without a hammer, but be careful not to injure your legs. Jack the car up and place stands underneath to support it. Then remove all the lug nuts except one. If the lug nuts don’t budge, you can use a blow torch or spray a lubricant to get them off. Now, kick the tire and then rotate it so the top comes to the bottom and vice versa.

Repeat the process to get the wheel loose. The tire should now be easier to remove. Thus, unscrew the remaining bolt and then turn the tire clockwise and anti-clockwise to remove it. This method is much safer and is best for when the tire won’t come off after lug nuts removed.

Using a Blow Torch to Remove the Wheels

This method is quite tricky and dangerous; thus, it should be the last resort if all else fails. It is also useful when the lug won’t turn or barge. First, make sure there are no flammable substances around. Remember to protect yourself by wearing protective equipment.

Once you’re set, fire the blow torch and direct it toward the wheel nuts refusing to give way. The torch will heat the nuts, making it easier to remove the tires. Then you can grab both sides of the tire and yank it off the wheels.

Seek Professional Help

This is the best method, especially if you’re in a place with a mechanic that is easily reachable, and you can afford the service. The mechanic has better equipment that won’t destroy your vehicle’s integrity. Moreover, they’ll service the car tires so that you won’t have to suffer the next time you want to remove them.

Keeping the Wheels From Getting Stuck

Once you’ve been able to remove the wheels safely, the best thing to do is to prevent a stuck wheel. Thus, locate the hub that attached the wheel to your car and remove the rust on it with a metal-bristle brush. Repeat the process until most of the rust falls off, then clean the bolts to make it easier to remove the lug nuts.

Place the side of the wheel facing you on the ground so that the side attached to the wheel faces up. Apply some anti-seize grease on the side of the wheel facing you. Ensure the anti-seize reaches its middle and side, including the bolt holes. Spread some around the joints to keep them oiled.

However, avoid smearing anti-seize grease around the wheel studs because it could make the lug nuts come off when driving. Install the wheel, ensuring that it presses tightly against the hub. Secure the wheels by screwing the lug nuts over the bolts until they are tight enough. Finally, tighten the lug nuts firmly to ensure the tire doesn’t fall off.

Frequently Asked Questions

– How Do You Remove a Stuck Lug Nut From a Wheel?

You remove a stuck lug nut from a wheel by placing the car on flat ground, putting the gear in park, and engaging the handbrake. Next, jack the vehicle off the ground, drill the closed head and apply some oil. Extract the lug nuts with an extractor and loosen them.

Using Lubricant on Tire

Conclusion

So far, we’ve discussed why a tire won’t come off after removing lug nuts and discovered the solutions.

Here’s a summary of the main points mentioned in this article:

  • A corroded wheel will present a formidable resistance by forming a glue that sticks the hub to the wheel’s mounting surface.
  • Rusted lug nuts will prevent the tires from coming off as they become difficult to loosen.
  • You can try removing the wheels by knocking them loose with a plank, using a prybar to pry off the tires and spray lubricant on the wheels.
  • Other methods include kicking the wheels off, driving with only one loosened nut, and using blunt force, or a blow torch to remove the wheels.
  • If you can afford it, we recommend you seek professional first help because most of the steps mentioned above can endanger your wheel hub if not done rightly.

You can also prevent the wheel from getting stuck by applying anti-seize grease on the side of the wheel connected to the vehicle. Ensure you constantly check on your wheels and start working on them once you notice they won’t come off easily before it worsens.

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