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If the tire won’t come off after the lug nuts have been removed, there are a few steps you can take to get the wheel off. This post and video reviews how to remove a stuck tire yourself with a few simple tools and how to keep this problem from reoccurring.
In these examples the tire has an aluminum rim and corrosion is sealing the wheel to the brake disc.
4 Different Methods to Remove a Stuck Tire
With the vehicle well supported, tighten one lug nut and pull the tire off. The lug nut may prevent the tire from pulling off unexpectedly.
See this in the video above at 0:24.
If the above method does not work and the tire is still stuck, tighten the lug nuts on loosely by hand and lower the car to the ground. Lowering the vehicle and putting weight back on the wheel might pop it loose.
See this in the video above at 0:39.
At this point, if the tire doesn’t loosen, shake the vehicle from side-to-side.
See this in the video above at 0:59.
If the above methods don’t work, place a long pry bar to the back of the rim and try to jostle it free without hitting any brake lines or other parts.
See this in the video above at 1:26.
Once the wheel moves and breaks free, remove the remaining lug nuts and remove the wheel.
To prevent a tire from sticking, apply a dab of anti-seize compound and lightly coat the back of the rim. Spread and remove the compound with a paper towel.
If you do not have anti-seize compound, dip a paper towl into the motor oil and apply a thin coat to the back of the rim with the paper towel. Don’t apply too much so motor oil doesn’t leak onto the brakes.
Once the back of the wheel is coated, put the wheel in place.
Summary
Having a stuck wheel on your car can be really frustrating, especially when you got a flat tire by the side of the road.
Here are a few tips on how to remove a stuck wheel easily
You have a flat tire, and you jack up the wheel, but it refuses to come off. What could have happened?
Changing a wheel should not be this hard, but a wheel can get stuck due to rust accumulation. This corrosion appears in the area between the wheel and the hub.
This makes it hard to remove the wheel because it feels permanently welded to the hub.
If you are changing the wheel alone and there is no one to give you that necessary muscle, consider some of the following tire removal tips.
If you leave your car in an area exposed to snow and road salt, then these elements can get into your aluminum alloy rims and into the hub, where they cause corrosion. These corrosive elements tightly glue your wheel to the hub, making it almost impossible to replace a worn-out tire.
It is not only aluminum wheels with this problem but also steel wheels, which can happen in any climate conditions after some time.
We recommend purchasing some synthetic grease to apply to the wheel hub and rim to prevent this problem from happening. Do this the moment you purchase a new car or during the first wheel replacement.
So let’s find out the best methods of removing a stuck wheel.
RELATED: What is Cross-Threading a Wheel Nut/Stud?
Here are a few tips from me which I’m usually using myself to remove stuck wheels. Remember always to use safety equipment and get help from a professional mechanic if you are not sure about how to do it.
Follow these steps to remove a stuck wheel:
Total Time: 10 minutes
If you are near a service station or a garage, you can use this simple trick to remove a wheel stuck on your car. Loosen the wheel nuts but do not remove them altogether. Lower the car and drive a few feet forward and backward. Repeat this process on level ground. Jack up the car and remove the nuts.
The wheel should have loosened, and you should now be able to remove it. Ensure that when driving the car, that the nuts are not so loose that they fall off and drive super slowly, not to risk any accidents.
If you have aluminum alloys or steel wheels, then the likelihood of rust/corrosion developing on the hub is high. You can use a rust removal lubricant to loosen the wheel. In the procedure, first, remove the wheel cap and spray the wheel studs. You can use lubricants like PB Blazer or Liquid Wrench.
After spraying the studs, do the same in the area where the wheel intersects with the central hub. Give the spray around 15 minutes, and then try to get the wheel loose again by giving it a slight punch or kick.
After jacking up the car, remove all wheel bolts or nuts except one. Use your foot to hit the tire while it is off the ground. Check that your car is standing on the jack stands safely. Rotate the wheel and hit it with a kick again. With continuous effort, the wheel should separate from the hub, and you can then comfortably remove it after unscrewing the last bolt.
This method of removing a wheel stuck on the car is better than using a hammer to hit the stuck wheel. The force from a hammer will destroy the wheel rim and bolts. Once you have removed your tire, use some sandpaper to remove any rust on the hub. The next time you re-install the wheel, apply some anti-seize.
While this technique is not safe, you can try it out when you have run out of options with a wheel stuck on the car.
The first stage is to jack up the car. Before proceeding, ensure that the car is secure on the jack stands. Find lumber measuring 2X4 inches and place it in the space between wheel and tire.
Identify a heavy-duty hammer and then get under the car. Place the lumber across the wheel and tire and use your hammer to hit the lumber. This will free up the wheel and enable you to remove it from the hub carefully. You need to note this method can be dangerous because you are under the car. If your jack stands fail, the car will collapse on you, causing instant death. You also need to be beefy to operate the hammer.
This is the method I’m using myself and has solved this problem thousands of times. Spray some lubricant around the wheel hub and bolts if possible. Then place some protection on the rim at the point where you put the crowbar.
Get a long crowbar and put it between the rim and wheel spindle or control arm, depending on where you can find a good location.
Check the image above.
You need to be a little bit careful with this technique, though it may damage the rim. However, it is a super-effective method that works every time.
If you have tried all the techniques mentioned above and your wheel is still stuck, you may be forced to take it to a tire service station. This is better than hitting the wheel with a hammer and destroying your bolts, hub, and rims. Just be honest and tell them that the wheel is stuck before giving you a price for the job.
Having a wheel stuck on the tire is not a pleasant affair – especially when you are in a hurry. The main cause of a wheel stuck on the tire is when corrosion forms in the area between the rim and hub.
This corrosive element acts like strong glue and can cause problems removing the wheel from the hub. There have been various solutions proposed to remove the tire, each with its set of pros and cons.
The easiest technique to remove a stuck tire is to find a lubricant and spray it into the spaces in the rim against the hub. This lubricant is effective in dissolving the rust formed.
You can also jack up the car and leave one bolt on the wheel. Use your leg to hit the wheel until it comes loose. Some people use a heavy hammer or torch to dislodge a stuck tire, but this can cause damage to the rims. It also requires some muscle.
Learn more:
Categories: Tires, Guides
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A chainsaw is a very useful thing in the household. After all, with it, a lot of tasks of home construction, gardening and landscaping are quickly and relatively easily solved.
Chainsaws are a rather capricious tool, but with proper handling it is an indispensable assistant. Which has one weak point: the guide rail. It accounts for most of the operational loads. And this means that knowing why tires fail more often than other parts of chainsaws and how to replace them correctly if necessary will help you save money and time more than once during seasonal or project work with a tool. nine0003
The bar and its fasteners are consumable parts. The wear of this unit occurs both under workloads and as a result of improper operation. You will immediately determine the presence of malfunctions in this area. The tire will not be able to provide normal tension, lubrication and smooth running of the chain, and its fastening will not be able to fix the cutting axis relative to the tool body.
Saw bar holder
It is not safe to operate a saw with a defective bar. nine0014 Therefore, at the first sign of a breakdown of the unit, you need to turn off the engine and find out what's wrong.
Knowing the design features of the tire and its mounting on your chainsaw will help to successfully eliminate the cause of the malfunction.
The bar determines the axis and length of the cut by guiding the chain. But the basis of the mechanism is still the mount. It is installed in the groove between the inner plate on the motor housing and the outer plate located on the chainset cover. The tire and casing are fixed with a bolted connection. This part of the mount is called the "engine assembly", and its shape and design depend on the model of the chainsaw. The tire mounting and the drive sprocket are closed with a separate cover. nine0003
Chainsaw bar studs
Saw chain drive links are installed in a guide groove on the bar edge and engage with a drive sprocket connected to the power take-off shaft. When the fixing screws are loosened, the bar can move. The chain tension can be adjusted manually or, like on professional chainsaws, automatically.
Finally, a stop is located in front of the tire mount. It serves to securely fix the cutting axis when the moving chain contacts the tree. nine0003
Design of chainsaw drive sprocket: with replaceable and fixed crown
A serviceable tire should provide normal chain tension. To check it, you need to release the chain brake and pull the chain by hand in the direction of its movement. If the chain does not move, then the fastener is too tight. It must be slightly released, and then again check the free play of the chain.
Adjusting the chain tension with a key
nine0002 The main parts of the tire are the body and the groove. The width of the latter is called the gap. The front part of the saw bars is made of high-strength steel. The tire body is also hardened.
Saw bar assembly
There are various types of saw bars on the market today, which differ in:
Different types of saw bars
The shape of the shank and the location of the technological holes in the bars for most amateur and professional chainsaws are standard, but they can be structurally divided into open and closed. It is obvious that the first ones are inferior to the second ones in terms of reliability of fastening to the case; the tire casing and the bolted connection are subjected to increased loads. You also need to monitor the integrity of the sprocket teeth - if it becomes dull or chipped, it will quickly render the leading links of the chain unusable. nine0003
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The chainsaw tire needs regular maintenance. After each session of work, its grooves must be cleaned of dirt and sawdust, otherwise the lubricant will not flow to the chain. The wear of the groove of the tire should be even, so it should be turned over from time to time.
In addition, before starting work, always check the presence of oil on the body of the chain and in the gap.
Checking the operation of the lubrication system
It is not recommended to use more than three chain sets with one bar. During operation, the gap, despite all the strength of the metal of the body of the tire, expands, which leads to the appearance of play when the chain moves and its sagging even with the tire in the extreme forward position of the tire.
Driven sprocket, located at the front of the tire, is lubricated separately. Oil does not get there, unlike the rest of the guide groove. It is poured into special holes in the front of the tire, and if there is no asterisk, it is applied to the toe of the tire. nine0003
Separate lubrication system for the nose sprocket
To replace the fastening elements, bar and chain set, the entire fastening mechanism must be disassembled.
It does not hurt to prepare a rectangular piece of fabric or cardboard in advance, as well as free space on the table for disassembling the tool and temporarily placing the removed parts.
Chainsaw bar fastening diagram
The fasteners and the chainsaw bar must be replaced when:
That's why the guide bar and fasteners are consumable parts - you only need one universal wrench, supplied with the tool, to replace them. And, of course, knowledge of the algorithm for disassembling, assembling and adjusting the mechanism. nine0003
Chainsaw with bar removed
To dismantle the bar mount:
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After that, put the chain on a new bar and install the last one in the groove to be installed. Next, the headset is engaged with the drive sprocket and closed with a lid. Just before starting work, do not forget to check the absence of slack in the chain and the quality of its tension. nine0003
The chainsaw is back to work
If the new bar is fixed and the fitting is correctly installed, the chainsaw is ready to work again. By the way, just in case, you should make sure of this by sawing a few thin branches.
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Due to the almost complete absence of other highlights, the story of the jammed wheel nut on Valtteri Bottas' Mercedes became almost the main topic of the weekend in Monaco. It turned out to unscrew it only 43 hours after the Finn turned into the pits. nine0003
What prevented you from doing it faster?
Let's start in order. 20 mechanics are involved in the pit stop at Mercedes. Take a look at the photo below: three are busy with each wheel - one removes the old one, another puts on the new one, the third one works with a wrench. Two more are responsible for the front and rear jacks. Each of them has an understudy with a spare jack.
Two more hold the car from the sides when it is in the air. Finally, one holds a “lollipop” sign and the last one (according to the list, but not least) exercises general control over the situation.
nine0003
Lewis Hamilton pit stop, Mercedes W12
Photo: Jerry Andre/Motorsport Images
In special cases - if it is necessary to change the adjustment of the front wing - the team is supplemented by two more team members (such a case can be seen in the frame below).
The work of many people is rehearsed to the smallest detail and takes an incredibly short time. The driver during the pit stop can only wait for the signal to move off. However, even before that, he must do his part of the work - to stop the car as accurately as possible exactly where it is expected. The score here, without exaggeration, goes to centimeters. nine0003
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, pits at
Photo: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
In the case of Bottas in Monaco, the pilot did not manage to put the car in place. This was the first link in a chain of events that stretched out over the next two days. Finn was a little short of the mark in the pit lane.
The mechanics had to move.
At the same time, the guy who was supposed to put a new front right wheel moved too close to the car. By doing this, he interfered with his colleague with a wrench, leaving him no necessary space. nine0003
Because of this, a mechanic with a wrench had to turn his tool around, placing his handle almost horizontally. Usually it is held diagonally or even closer to the vertical - tilted down at an angle of about 60 degrees (this is the moment shown in the photo below)
Due to the unusual position, it turned out that the axis of the wrench head did not coincide with the axis of the nut. Accordingly, the head was not completely hooked on the nut - and when the tool worked at full power, the ribs of the nut simply cut off to the ground. nine0003
A cloud of aluminum dust appeared over the wheel, and all further attempts to quickly unscrew the nut from that second were doomed to failure.
Pit stop of Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Monaco Grand Prix
Photo: Motorsport Images
Those who followed this moment on the broadcast must have noticed how the mechanic delivered several hard blows to the side of the wrench.
This is not a gesture of desperation at all. There is a switch for the direction of rotation.
Under normal circumstances, the changeover is automatic. As soon as the operator removes his finger from the key, the device itself changes the mode. This makes it possible to perform one less action and thus save a fraction of a second.
However, emergency situations at pit stops are not uncommon, so there is also a mechanical switch for the direction of rotation. In the photo above, in the upper right corner, you can see a spare wrench - the switch in question is shown with a white arrow.
The supplier of such tools for all F1 teams is the Italian company Paoli, which also acts as a virtual monopoly for other European racing series. Its nutrunners weigh about 4 kg and produce a torque of about 4000 Nm (this is much more than the motors of the F1 itself - although they, of course, have completely different operating speeds). nine0003
At the same time, each team carries out its own modifications of impact wrenches, carrying out a kind of customization.
This is done on the basis of ergonomics, the choice of other equipment, and above all, of course, efficiency.
Let's take a break at this point in the conversation about Bottas' misadventures in Monaco - and take a walk around the pit lane, examining the impact wrenches of different teams.
Mercedes F1 mechanics with wrench
Photo: Steve Etherington/Motorsport Images
nine0002 Mercedes has a handle molded into the top of the wrench. It is for her that mechanics hold the tool during operation. The direction switch - clearly visible due to the golden color - has a rather complex shape.Red Bull Racing mechanic with wrench
Photo: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
TheRed Bull holds the current F1 pit stop record. It is possible to change four wheels in less than two seconds only with special equipment. In our photo you can see the carbon fiber body of the impact wrench with several signal lights. nine0003
Red Bull Racing
wrench partsPhoto: Red Bull Content Pool
From this angle, you can clearly see that the carbon casing has a complex shape.
In addition, Red Bull's mechanical direction switch button has been moved from the back of the wrench - where it is on almost all other teams - closer to the "trigger" under the mechanic's fingers.
Ferrari
wrench partsPhoto: Motorsport Images
Ferrari repainted part of the hull red and opted to ditch any shrouds. The mechanic holds the wrench almost at the very head. nine0003
A small switch on the fingers of the right hand appears to send a signal to a warning light system that allows the pilot to monitor the progress of the pit stop. The mechanical direction switch was left behind, but covered with a small cover to prevent it from being pressed accidentally.
Mclaren F1 wrench parts
Photo: Jerry Andre/Motorsport Images
In McLaren, on the other hand, they chose to add an ergonomic cover to the wrench that hides some electronic components at the same time. The thing with the green cap next to it is a manual extractor, behind it is a spare nut.
This is an emergency kit when for some reason it is not possible to use both the main wrench and the spare wrench. nine0003
Nut wrench Alpine F1
Photo: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
The housing of the Alpine wrench doesn't look particularly ergonomic, but you can see the large reversal drive disc at the back. In this case - unlike Ferrari - everything is done so that the mechanic can activate it as soon as possible if necessary.
Aston Martin F1
nutrunner partsPhoto: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Aston Martin's equipment design - what a surprise - is a replica of Mercedes. nine0003
AlphaTauri nutrunners in the pit lane
Photo: Jerry Andre/Motorsport Images
AlphaTauri is much simpler, with almost no modifications. The switch button is enlarged and painted gray. By the way, these are spare wrenches - the main ones at this moment are in the hands of mechanics.
Wrench Parts Alfa Romeo Racing
Photo: Alfa Romeo
The Alfa Romeo impact wrench has a special strap system that makes it look like an extension of the mechanic's hand.
Also clearly visible is a special nozzle at the head, which helps to position the tool more accurately. nine0003
Wrench Williams F1
Photo: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
TheWilliams regularly makes quick pit stops, while its tool looks almost standard in general.
Haas F1 nutrunners in pit lane
Photo: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Haas has a shroud made of non-slip material with an additional stop. No other improvements are visible.
Now, returning to the story of the Bottas nut in Monaco, it remains to touch on the last element of all this history - the nut itself. nine0003
About a decade ago, Formula 1 switched to the current nuts, the peculiarity of which is that they are held on the rim due to the design. This is convenient as there is no risk that the nut will roll off during a pit stop. They are also equipped with a self-locking system introduced by the FIA around the same time.
Of course, the teams design the nuts themselves.
