Can't Remove Roadwheel.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 126
From: San Diego California
Thanks.
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
Great news Cavu! glad to hear you got it without too much drama.
If that inner hub is powder coated it may have reduced the diameter by several thousands of an inch. That could be the problem since these wheels are hub-centric rather than lug-centric.
If that inner hub is powder coated it may have reduced the diameter by several thousands of an inch. That could be the problem since these wheels are hub-centric rather than lug-centric.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 126
From: San Diego California
Morale is: if you powdercoat anything with a tight fit, it won't on re-assembly.
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3,936
Likes: 54
From: Marietta, GA & Elba, AL
St. Jude Donor '16
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
Frozen rear wheel
Cavu2u- years ago I had the same thing happen on my 86 Chevy pickup when I went to Sears to get new tires. The "mechanic" beat on the rim, inside and outside, with a sledge hammer for over an hour, ruining the appearance of the rim. He put the truck on the ground with lugs loose and spun the tire back and forth. No luck. Finally I told them to put the new tire on my spare wheel and went home. The truck wheels in 86 had an extra threaded hole in the bolt circle designed for just this event. I put a 1/2 inch bolt in there, tightened it just a little and the wheel popped right off. Unfortunately Corvette rims do not have this threaded hole. I also really cleaned up the hub and put anti-seize on it. RA
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 139
From: Syracuse NY
Should have mule kicked it. 
Glad to hear you got it off. You problem is very common, dont read into it too much. If you arent going to paint the hub, a little 'never seize' around the lip will prevent this as well. Be careful with that stuff though, it gets everywhere.
Glad to hear you got it off. You problem is very common, dont read into it too much. If you arent going to paint the hub, a little 'never seize' around the lip will prevent this as well. Be careful with that stuff though, it gets everywhere.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 126
From: San Diego California
Problems aren't over.
So, I'm inspecting/cleaning spark plugs today, and I found it easier to see what I'm doing with the Right Road Wheel off. I do not want to cross thread those aluminum Heads. So I go to pull it off; same problem as with the Left Rear: powder coated wheel's Hub hole seized onto the hub.
Did the Long2X4/Sledge Hammer thing (and it was stuck on there good too), and after about 6 whacks (turning the tire a bit after each hit), it finally loosened. Sanded out the Hub hole & applied Moly-B.
Thought it important to do a road test afterward to see if anything got bent (
), and I lucked out: No wandering or vibration. 
Tomorrow, the Left Front will be inspected for seizure.
Steve
Did the Long2X4/Sledge Hammer thing (and it was stuck on there good too), and after about 6 whacks (turning the tire a bit after each hit), it finally loosened. Sanded out the Hub hole & applied Moly-B.
Thought it important to do a road test afterward to see if anything got bent (
), and I lucked out: No wandering or vibration. Tomorrow, the Left Front will be inspected for seizure.
Steve
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 126
From: San Diego California
Another Solution, for Front Wheels Anyway.
I checked the Left Front Roadwheel today, and found it stuck to the hub, just like the Right Front was. A different approach came to me.
I installed all 5 lug nuts, but left all of them about a 16th of a inch from contacting the wheel, let it down off the jack, started the engine, and let the power steering help turn the wheels stop-to-stop once. Jacked the car back up, and found the wheel free from the hub. No hammering. Should have thought of this method yesterday.
Steve.
I installed all 5 lug nuts, but left all of them about a 16th of a inch from contacting the wheel, let it down off the jack, started the engine, and let the power steering help turn the wheels stop-to-stop once. Jacked the car back up, and found the wheel free from the hub. No hammering. Should have thought of this method yesterday.
Steve.