Trying to get a tire off a Ford 150

[Tom O]

So I got a flat on my truck I called my son and we got the lugs off ok but the aluminum rims just wouldn’t release does anyone have any tricks to get these B*stards off the spindle? We eventually had to call a tow truck 10 to 12 hour wait to have it towed to the house, I’ll try heating the rim tomorrow to see if it will release I’m thinking it has shrunk in the -26 making it a shrink fit.

 

[Hruul]

Try driving the truck back and forth a bit (a foot of two) and then hitting the brakes to rock the truck. I would do it with the lugs on a bit. Have to do this with my GMC and the aluminum rims. But it evenly works. takes a couple tries and I switch to winter tires and back every fall/spring. I would fill the tire so it doesn't damage the rim.

 

[Everett]

Yeah, like Hruul says - if you can air the tire up enough so that the truck will roll, loosen the lug nuts off about 1/16"-1/8" and drive it back and forth a bit. I sometimes have to do that to get corroded-on rims off heavy trucks and it works on passenger vehicles too. If you don't get too crazy you don't wreck anything.

 

[phaxtris]

Laying on the ground and booting the rim/tire with both feet usually works for me as hard as you can, as far away from the hub as possible, sometimes a few goes

least amount of extra work

 

[Perry]

What phaxtris said. I've also done it from under the truck, kicking outward. (Axle stands in place). A good chunk of 4X4 also works......hitting the tire as far as possible from the hub.


It's pretty cold here, but I don't think that is causing the issue.

 

[Darren]

When you put it back on, clean the hub register and wheel and apply a thin coat of neverseize and this won't happen next time. I've had to drive trucks around with the nuts loose to break them free, though the 10lb sledge and a block of birch usually works.

 

[Former Member]

Torch and heat the hub and Aluminum, expansion will move the Aluminum and will when cooled loosen things. Hot to touch should do it.

 

[Tom O]

We tried moving back and fourth to no avail, the tire is off the bead so inflating it is out the last flat I had tried the same thing to no avail but was able to inflate it to get home the tire shop I took it to whack the tire a good 1/2 dozen times to break it loose with a sledgehammer

 

[Perry]

Maybe try a small bottle jack between frame and wheel. Block of wood on the wheel and probably a good idea to place a block of wood on the frame.

 

[Former Member]

Maybe try a small bottle jack between frame and wheel. Block of wood on the wheel and probably a good idea to place a block of wood on the frame.

Careful, you can build a lot of energy doing that and when it comes off you don't want to be near it or underneath the truck.

 

[6.5 Fan]

I've seen this happen a couple of times, several hours of 2 people swinging a sledge hammer later. On the other hand it is a ford, you could just bury it.

 

[Susquatch]

Had that happen to me once too. Use the triple B approach. A BIG heavy sledge hammer, a BIG block of wood, and a BIG hairy guy swinging the sledge did the trick.

It's not a Ford thing. It's just a thing. Happens much more often on trucks.

I'm with Darren on the clean it up and apply anti-sieze route too. Do them all while they have air in them.

 

[Matt-Aburg]

sawzall it off in pieces

 

[little ol' e]

Just put a few lug nuts back on and leave them loosy loosy a couple turns before you start to swing the sledge.
Don't ask me how in know haha.

 

[kevin.decelles]

10lb sledge + pressure treated 6x6 block…. And a little crochet action

My wife’s ford escape was notorious for this.

 

[Crankit]

I have a 10+ pound rubber sledge hammer from PA that does my stubborn wheels

 

[Gearhead88]

Been down this road many times . I have always had success using brute force . Cleaning up the bore in the wheel and the lip of the hub , applying some anti seize lessens the likelihood of future problems

 

[6.5 Fan]

A looooong time ago, my big brother had a chev car with a stuck rim. Tried pounding, heat, every thing we could think of, finally we put a plug in the tire so it would hold air, loosened lug nuts, proceeded to cut doughnuts, nada. drove 35 or 40 miles with the nuts loose, nothing. I think we finally got it off with the 2 of us underneath with sledges, front and back and beat it off. then the other 3 got removed and got smeared with anti-sieze.