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help...rear wheels are stuch

1K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  jrm123180 
#1 ·
My rear wheels are frozen on....I need to check and adjust the rear drums on my 79 Chevy k10. I cannot get the wheels off. I spreayed them with PB rust blaster and tried putting a torch on the wheel until it turned red. I even put a jack between the leaf spring and the rim and still nothing. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Steve
 
#3 ·
NH, home of snow, slush, salt on roads, and stuck wheels.

The center of the axle that sticks into the wheel centering hole is rusted to the wheel. This can be a bear to get free. You have used PB blaster, good. Unfortunately heating the wheel made the wheel grip the axle even tighter.
Do the PB blaster thing again, spraying from the top to allow the blaster to seep down between the brake drum and wheel and axle flange.
Wait a time for it to penetrate then jack up the vehicle and block solidly, leaving the wheel hanging free. Take as large a hammer as you can safely use and , after laying a length of 2X4 or 2X6 across the wheel in back, give it a good shot from the rear, spin, smack, spin, smack, and then pop the front in a place or two and go to the back again.

This should breake it free but it won't be easy.
 
#5 ·
I live just under you...literally feet from the NH state line in Massachusetts..... I've had this same problem soooo so many times.... oddly it seems to ALWAYS be only on mid 70's-80's Chevy and GMC trucks and older Caddys. ( which all take the same rims... maybe it's something with them stock steel rims???? dunno)

Anyhow, the above posters advice is about the best... get a big sledge and give some really HEALTHY swings to the tire. And even then this doesn't always work.... to which I can recommend...loosen all the lug nuts, remove all but 3 across from each other... leave the remaining 3 lug nuts about 2 turns loose from rim.......yep you guessed it..... now drive it around the yard a bit.

PLEASE stay in your yard or driveway... don't get crazy.. keep it under 85 MPH... actually a few yards back and forth will do it wonders.... when changing directions do it as abruptly as you can... it's the impact you will need to break the rim loose.........I don't even bother swinging on the with a sledge any more... I just drive it around some with lug nuts loosened... saves missing and smashing a rim too....or the sledge bouncing off at the wrong angle into your shin.

When you get them off, be sure to slobber a liberal amount of "Never-Seize" on the hub before re-installing, that will last through our salty winters..
 
#6 ·
thanks....I'm going to try driving it back and forth in the yard (maybe in low) to see if I can get it loose that way. I was thinking of then sanding the priming the wheek and drum (along with the anti seiz) with hopes to prevent this in the future.

Thanks again, I'll let u know how I make out.
 
#7 ·
THX_138 said:
I live just under you...literally feet from the NH state line in Massachusetts..... I've had this same problem soooo so many times.... oddly it seems to ALWAYS be only on mid 70's-80's Chevy and GMC trucks and older Caddys. ( which all take the same rims... maybe it's something with them stock steel rims???? dunno)

Anyhow, the above posters advice is about the best... get a big sledge and give some really HEALTHY swings to the tire. And even then this doesn't always work.... to which I can recommend...loosen all the lug nuts, remove all but 3 across from each other... leave the remaining 3 lug nuts about 2 turns loose from rim.......yep you guessed it..... now drive it around the yard a bit.

PLEASE stay in your yard or driveway... don't get crazy.. keep it under 85 MPH... actually a few yards back and forth will do it wonders.... when changing directions do it as abruptly as you can... it's the impact you will need to break the rim loose.........I don't even bother swinging on the with a sledge any more... I just drive it around some with lug nuts loosened... saves missing and smashing a rim too....or the sledge bouncing off at the wrong angle into your shin.

When you get them off, be sure to slobber a liberal amount of "Never-Seize" on the hub before re-installing, that will last through our salty winters..

I have successfully used this method on a 74 Chevy C10 and a 78 Chevy van, it was the only thing that seemed to work for me.
 
#8 ·
Watched a guy at Discount Tire whack the crap out of the rear wheels
on my 78 k-10

Better him swinging that hammer than me :D

Sanded and coated the wheels----got stuck the next time I went
for a tire repair.

For me--a flat on THAT truck warranted a tow truck.

HAUL IT TO THE TIRE STORE----I wanna watch a kid try to get this tire off! :D

Bryan
 
#9 ·
I had the same problems with the rear wheels on my 87 Suburban. After trying the sanding and painting and grease on the surfaces I eventually cut a piece of tractor tire tube to size with holes for the wheel studs and placed it between the wheel and brake drum. That worked the first time I needed to remove the wheels. Haven't removed them for two or three years now as I have retired the sub. I will be stripping it out this spring for the tranny and whatever else I can salvage to be used in the future or sold for cash.

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#10 ·
jrm123180 said:
thanks....I'm going to try driving it back and forth in the yard (maybe in low) to see if I can get it loose that way. I was thinking of then sanding the priming the wheek and drum (along with the anti seiz) with hopes to prevent this in the future.

Thanks again, I'll let u know how I make out.

I think I'd skip the paint... I'm probably sure that would just end up acting as a glue in the long run. Clean and sand then probably just oil it and never-seize the crap out of it... the never seize won't allow ANY rust to form, the never-seize will adhere and stay in place better on bare metal too.

Gotta love New England!..... just looked at the weather for X-Mas.... 49 and cloudy.......one of the only benefits of living here is a white Christmas..... now it's gonna be near 50...I WANT SNOW!
 
#11 ·
rear wheels

hi,i had the same problem with a toyota pickup.i did everything possible,heat,beat and this went on for 2 full days. and the 2 bolt holes to remove the drum stripped out .i finally said b.s. ,i got a drill with a 1/8 inch bit and started drilling holes around where the drum and axle come together. i dont know how many holes i finally drilled,but it was a bunch,the drum came off,and i had to go to u=pick=it and get another drum....have fun..im boatbob2
 
#13 ·
Thanks everyone...after a lot of PB Rust Blast and heat and banging and hitting I finally got them free...thanks again.
 
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