Check your steel rims

[gomes512]

I got a '97 Prizm I bought from a pal from work and I gave to my gf to use as a daily.

I noted that 2 of the stock steel rims were bent and out of whack. No big deal just got some junkyard replacements.

I go to take the originals off the back and both are frozen solid to the axles. I got the passenger side off by prying with a large 2x4. The driver side wouldn't budge.

Never had a wheel so stuck before, the lug-nuts-halfway-off-and-drive-around trick didn't even work. I managed to drive the entire block with the lugs nuts half off. It was the damn will of Hercules himself.

Finally got pissed and did 25mph spin around the turn around at the end of my block. Finally made a loud pop. Re-torqued the nuts and got it back to the driveway.


Anyways, for anyone reading. If you got those crappy steel rims still make sure they don't stick. My gf can change a spare but think she'd definitely be stranded if she had to deal with this. I slathered all four with antisieze.

Happy motoring

[Bitter]

sledge hammer and a block of wood can also work.

[speedy25]

My fave is sit on your butt and kick a spot with both legs.

Want to make sure it doesnt happen again? Wire brush the hub center surfaces and use some nev-r-seize on it.

-SP

[gomes512]

Oh yeah I've dealt with this before, tried both of those methods before I did the spin around the block. Neither worked.

Yep, I made sure to paint it up good with the anti sieze.

[jawsofire]

This happened all the time back in high school autos. I usually just kick the top of the tire and it comes off.

[NWMO 95 Prizm Lsi]

Good post,

I've noticed this more with alloy wheels myself. Stopped to help a fellow trying to free his wheel on the side of the highway with this problem some years back. I used his spare tire as a hammer and it popped the wheel right off. Of course, when you swing that spare tire, make sure you don't find a fender . The spare tire avoids damaging the wheel and can be a pretty good hammer. Again, good post.

Chris

[unabashedpraise]

I've loosened all the nuts on the frozen wheel, then lowered the car back down all the way and shook the car from side to side. POP.