Wheels stuck to drum - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Paul72 · 11-16-2004, 12:51 AM

Any handy tips to get wheels off the drums (short of beating them with a hammer or breaking your toe?)

How about any tricks to keep this from happening?

Need to get at the brakes on the 69 and can't get the rear wheels off (PO really wrenched them on good).

Thanks for any help,

Paul

jhow66 · 11-16-2004, 12:55 AM

Put a couple of lug nut on loosely on each wheel and pull forward and back-should break loose.

Brainchild · 11-16-2004, 01:14 AM

BFH and hit the tire.Or wheels if you're not using them over

Have a beer,cuss a little and repeat until they come off

gr8scott51 · 11-16-2004, 01:25 AM

If they are ralleys (with other rims with holes in them), loop a chain thru the rim, use a bottle jack centered on the hub, with the bottom of the jack against the chain, a couple pumps and the rim will pop off. As to the cause, the newer rims had a slightly smaller center hole and if they were painted... even smaller. Good luck.

68LSS1 · 11-16-2004, 04:49 AM

And to keep it from happening again a light coat of anti seize between the drum and wheel will stop it.

Longhorn Man · 11-16-2004, 05:56 AM

Also coat the threads of the studs.
You can hit the back side of the rim and shouldn't do any damage...you'd have to wail on it bretty good to damage anything.

Fred T · 11-16-2004, 10:46 AM

What exactly is stuck? The wheels or the lug nuts?

If its the lug nuts and they're rounded off you need a nut grabber. If they're not rounded off but can't turn them heat them as hot at your propane torch will go.

If the wheels are stuck on the hub jhow66 had the easiest solution, put the nuts on with just a little slack left, pull back and forth.

And yes, anti-sieze is the solution. A thin coat on the hub and on the studs. The stuff is messy, but it does work. Recommended for use with aluminum wheels by the manufacturers.

ale8oneboy · 11-16-2004, 10:55 AM

When I first got the 71' a the passger side rear drum was frozen. Had to carefuly drive it into the shop on a floor jack. Then Bro beat the tire off. The drum came off in pieces.

You could use a wheel puller.

paintpyro · 11-16-2004, 11:42 AM

I use a wheel puller on my rallys. Same issue, my wheels are powdercoated and they lock to the hubs. Just hook the slots and turn. I keep it under the seat just in case

gr8scott51 · 11-16-2004, 12:34 PM

I didn't want to spend the money for a puller that large, that's the reason for the chain and jack trick - I'm too cheap.

71swb4x4 · 11-16-2004, 02:06 PM

I had this happen once.
I pulled the rear-end cover, pulled the pin in the differential, pulled the c-clip, and then I pulled the axle/drum/wheel out as one assembly. I set the wheel on the ground with the axle pointing straight up. Then I was able to pull on the axle and pop it free.
If you do this only pull on the axle with your own strength, don't get too fancy or you may bend the axle (it would take a lot to bend it though).

shortymac83 · 11-16-2004, 02:13 PM

BFH.

Had my steelies stick on my olds once, I got a 3' long prybar and wedged it between the drum and wheel, hunched down, and pulled. that rocked it loose, but then it was stuck on the stud threads, so I had to get a bfh to knock it back to the drum, and then I could pull it off.

11-16-2004, 12:51 AM	#1
Paul72 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Waterloo, IA Posts: 1,147	Wheels stuck to drum Any handy tips to get wheels off the drums (short of beating them with a hammer or breaking your toe?) How about any tricks to keep this from happening? Need to get at the brakes on the 69 and can't get the rear wheels off (PO really wrenched them on good). Thanks for any help, Paul __________________ '72 Chevy K20 - 383/4sp/205 - SOLD after 41 years in the family Next project - K/5 Tahoe (71 Blazer on 99 Tahoe chassis) Build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=789958

11-16-2004, 12:55 AM	#2
jhow66 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Knoxville Tenn. Posts: 3,058	Put a couple of lug nut on loosely on each wheel and pull forward and back-should break loose. __________________ 56 Chevy Bel-Air 2dr. HT (purchased new) 71 Chevy Cheyenne SWB PU (502HO) 65 GMC short bed step--work in progress and my gofer

11-16-2004, 01:14 AM	#3
Brainchild Still drivin' a Rat Rod Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Monett Missouri Posts: 4,925	BFH and hit the tire.Or wheels if you're not using them over Have a beer,cuss a little and repeat until they come off __________________ Rusty Member #13872 Instead of saying.....you are a discomfort in the back of my front.....one should be able to say...... you are a pain in the a$# 71 GMC LWB 49 Chevy 85 Chevy G20 Check out my website

11-16-2004, 01:25 AM	#4
gr8scott51 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bremerton, WA Posts: 1,839	If they are ralleys (with other rims with holes in them), loop a chain thru the rim, use a bottle jack centered on the hub, with the bottom of the jack against the chain, a couple pumps and the rim will pop off. As to the cause, the newer rims had a slightly smaller center hole and if they were painted... even smaller. Good luck. __________________ Silence is golden, duct tape is silver. - Scott

11-16-2004, 04:49 AM	#5
68LSS1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,191	And to keep it from happening again a light coat of anti seize between the drum and wheel will stop it. __________________ '68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc

11-16-2004, 05:56 AM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Also coat the threads of the studs. You can hit the back side of the rim and shouldn't do any damage...you'd have to wail on it bretty good to damage anything.

11-16-2004, 10:46 AM	#7
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	What exactly is stuck? The wheels or the lug nuts? If its the lug nuts and they're rounded off you need a nut grabber. If they're not rounded off but can't turn them heat them as hot at your propane torch will go. If the wheels are stuck on the hub jhow66 had the easiest solution, put the nuts on with just a little slack left, pull back and forth. And yes, anti-sieze is the solution. A thin coat on the hub and on the studs. The stuff is messy, but it does work. Recommended for use with aluminum wheels by the manufacturers. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

11-16-2004, 10:55 AM	#8
ale8oneboy Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Pike County, KY Posts: 89	When I first got the 71' a the passger side rear drum was frozen. Had to carefuly drive it into the shop on a floor jack. Then Bro beat the tire off. The drum came off in pieces. You could use a wheel puller. __________________ MEMBER OF THE BUCKET SEAT CLUB (REAL BUCKETS) "Color Me Gone" - Two Lanes of Blacktop

11-16-2004, 11:42 AM	#9
paintpyro Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Santa Fe Springs, CA,USA Posts: 1,579	I use a wheel puller on my rallys. Same issue, my wheels are powdercoated and they lock to the hubs. Just hook the slots and turn. I keep it under the seat just in case __________________ 70 shortbed stepside "Schleprock" 350 w/TH400 rallys and BFGs -We can rebuild it, we have the technology-lower,shinier,faster

11-16-2004, 12:34 PM	#10
gr8scott51 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bremerton, WA Posts: 1,839	I didn't want to spend the money for a puller that large, that's the reason for the chain and jack trick - I'm too cheap. __________________ Silence is golden, duct tape is silver. - Scott

11-16-2004, 02:06 PM	#11
71swb4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 10,497	I had this happen once. I pulled the rear-end cover, pulled the pin in the differential, pulled the c-clip, and then I pulled the axle/drum/wheel out as one assembly. I set the wheel on the ground with the axle pointing straight up. Then I was able to pull on the axle and pop it free. If you do this only pull on the axle with your own strength, don't get too fancy or you may bend the axle (it would take a lot to bend it though). __________________ Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

11-16-2004, 02:13 PM	#12
shortymac83 hmm... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Culver, Indiana Posts: 1,631	BFH. Had my steelies stick on my olds once, I got a 3' long prybar and wedged it between the drum and wheel, hunched down, and pulled. that rocked it loose, but then it was stuck on the stud threads, so I had to get a bfh to knock it back to the drum, and then I could pull it off. __________________ 1983 Oldsmobile Delta 88 1967 Chevy C-10 stripper www.fcrperformance.com - wanna go...faster? talk to FCR.



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