Anyone experience corrosion issues with their wheels? I've found that on hub-centric wheels, the tolerance between wheel and axle hub is prone to corrosion, causing my current situation. It wouldn't be an issue if I had taken the wheels off and never-seized the hubs when new, but I didn't, and salt a road corruption has gotten in and seized up the wheels. Had this same occurance on my Dodge, ended up beating the crap out of the backside of the inner dual (outer came off) after heating it up with a cutting torch.

Problem here is, I'm working with PYO's. Contemplating trying to warm the wheel to capitalize on the different expansion rates of aluminum and iron, but I need to be careful not to damage the clear coat on the wheels.
I tried beating the backside with a wooden block - no luck. Prying - no luck. As a last resort I loosened lug nuts and drove around, backed into curbs at an angle, intentionally hit pot holes - no luck.

Someone else HAS to have had this problem. What did you do?

If all else fails, I'll go to the dealer. I just don't want to destroy the wheel or the studs.

Never-seize is king!!

Ty

I had that problem on a pickup with factory steel wheels. Grandpa's truck, wheels hadn't been off for years. After beating on the wheels with a sledge hammer, which didn't work, I loosened the lugs and drove like I was doing a slalom. Finally got them all to break loose.

I had the same problem. I finally put it on the ground loosened the lugnuts and "powerbraked" it. I didn't spin the tires but loaded up the drivetrain and varied the brake pressure a little. You will feel a slight pop and the wheels will come right off. I did the two rears individually, and I can't remember if I did the same for the fronts or if they came off when I tried kicking them from behind.

Good luck

Just trade it in on the Crew cab you really want and let them deal with it....


Ox ):h

You guys are scaring me!

I loosen all the nuts up and put a prybar between the rim and the lower ball joint stud on the front, it will come loose every time. On the rears, between the rim and the brake rotor. You will not damage the rotor if your gentle. It dont take a he-man,just a smart one using simple physics

Yep!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys are scaring me!

I loosen all the nuts up and put a prybar between the rim and the lower ball joint stud on the front, it will come loose every time. On the rears, between the rim and the brake rotor. You will not damage the rotor if your gentle. It dont take a he-man,just a smart one using simple physics
If I had the time, I'd drive right out to GR and let you have at 'em. I don't think you are getting the severity of this situation. I tried the pry bar routine. If I had another set of rear rotors handy, perhaps I'd be a little more brave.

I can see some merit in the 'slalom racer' method, but the roads and weather aren't cooperating right now. I squirted the hub with some penetrant, so we'll see if it helps any. And as for the driveway brake-stand method, I've got too much snow and ice for that to work today.

Oh well. 2' of snow and bald rear tires is more fun anyway...:ro) ):h :eek:

Ty

Not on this truck but I have put the rear up on jack stands, run it up to whatever you feel comfortable, and hit the brakes hard with the lugs loose. Make sure you know if you have a posi.

I wouldn't drive around with loose lug nuts. That's just asking for trouble.

I had a firestone blow out like a bomb on the driver side rear and when I began changing the tire I could not get the PYO off the truck, used a sledge and a block of oak and had to make a couple of good pops but it broke loose, I believe I did add some WD40 before the attempt. That reel light from Eric (GM Diesel Tech) came in real handy at 3:00 am. too. :) Now when I rotate tires I add never-seeze to the mating surface.

I had a stone puncture on my right rear, could not get the PYO off the rear drum. Pried on the caliper and rotor, kicked and cursed it, NADA. I put a Fix-A-Flat in it and managed to limp 6 miles of country road on low pressure to a station and air it up enough to make the remaining 20 miles home. I shot it with penetrating oil and after a soak it popped off with one swift kick. Never leave off the Never-Seize now!

Boy, you guys are funny! LMAO!
I had the same problem trying to rotate the tires for the first time.
I used a 2x4 to pry the wheels off the truck. I now use anti-seize and I also keep that 6' 2x4 in the bed.
Why only a 6' prybar? Cause I only got the shortbed. :ro)

I cover the whole backing plate with anti-sieze after mine stuck. Had to beat the piss out of the tire with an 10lb hammer.

Leverage. Use more and more until you reach the goal.

I've used a 8' long 4x4 on other pickups.

So, when I rotate my tires for the first time, be prepared for a fight?

Maybe I'll put a little Aero-Kroil in the stud holes before I start.

I used PB Penetrating Oil and then turned the torpedo heater on it for a few minutes. Came right off after that.

I gave them a shot with PB earlier, but ended up going out on a service call and didn't get back to work on it. I was planning on blasting them with the steam cleaner. I'll give it a shot in the am.

It's not so much the face (though that doesn't hurt) but where the bore of the rim meets the axle. That's the culprit.

I will say this. I am now going to regularly rotate my tires. 37k was WAY too long to wait. I always figured that if they were wearing even, why rotate them? You can be damn sure 'ol Murphy answered that question.

The wheels are coming off the 3500 to receive the never seize treatment as well. I'm not fighting that one, too.

Thanks for all of the tips. By the way, the brake stand approach didn't work. Hope the PB does...

Ty

Whether it was the combo of the PB and heat, or just the heat - I know it wasn't just the PB - the wheels are off. Didn't take much more than warm to the touch - I'd say 110* F. LOTS of nasty rust in there, not too bad on the wheels, though I'll know more once I steam clean them. Anyway, some sand cloth, a wire brush and some never seize and i should be good to go. Although I always have a torch in my truck, so I've always got heat if need be...

Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice.

Ty

Keep soaking the joint with Liquid Wrench or equivalent rust remover) for about a week and then use your sledge hammer (on the inside of the tire). I got a neighbor's boy's wheel off that way.

If you hit the FRONT of the wheel with a rubber mallet very hard a few times it will loosen them up. Yeah I know, just like you were trying to pound them on.

I've seen them where all the beating in the worls would not break it loose. Loosening the lugnuts and puting the weight on the wheel worked. We pushed the vehicle from side to side and it popped.

As a last resort I loosened lug nuts and drove around, backed into curbs at an angle, intentionally hit pot holes - no luck.

I've never had this problem, but intentionally driving with loose lug nuts seems a little crazy to me! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/cookoo.gif

-Jeff

To ease your mind, Jeff, the safety of the public nor my own was never in question. By 'loosened' a just cracked the lugs, and drove up and down my street and in my driveway. Not that I need to explain myself...

Thanks for the tip, though...

Ty

Ty --

Actually, I was worried about the truck. :thumb:

-Jeff

This may be borderline http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/offtopic.gif, but I have a question.

Do any of you use anti-sieze (or anything else) on the studs and/or nuts? Is it OK or just a totally http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/badidea.gif and a major http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/Nonono.gif (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=8#)?



Gary

I use anti-sieze on all my vehicles, with zero problems. Never had a lug nut back off. I do this because of my father, and he's never had a wheel pass him on the highway either.

And they come of sooo easy...

Jeff - No harm, no foul... Truck and John Q. Public are all A-Okay! And just for future reference, it doesn't work anyway! :rolleyes: As I said before, heat is King...:weld:

Ty

I sprayed the rim and hubs with Amsoil HD metal protectant at the first tire rotation. After 5000mi of winter's salt bath, everything came off easily. In fact, I sprayed everything that was bare metal and plated including all the fasteners and lift chains on my plow and there's not a sign of rust anywhere.

The advice to put oil or anti-seize on wheel studs goes against all that I have ever heard or seen in print!!!! I have never had a problem with keeping my studs free of oil over my 50 years of owning and driving vehicles. The only sticking problem that I have seen is when the wheel rims rusts to the drum or flange from sitting out in the weather for years without being driven!!! Especially when the vehicles have been driven in snow country where salt is put on the roads.