Sticking Alloy Wheels

[Bigwoods]

I know someone can help me with this. Had a flat a while ago and for the life of me I could not get the wheel off the hub after I took the lug nuts off. I was on the Interstate and had to have my son come to help and he kicked them hard enough to get them off. I just replaced the brakes and hat to beat the snot out of them to get them off. What can I put on them so the don't stick so bad? Has someone invented a plastic disc to prevent this?

[Shadow Catcher]

Paint on brake drums not cured or alloy on steel = galvanic action, I will second antiseize.

[eamarquardt]

Do you have to force them on? It could be that the hole in the center of the rim is a bit tight on the hub. I've had to bore out the center hole on some rims to get them to slip over the hub. Just a thought.

Cheers,

Gus

[CARS]

If it isn't too tight around the hub, I would just smear some grease on the drum. Much cheaper than anti-seize.

[Bigwoods]

It is the chemical reaction. I felt pretty stupid out on the Interstate, kicking the heck out of a wheel to get it off. The guy at he tire place said you have to carry a big hammer to beat the wheel from the backside. Thought that sounded pretty stupid. With arthritis it is getting harder to do a mule kick. Thanks everybody.

[RKH]

Since all you're really hoping to accomplish is to break the bond in the disimilar metals, a well placed rubber mallet to the wheel face or to any part of the tire will often do the trick.

[Kody]

Just as an aside note, don't ever put anti-sieze on the studs of your trailer or car. This is the quickest way to have them break off. I would use grease on the back of the wheel to stop the wheel from "growing" onto the hub in preference to using anti-sieze.

Kody

[Shadow Catcher]

I hate to disagree but I have used antisieze on studs for 30+ year ever since we moved to the rust belt. I adjust torque value down a bit to compensate. I have never broken a stud and never had problems getting a wheel off. What you are doing is tensioning the fastener and a torque wrench used with an unlubricarted fastener will at best not be very accurate. In critical applications load indicating washers or load indicating bolts are used (washers are more accurate) or the bolt is checked using an ultrasonic depth gauge for length e.g. nuclear applications.

[eamarquardt]

I hate to disagree but I have used antisieze on studs for 30+ year ever since we moved to the rust belt. I adjust torque value down a bit to compensate. I have never broken a stud and never had problems getting a wheel off. What you are doing is tensioning the fastener and a torque wrench used with an unlubricarted fastener will at best not be very accurate. In critical applications load indicating washers or load indicating bolts are used (washers are more accurate) or the bolt is checked using an ultrasonic depth gauge for length e.g. nuclear applications.

Yup there are two torque standards. One for "dry threads" and one for "lubricated threads". Me, I grease em. I've never had one come loose and I've never had difficulty getting the lug nuts off.

Cheers,

Gus