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Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 1:25 am
by Steve_2019
Yesterday I wanted to rotate my wheels on my Polo, but I got a problem that the alloy wheels has corroded them selfs to the hub.
Anyone know a method of freeing them from the hub without doing any damage too the Alloy wheel and hub.
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 8:06 am
by SRGTD
I’ve seen this discussed on various forums over the years, and the usual methods are to use a rubber mallet or a block of wood. If the car’s supported on the emergency jack supplied with the car while trying to do this, be very careful that the car doesn’t fall off the jack.
Another method I’ve seen discussed is to loosen the wheel bolts slightly while the car is jacked up and then lower the car to the ground. The weight of the car might be sufficient to break the corrosion seal between the hub assembly and the wheel.
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 9:53 am
by CarbonChaos
The only thing i would add to SRGTD's answer is leave one wheel bolt loosely in the wheel while are hitting it from behind with a rubber hammer while rotating it a bit at a time ,so that when the wheel does eventually come free it doent fall flat on the ground face down or roll away.
Once removed clean the hub and wheel with a wire brush and apply some anti-sieze and refit , hopefully this will not happen again.
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 6:08 pm
by MikeDO
SRGTD wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 8:06 am
I’ve seen this discussed on various forums over the years, and the usual methods are to use a rubber mallet or a block of wood. If the car’s supported on the emergency jack supplied with the car while trying to do this, be very careful that the car doesn’t fall off the jack.
Another method I’ve seen discussed is to loosen the wheel bolts slightly while the car is jacked up and then lower the car to the ground. The weight of the car might be sufficient to break the corrosion seal between the hub assembly and the wheel.
I'd recommend option 2 from above. All three of the Scoobies that I have owned back in the day, were sods for this. Just loosen the wheel bolts one at a time (car on the ground). Then just do them up finger tight, again one at a time. Start the engine and turn the steering wheel a couple of times. Job done. Certainly never failed me
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 8:13 pm
by steeve
Usually with the wheel in question only just raised off the ground and the wheel bolts still in but well loosened give the inside of the tyre (not the wheel rim) a good beating with a rubber mallet.
First thing I always do whether new or used is remove each wheel, prepare and paint the hubs and put a smear of copper slip on the hub where the wheel locates, DO NOT ever put grease on the face of the hub that the wheel bolts to, they will come loose.
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 4:54 pm
by Steve_2019
Thanks guys finally got the job done. It was only the back wheels that was corroded on.
I just loosened the wheel nuts so they was just biting and rolled the car back and forwards a couple of times and it did the job.
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 9:01 am
by mobbeduo
To anybody that got this issue in the future.
Another trick is to place all bolts back in, loosen them from tight by one rotation then rock the car.
Like demonstrated in this video.
https://youtu.be/6_I999FZr1s
Re: Alloy wheels corroded to hub
Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 9:33 am
by ho8882000
The following is from the VW Polo (AW) workshop manual, doing this can avoid the same problem happen again in the future:
- wheel.JPG (98.34 KiB) Viewed 1199 times