Dummest Question Ever.... (I can't pull the front wheel off?)
 

Hi All,

I can't believe I am asking this question but here is it:

-I can not pull the front wheel off of the car?

I wanted to rotate the tires today: So , I jacked the car up, took all the bolts out and the rear wheel came off but the front is stuck.... I sprayed some WD40 where the wheel meets the rotor but now luck?

Anyone know what the deal is?

Thanks in advance......

When mine was stuck...I took my foot to it. Rotating my "contact" points until it gave. It took a minute too!:lol:

Give it a swift kick on the bottom and it'll pop off. LOL sounds scary, but it's fine :)

Thanks guys but I tried all of that.... I even got a huge rubber hammer and hammared around the tire.... No luck!

I just lowered the car from jacks and put the front wheel lug nuts back in very loosly and turned the car on and turn the wheels right to left left to right.... Still nothing.... How can it be stuck like that?

Don't be a wuss. KICK IT! Just don't hurt your car or foot! Plus...did you take ALL 4 lug bolts out?:grin:

Heh heh.... Yes, I did take all the bolts out.... I'll go kick the crap out of it then....and see what happens.... I've never seen anything like this before?

Are these stock or aftermarket rims? Reason I ask is because some aftermarket rims require centering rings, which often are made of plastic. I had an occasion where one of mine melted just a bit, just enough to make it hard to get the wheel off without using some serious muscle.

I have metal hubcentric rings and they are PERMANENTLY rusted to the rotor. I should of purchased the rotor sleeves.:mad: I had to beat the wheels off the first time.:nod:

My method is more stomping, but man hope you get that wheel off!!

Get Out The "bfh" And Start Wailing. Make Sure You Hit On The Rim And Not The Tire. The Tolerences On Thre Rotors Are Very Tight And Any Moisture Or Corosion Build Up Will Cause It To Bind. It Has Happened To Me With Stock Wheels. When You Do Get Them Off Make Sure To Sand The Rotors And Apply Anti Seize To The Contact Points. If All Else Fails Thake It To The Dealer.

To get the wheels off put the "Lug bolts" on just a few ( 5 to 6 ) turns. Then with the car on stands ( so it won't fall ) turn your back to the car a KICK as HARD as you CAN with the heel of your foot! ( Use work boots with ankle support.) It will come off. Then take a hammer & punch and knock out the rings. ( use penetrating spray, this will also take a little work.) Now before you reinstall, clean & cover all contact points in grease or anti-seize this includes the lug bolts! I ALWAYS use anti-seize ever time I reinstall anything! (metal to metal) You can get a large 8 oz jar at NAPA. This will last you a life time!

Good Luck!

Before putting them back on, or soon after, get some anti-seize and put on the hub. I did this when I installed my aftermarket wheels that required hub centric rings. It will keep you from going through this again. :thumbsup:

I had that SAME problem with my Landrover Discovery. I just started kicking the hell out of it. I did get it off, but it also weighs almost 2x the weight of the MINI.

I just rotated my wheels last weekend and one of my rear wheels were stuck just like yours... No matter how hard I kicked or hammered it would not come off. I know thats how to take the wheel off cuz this is the second time I rotated my tires... What i ended up doing (*which dont recommed*) is I droped the car a little by releasing the jack at a faster rate and the "hit" knocked it loose. I tried just letting it sit, didnt work, raised it and lowered it didnt work, and i just kept lowering it faster and faster till basically I droped the car into the wheel and that FINALLY got it to come off. BE CAREFUL if you use my technique.

Thanks All.... It really looks like the wheel is stuck big time. The car is a 2002 Cooper S w/ original rims..... She also is a garage queen w/ only 15K miles. This is the 1st tire rotation I attempted to do. (Dealer did it at 6K miles).
The only thing I am thinking about doing is taking all the bolts off and driving the car (I wish)....... I will take it to a local tire center and pay them to rotate the wheels... Afterwards I will come home and put some anti sieze on after sanding the area.....

I have owned so many cars and have never seen this before.... Very interesting.

Once again thanks for all of your help.

Loosen the lugs a few turns, drive the car at WALKING speed and stomp the brakes. Repeat if necessary.

Rawhyde

Update.......

I just went downstairs, jacked the car up, loosen all the bolts, put on my motorcycle boots and started kicking the crap of of the wheel..... 5 hours of WD40 lubrication it finally came loose.....

Of course it is 9pm in Seattle and so much for cleaning the Mini and the brake dust off of the rims.... I guess I have something to do after work tomorow.

Thanks everyone....

Woo Hoo saved yourself having to pay for someone to rotate them!

Great job! I had to fly in Eric from Helix over 5000 miles to get my wheels off; he used an engineer's hammer and a block of wood. Then used Permatex anti-seize to prevent them from sticking again. While he was there anyway, I had him put in a rear sway bar and 19%:wink:

Yes, he does housecalls.

Use Brake Parts Cleaner LIBERALLY on the brake discs and pads. When you reassemble everything, put a VERY THIN coat of antisieze on the hub.

Rawhyde

I thought I was supercool because I have a Swiss Army knife with a 512 Mb memory module.

WHERE'D YOU GET THE MINI??!???? How many Mb is it?

Inquiring minds want to know!!!

Rawhyde

Yeah, that thing is pretty cool.

loosen the lugs, lower the car so the tires are on the ground, rock the car back and forth.