How is the best way to remove the front wheel/tire when repairing a flat?

[wendol]

I called out a mobil service to repair a flat on the front wheel/tire, and was shocked when he took out his sledge hammer and began to beat (with major force) on the inside of the wheel/tire to remove it. This process took about four attempts. I could only wonder what damage could occur to the steering linkage, and any related parts.

Which brings me to the question, what are the options when it comes to removing the front tire/wheel. I noticed the wheel has square slots in it, which made me wonder if there is some sort of puller that could be used.

Thanks for any and all thoughts!!

 

[imarobot]

When I had to remove mine they came off without having to beat on anything. I put anti-seize on the mating services to prevent any problems in the future.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I called out a mobil service to repair a flat on the front wheel/tire, and was shocked when he took out his sledge hammer and began to beat (with major force) on the inside of the wheel/tire to remove it. This process took about four attempts. I could only wonder what damage could occur to the steering linkage, and any related parts.

Which brings me to the question, what are the options when it comes to removing the front tire/wheel. I noticed the wheel has square slots in it, which made me wonder if there is some sort of puller that could be used.

Thanks for any and all thoughts!!

You saw the standard "puller" in action.

Dan

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I just rebuilt my brakes/wheels and yeah, they can rust tight, and yeah, initially I palm-fisted them, then beat them with a sledge. Didn't work.

I then removed the lug nuts then put 3 back on to finger-snug then backed them off 1 full turn and dropped the the jack fast, which worked for 2 wheels. The next option for those still stuck was drive around slowly with a wrench in the truck, when I heard a pop I'd go tighten the lugs and drive back, then pull the wheel.

After replacing the rotors and plating the rims they pop off just fine.

 

[SDT]

I called out a mobil service to repair a flat on the front wheel/tire, and was shocked when he took out his sledge hammer and began to beat (with major force) on the inside of the wheel/tire to remove it. This process took about four attempts. I could only wonder what damage could occur to the steering linkage, and any related parts.

Which brings me to the question, what are the options when it comes to removing the front tire/wheel. I noticed the wheel has square slots in it, which made me wonder if there is some sort of puller that could be used.

Thanks for any and all thoughts!!

Best means to break the tire bead from the rim is a slide hammer.

Other means sometimes work but a slide hammer always works if one knows how to use it.

ANY mobile tire "professional" should have a slide hammer on his truck. Those who do not are lacking, in my opinion.

Additionally, anyone using a sledge hammer to break the bead on the front tire of a small tractor should first remove the tire/wheel and do so with the tire/wheel on the ground. Failure to do so is anything but "professional."

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Best means to break the tire bead from the rim is a slide hammer.

Other means sometimes work but a slide hammer always works if one knows how to use it.

ANY mobile tire "professional" should have a slide hammer on his truck. Those who do not are lacking, in my opinion.

Additionally, anyone using a sledge hammer to break the bead on the front tire of a small tractor should first remove the tire/wheel and do so with the tire/wheel on the ground. Failure to do so is anything but "professional."

If you're talking about removing the tire from the rim instead of the wheel from the vehicle a shop would use a tire machine and a mobile tire guy would install your spare.

Without a tire machine I'd use Quick Clamps, and/or plastic shims and tire irons.

Usually using a palm hit will break a rim free, if not a sledge hammer is fast and pretty safe, etc. A slide hammer might chip the rim coating, might not, it depends, but it does sound like a good tool to use if it has jaws designed for the task.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

When a wheel is seized on the hub you loosen the nuts / bolts slightly and then you drive the vehicle, brake hard or go around in circles. It will come loose without any parts of the axle ever seeing higher loads than what they are designed for.

I always put a slight (!) coat of ceramic paste or corrosion protection wax on the hub centre where the rim sits to prevent the rim from seizing.

Did he repair the paint damage on the rim he did with his hammer? Otherwise the next leak is pre-programmed when the edge starts rusting.

 

[wendol]

When a wheel is seized on the hub you loosen the nuts / bolts slightly and then you drive the vehicle, brake hard or go around in circles. It will come loose without any parts of the axle ever seeing higher loads than what they are designed for.

I always put a slight (!) coat of ceramic paste or corrosion protection wax on the hub centre where the rim sits to prevent the rim from seizing.

Did he repair the paint damage on the rim he did with his hammer? Otherwise the next leak is pre-programmed when the edge starts rusting.

I like your method of loosen the lug nuts, drive, etc.
Also reminds me I need to touch up the rim.......great advice.......thanks!!

 

[steveh]

learned about the loosened-nuts-then-driving method few months back when my Tacoma wheels would not come off. Drove maybe 100' and all wheels loosened perfectly.

Told my bro-in-law about it and the next week he had a flat out in the sticks and wheel was stuck, loosened the nuts and rocked the truck back and forth a few times and bingo.

 

[mikester]

The best way is to pay the tire guy to skin his knuckles and save your rotator cuffs for shovelling wet snow

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I could only wonder what damage could occur to the steering linkage, and any related parts.

If a human, with a sledge hammer, hits your wheel and breaks any part of your steering linkage , you should immediately thank him for “detecting” a dangerously bad linkage/part.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have had to do the exact same thing on auto/trucks. Not to mention it is the only method I use to separate tapered tie rods, ball joints,…etc.

(I would argue that small aluminum wheels are the “exception”……don’t hit those with steel sledge hammers…..ask me how I know this )

 

[Hugo Habicht]

(I would argue that small aluminum wheels are the “exception”……don’t hit those with steel sledge hammers…..ask me how I know this )

Ok, since you insist: how do you know this?

Are there any pictures of the event?
Or better: any voice recordings?

 

[Shawn T. W]

I can say that with weight, speed, and low air pressure that a steel wheel can be bent on a rock!

And ... A hammer can straighten it out "good enough" to hold air!

But just a wack to knock it loose shouldn't hurt anything ...

 

[TheOldHokie]

I can say that with weight, speed, and low air pressure that a steel wheel can be bent on a rock!

View attachment 167360

And ... A hammer can straighten it out "good enough" to hold air!

View attachment 167361

But just a wack to knock it loose shouldn't hurt anything ...

I have been hanging around tire shops and doung my own wheel service for better part of 60 years. I have never seen a commercial shop loosen lugnuts and drive the vehicke around to loosen the wheel. I have witnessed (and performed) many stuck wheel removals using a BFH. I just did one on my BMW with alloy wheels a few minths ago. That was a testament to run flats - 120 miles tound trip dead flat at 70MPH and still on the wheel. It was a little noisy at times

In the days of drum brakes shops used to whale away on stuck drums. I doubt they could generate anything close to what a wheel or suspension sees in service.

Dan

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Looking for a "Wheel Puller" I haven't seen one other than the Rimwit. (sledge beating by someone not inclined for it to work are also in the video) Maybe someone can link one up.

I used a sledge hammer on the rubber tires, then a block of wood against the rim with a sledge, and when those didn't work and dropping the vehicle didn't work I drove it back and forth a bit (like 20 feet, not around the block, though I've done that on badly rusted rims). I've not had issue getting off aluminum rims or really anything but rusted steel-on-steel.

@Shawn T. W : How hard was it to beat that back into shape???

 

[Shawn T. W]

Not that hard at all, it's the front rim on my little SCUT ... The hammer as shown is either 2 or 3 Lbs ...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Are there any pictures of the event?
Or better: any voice recordings?

Fortunaley/Unforfunatly/sadly…..No there is not.

This was long before cell phones, and ironically was where I first learned of my natural “Superpower"…… Cursing.

Hahahah…..back when I was a beginning "mechanic” (AKA a “the dumbass tire changer/oil changer kid), this guy comes in with a nail in his tire and wanted it patched….Not plugged….he insisted that I patch it from the inside.

Ok…he’s the customer.

So he is sitting in the waiting room and for the life of me, this aluminum wheel wont budge.

{So here I am, 17-18? years old, can bench press 365 lbs, can run miles and miles without getting tired…..I spent my life at the gym, it was the best shape I have ever been in…….}

Anywho, I grabbed the biggest/longest/heaviest BFH I could find, and like Barry Bonds, I wind up and swing that F’ing hammer as hard as I can/could, and caught the very edge of that “once perfect and beautiful” rim.

I cracked the hell out of that rim.

Man when Tony (my boss) found out, he began a cursing tirade, and called me everything but “white”….I mean he laid into me Bigly…….Well about 2 minutes into this “brow beating” I had taken enough from this little 120 pound a$$hole yelling at me, and I commenced a “counter cursing” yelling match.

I must have matched his cursing, so long story short, he “chest bumps” me,……Well sir, I laid into his ass and it wasn’t even close.

It ends up that becasue he had the local "towing contract" for the police, he knew them all….Personally…….

One of the “office girls” must have called the cops, and so I got my first lesson in “life ain't always fair” , cause as soon as those cops showed up, I got “cuffed and stuffed” in 2 seconds flat…..No questions asked…..

Luckily Tony’s partner (Gary) had witnessed the whole thing and must have felt bad for me. He talked them out of arresting me, and just fired me instead.

Ahhhh….the good ole days?…...

 

[D2Cat]

Fortunaley/Unforfunatly/sadly…..No there is not.

This was long before cell phones, and ironically was where I first learned of my natural “Superpower"…… Cursing.

Hahahah…..back when I was a beginning "mechanic” (AKA a “the dumbass tire changer/oil changer kid), this guy comes in with a nail in his tire and wanted it patched….Not plugged….he insisted that I patch it from the inside.

Ok…he’s the customer.

So he is sitting in the waiting room and for the life of me, this aluminum wheel wont budge.

{So here I am, 17-18? years old, can bench press 365 lbs, can run miles and miles without getting tired…..I spent my life at the gym, it was the best shape I have ever been in…….}

Anywho, I grabbed the biggest/longest/heaviest BFH I could find, and like Barry Bonds, I wind up and swing that F’ing hammer as hard as I can/could, and caught the very edge of that “once perfect and beautiful” rim.

I cracked the hell out of that rim.

Man when Tony (my boss) found out, he began a cursing tirade, and called me everything but “white”….I mean he laid into me Bigly…….Well about 2 minutes into this “brow beating” I had taken enough from this little 120 pound a$$hole yelling at me, and I commenced a “counter cursing” yelling match.

I must have matched his cursing, so long story short, he “chest bumps” me,……Well sir, I laid into his ass and it wasn’t even close.

It ends up that becasue he had the local "towing contract" for the police, he knew them all….Personally…….

One of the “office girls” must have called the cops, and so I got my first lesson in “life ain't always fair” , cause as soon as those cops showed up, I got “cuffed and stuffed” in 2 seconds flat…..No questions asked…..

Luckily Tony’s partner (Gary) had witnessed the whole thing and must have felt bad for me. He talked them out of arresting me, and just fired me instead.

Ahhhh….the good ole days?…...

Those are the kind of experiences everyone needs. That is the only way to eventually have common sense. Do something and then evaluate it! I had a boss years ago who would say, "Do something even if it's wrong!"

 

[Mark_BX25D]

How is the best way ...

WHAT is the best way, not, "How is the best way....".