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[Malm]

First time swapping tires on my new (to me... just picked it up in July) 135i.

My lovely 269's are stuck like I have never seen. Tried banging on the wheel, then tried hammering a 2x4 into the small gap between the tire and the garage floor.... the 2x4 was lifting the car off the jack!

Any tips here? I am thinking of just taking it to the dealer and asking them to remove the wheels and throw them back on. My only worry is that they will scratch them up somehow while trying to shake them loose.

I don't really want anyone messing with my car but I'm out of ideas

Also... rant... it looks like the wheels were put on with an air gun... over-torqued. I broke a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter off in my extension trying to get the wheel lug studs loose.

[FOACAD]

so you have all 5 lugs out?

if so in then a good way would be to slowly let the jack down and let the cars weight break it free. the jack will still be under it so it wont fall or anything crazy, just have something ready to catch the wheel when it falls off.

if it still doesnt work then spray some pb blaster or something similar in there and try again. rotate the wheel a little each time. should come right off.

[Lester]

A little anti seize compound on the hub can prevent that from happening again.

[milehigh135i]

yeah well the anti seize doesn't really help with his current problem of getting the wheel off first.

I'd also suggest PB blaster or maybe liquid wrench. Which way were you banging on the wheel, toward or away from the hub?
Spray some lube then rotate the wheel back, forth, twist left, right and keep spraying a little here and there. Wrap a towel over a rubber mallet and hit the wheel away from the hub. It took me a while but eventually my wheel came off. good luck

[xerox445]

Kick the top of the wheel. Should come right off.

[Backflush]

I just posted a question about preventing this problem. I also had a very hard time removing the rear wheels because the hub ring was very rusty. The front ones were not a problem. The wheel had a little bit of rotational play before "Knocking" against the drive shaft. I just kept rotating it back and forth as I pulled on the wheel. I comes off suddenly so be carefull as the tire is heavy.

[1speedbike]

Yeah these things get ridiculously rusty. It doesn't look good, and it's a pain in the ass. Sit on the ground, brace yourself with your hands, and kick the wheel, alternating the side you kick on (front versus back). It shouldn't damage the wheel at all (after all, these things hold a car up) and it should eventually come loose. Or you can try and put your jack sideways, brace the bottom up against something and then "jack up" the wheel off the hub, though I don't know what you could use to brace the jack against. WD-40 doesn't really hurt either. Good luck!

[Backflush]

Make sure you clean up any grease or WD40 from the rotors or you will have some major problems.

[stevenc]

Kick top of wheel, then bottom of wheel. Took me 10 minutes if working the wheel back and forth before it came off.

[Malm]

Thanks for the tips guys.

1. Yes, all lugs are off.. haha

2. I tried kicking initially, but like I said, it was bascially supporting the weight of the car as I tried wedging a piece of wood between the tire and the ground.

3. The "lowering the jack" idea sounds promising, but terrifying at the same time.

4. I'm out of time for now. Have to travel for work. Was trying to get the winters on before I left so that when I come back everything is ready to go for snow.

Will update upon return and successful wheel swap.

Thanks again!

[vanbmw]

I had to do the "lower the jack trick" a few times but only on the rears. The fronts always come off easy. It sounds worse then it is. Just SLOWLY let off the screw that holds the pressure in the jack and it will slowly csettle down on the wheel. Then a big BANG and it breaks loose. Not the most comforting thing to do! Just keep legs clear of the car.
Make sure you buy some anti-seize compound before you start so you have it ready to go whenyou put on the winter's. I give the hub a light sanding/brush to remove any signs of rust and give a coat of anti-seize. Works wonders.

[audi4t]

Originally Posted by vanbmw

I had to do the "lower the jack trick" a few times but only on the rears. The fronts always come off easy. It sounds worse then it is. Just SLOWLY let off the screw that holds the pressure in the jack and it will slowly csettle down on the wheel. Then a big BANG and it breaks loose. Not the most comforting thing to do! Just keep legs clear of the car.
Make sure you buy some anti-seize compound before you start so you have it ready to go whenyou put on the winter's. I give the hub a light sanding/brush to remove any signs of rust and give a coat of anti-seize. Works wonders.

If you have a trolley jack raise the car leave three lug bolts in the hub still retaining the rim but not tight ( just a few threads turned in) then release the trolley jack quickly. The wheel will drop and free itself from the hub but will still be retained.

[BrokenVert]

There is a reason why I keep a 5 pound dumbell in my toolbox...and this is it.

Just tap it very lightly at the top of the tire a few times and it will pop off.

[Backflush]

The lowering the jack method sounds like it could potentially damage the ring. How does the garage get these things loose. Do they have a wheel pulling tool?

Anyway, I ended up greasing the ring and the inside of the wheel rims to prevent this problem when I put the summer tires back on and also to stop the rust.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by Backflush

The lowering the jack method sounds like it could potentially damage the ring. How does the garage get these things loose. Do they have a wheel pulling tool?

Anyway, I ended up greasing the ring and the inside of the wheel rims to prevent this problem when I put the summer tires back on and also to stop the rust.

They use my method. I learned it from my mechanic friend.

[ptack]

You need a rubber mallet to 'persuade' the wheel off.

[Stuart@BMRAutowerkes]

lower the jack. I use this method and the car doesn't have far to fall.

Also use WD40. let it soak for a few minutes and it works a treat.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ptack

You need a rubber mallet to 'persuade' the wheel off.

+1! A big F#%*ing hammer!! I would go out and buy a nice BIG F-ing deadblow rubber hammer. Something with some mass to it - at least 2lbs or more. Harbor Freight might be your best best.


On my last wheel change I used one of my winter tires rolling(on the ground) at the "stuck" tire's sidewall. (I lower'd the car - maybe also keep a few lug nuts in there incase the car fall off your jack!) I just roll'd the winter wheel at the stuck tire. Making sure not to hit my car nor the alloy wheel lip. It worked like a charm. Don't forget to rotate the stuck wheel as you hit or try to knock it off the car. Just keep "working" it off the hub - it will come off.

You can also leave the wheel lug bolts loose - by say five or so turns, loose enough to break the wheel loose, but not let the car fall off the wheel. Or damge teh wheel hub or alloy wheel. Then, lower the jack and let the car's weight break the wheel from the hub. For the front wheels it helps to move the steering left to right a few times.

All that said... even when you use plenty of antiseize afterwards... I still run into this problem a few months later when I switch my tires back.