I recently had my car serviced. I would now like to swap the front and rear wheels.

I undid the nuts but can't get the wheels loose. How do I correct this without damaging my alloy wheels?

If I can't sensibly do it, I will drive down to KwikFit and get them to do it. I may do this anyhow because I don't have a trolley jack  or axle stands.

I understand that I should clean the mating surfaces and apply copper grease before replacing them.

The tyres are standard Continentals, should I swap them from side to side or are they "directional"?

Thanks.

You can slowly and gently lower the car to loosen them, that's what I do.

 

If the tread pattern is V shaped, they are directional. Directionals also always have an arrow on the sidewall which shows which way they are meant to be run. Asymmetrics are exactly that, the inside and outside of the tread are different. They will have 'Outside' somewhere on the sidewall too.

Wrap a block of wood in a rag and gently tap with a hammer from the rear rotating the wheel as you do it and once off coat hub part in copper grease not the whole face

Thanks for the speedy replies. I had considered leaving the nuts finger tight and slowly and gently lowering the car, it seems safer than trying to manoeuvre a wooden block and hammer behind the wheel while it is on the very "iffy" jack!

It really can take a bit of time.

I am not very keen on the loosening of Wheel nuts and driving with these types of wheels / Hubs,

and when the rear wheels are off you will see why.

 

So the car has to be very secure and safe.

And it takes some force, but as the seal breaks the Alloy wheel centre will leave the Hub.

It is a wonder feeling when it does, and you see how little was corroded. Doing it at a roadside often needs a big mallet 

or size 11 boots and is a total PITA, and dangerous.

The fit is tight.

Even Greased ones have little movement, so wiggling does not work. 

Edited 26 March, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

I had this problem with one of my front wheels.  Followed the advice on this forum.  Jacked the car up and removed 4 of the 5 wheel bolts.  Left the remaining one finger tight only.  Lowered the car onto the road and the weight broke the bond between the wheel and the hub.  Lifted the car back up on the jack and easily removed the remaining bolt and wheel.  No damage done whatsoever.

When this happened with my wife's Fabia vRS recently, 2 traffic policemen freed the wheel by kicking the sidewalls with the soles of their boots.

Excellent!

I wonder if I could persuade them to do that to all four wheels?

They did sniff around me and the car while helping out...

Thanks for the speedy replies. I had considered leaving the nuts finger tight and slowly and gently lowering the car, it seems safer than trying to manoeuvre a wooden block and hammer behind the wheel while it is on the very "iffy" jack!

When the car is serviced in the early years they don't remove the wheels, just do a visual by peering through the spokes of the wheels.

Corrosion takes place between the wheel alloy contact surfaces and the metal parts, particularly the centre hub section.

Once removed give metal a wire brushing, then smear (very sparingly) copper based grease on the metal contact points, again particularly the centre hub.

Not that I would plan to lather it on, but why "very sparingly"?

Because its not the wheel bolts taking the strain under acceleration and braking, but the friction between the wheel and hub face. The bolts just apply pressure to increase the friction. Lube it up too much and it will just be the wheel bolts supporting the car and they can shear.

Re Sparingly.

Because with Grease,  more is not always better, even Copper Grease.

and its just on as a barrier for inhibiting dissimilar metal corrosion.

 

You do not want excess getting out and about and on discs, and do not lubricate Studs / Nuts, but that is a whole different story,

with loads of posts.

Do not google Lubed Studs or Lubed Nuts if in the Work Place.

Edited 26 March, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

To remove a stuck on alloy, undo the bolts one turn each, then lower the car to the ground, the wheel will often part before you've lowered all the way, if not then lower away and the rock the car sideways physically. Should do it. Raise the car again remove bolts, thump tyres on outer sidewalls swapping from side to side.

Don't recommend kwikfit or other tyre fitter as they will take a sledgehammer and whack the tyres, damaging the sidewalls, possibly alloys and wheel bearings too.

Honestly if it was just as easy with a Gigaro that has Corrosion Welded its self on as that it would be good.

Maybe some can be, so thats always worth a try.

 

Sadly some have really had to go to rather more extreme measures to get them off, and that includes me.

Because its not the wheel bolts taking the strain under acceleration and braking, but the friction between the wheel and hub face. The bolts just apply pressure to increase the friction. Lube it up too much and it will just be the wheel bolts supporting the car and they can shear.

Anyone actually seen a bolt sheared in this way? If friction between faces was important, surely the manufacturer would not machine the faces flat, they would have a keyed design.

Grease should be applied sparingly and the only bit that should never be lubed/greased are the wheel bolt threads and seats, and their corresponding threads on the hubs/drums and bolt seats in the wheels.

Edited 26 March, 201511 yr by xman

As xman says above, undo the bolts a couple of turns then rock the car.

It's caused by the alloy sweating and the corosion sticks them, you can prevent it by applying a smear of copperslip to the hub mating surface and wheel spigot.

Just a shame that no barrier of any kind is applied at the Factory, and with the rear Disc Brakes, Wheels might never be off in 3 years (winters)

unless you are taking them off, and then after 3 years you might be doing Tyres, Pads/discs or Changing Brake Fluid before they are off.

 

Same with the Rear Drum Skodas, unless you are sure the Brake Drums are getting taken off at the 2 Year Major Service, 

you had best check you can get the wheels off at the roadside if you have a puncture.

 

What i have seen is Powder Coated Wheels with coating left on the Facing where that should be taken off,

& with the Drum or Hub melting and the wheel going lose.

(as sometimes happens with Coating or Paint in the Wheel Nut seating.)

Edited 26 March, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

Grease should be applied sparingly and the only bit that should never be lubed/greased are the wheel bolt threads and seats, and their corresponding threads on the hubs/drums and bolt seats in the wheels.

 

I take it that the reason for not greasing the wheel nuts, etc. is to stop them coming loose?

I have some Loctite Threadlock for securing loudspeaker bolts and T-nuts, would something like this make sense here?

You are not applying grease or oil to the threads, just have them clean, so that you can set the torque when tightening the dry faces.

Agreed, clean dry bolts and a decent torque wrench. I tighten my factory fit alloys to 120NM.

Note that torque setting varies with Manufacturer and wheel types. If in doubt, look it up.

Is a "decent torque wrench" now part of Skoda's standard wheel changing kit?

It is certainly something to consider using if you want to run a safe vehicle, or consider others safety.

 

But then many will tighten, then do a bit more, and that will be OK they think.  

Sometimes. most times that is not OK.

 

?

Do you think it is a waste of Money?

Re Sparingly.

Because with Grease,  more is not always better, even Copper Grease.

and its just on as a barrier for inhibiting dissimilar metal corrosion.

 

You do not want excess getting out and about and on discs, and do not lubricate Studs / Nuts, but that is a whole different story,

with loads of posts.

Do not google Lubed Studs or Lubed Nuts if in the Work Place.

This is what I do too. I normally take my wheels off at least once a year and so far a very thin coat of copper grease applied to the hub as above means they come off with no problem at all. A torque wrench is also vital IMO. There's very often ones selling in either Aldi or Lidl for around £20 which is a lot less than I paid for mine 20 odd years ago!

When you buy your torque wrench always remember to remove any tension and set it to 0NM after every use.