Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

This is a strange one. Got my newly powder coated Steelies on my 72 and went to pull them off to get the inner fenders in and now I can't get the passenger wheel off the front hub. Simply won't budge. I've yanked and pulled and took a 2x4 on the inside rim and beat on it with a big hammer. Took all but two lug nuts off and backed them out a few turns and drove it down the driveway thinking the weight of the truck my loosen it but nothing different. Sprayed dish soap and pb blaster where the outside of hub meets the wheel ...still nothing. Any ideas how to get this thing off?
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Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

jack the wheel up and take a sledge and hit the tire. No experience on a blazer. But a few of my friends we all bought 2003 2500 HDs brand new. The first time we had to pull the wheels for rear brakes. Same situation. We got most with the sledge like I described. One we had to rig a puller hooked like you would use on a harmonic balancer or something into the spokes of the rim with the part you turn on the end of the axle plate. Good Luck

Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

:agree:

Sledge is the best way if you are at home. Had the same issue with some rally wheels I had powder coated. Could not unseat the rim. I loosened all the lug nuts so the wheel didn't dislodge and fly off when I hit it and had to beat the tire/wheel with a sledge and used a 2x4 to spread the load so I didn't damage the rim. It took a lot of force to dislodge it.

I put grease between the hub and the wheels when it went back on and it did not stick again. I think the powder heats up and bonds the rim to the hub.

I'll give it another try with yet a bigger hammer. Thanks
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Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

Same experience - 2x4 and a BAH worked

Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

The way those wheels are stamped, they will act like Chinese handcuffs when trying to remove them if there's any sort of interference, so the more you pull the tighter they get. Once you get them off, grind a bit of relief on the rim bore so this doesn't happen in the future. Frustrating to say the least !!

Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

back in the day when i worked at discount tire, sledge to the tire was how we got the job done as well

Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

Similar problem with old steelies rusted to the drum on the rear. I was able to fit a small hydraulic bottle jack between the rim and the spring or frame (don't remember where exactly). A couple of pumps and it came right off.

Re: Can't get the Steel wheel off my truck. Any tricks?
 

Put lots of anti-seize on between the rim and contact points. Since I started doing this I haven't had a problem.