Help - Stuck Aluminum Front Wheel on '93 4Runner

[4Cruisers]

I've tried all the tricks in the book, one of which has always worked on my Silverado 2500HD, and nothing works. So I'm going to try a little more brute force.

I have a large Craftsman two-jaw puller attached to the back side of the wheel, with my 2-1/8" 3/4" drive hub socket over the axle hub. The socket clears the hub bolts and the sheet metal cover over the axle end. The worst thing that could happen is that I damage or break the wheel itself. I can live with that.

The wheel stud holes and perimeter of the hub have been soaking in PB Blaster since yesterday, but that hasn't helped.

Before I go back out in the driveway and start cranking away at the puller, is there anything else I can try? I'm thinking of tightening the puller quite a bit, then rotating it 90 degrees and tightening the puller again - rinse and repeat.

 

[gnob]

not 100% sure what you are asking.

have you tried hanging from the rig and kicking it off?
bigger bfh?
i don't really see a jaw puller being super useful.

maybe pull the whole wheel hub and caliper, then deal off the car.

 

[msahr]

Lower the tire onto the ground. All the lugnuts removed. Some kind of big block of wood or a floor jack under the axle a few inches below it when the tires are on the ground. Start the engine and turn the wheel back and forth. Several times. Listen for the clunk. That should break it loose.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Also another option, get puller under tension, heat, let it cool and repeat. Add PB blaster each time. See if tension finally gets it separated.

 

[4Cruisers]

Lower the tire onto the ground. All the lugnuts removed. Some kind of big block of wood or a floor jack under the axle a few inches below it when the tires are on the ground. Start the engine and turn the wheel back and forth. Several times. Listen for the clunk. That should break it loose.

Basically using the power steering to help break it free, right? I read something to that effect, but without specifics on how to do it. Thanks.

 

[msahr]

Basically using the power steering to help break it free, right? I read something to that effect, but without specifics on how to do it. Thanks.

Yes. Just be careful. I've done this before with alloys that seemed welded to the hub. No amount of PB blaster, pry bars, yelling, etc would do it. The turn the wheel method worked right away, took just a few seconds. Also lower the pressure in that tire so there's more force being applied.

 

[4Cruisers]

Also another option, get puller under tension, heat, let it cool and repeat. Add PB blaster each time. See if tension finally gets it separated.

I'll try that first since it's already set up.

 

[msahr]

Also another option, get puller under tension, heat, let it cool and repeat. Add PB blaster each time. See if tension finally gets it separated.

Or just do the steering method and save all the other drama. Seriously I had some 8x10 centerlines on a 86 4x4 pickup that had sat forever. When I mean nothing I mean absolutely nothing worked to get the chemical attraction broken between the steel and the aluminum other than the steering method. Good luck!

 

[4Cruisers]

I tried the steering method, but it rained just before I started and the concrete driveway is wet and slick. I have to let it try out, then try again with even less air in the tire.

 

[toy_tek]

I always used to paint antiseize on the hub face to prevent that.

 

[4Cruisers]

Success! After trying the steering method, I had raised the frame to get the tire off the concrete to see if it had worked - no dice! But I just went out and lowered the floor jack to put the vehicle weight back on the wheel. I decided to lift the tire back up off the concrete and try to remove the wheel again. It seemed like it was looser, so I re-installed the puller and was able to pull the wheel off.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Pics of said rust. Yawn!

 

[4Cruisers]

Second front wheel is off. It took a combination of the steering method and puller, with liberal soaking overnight and this morning with PB Blaster.

Photos of the wheel and hub coming.

Unfortunately for the rear wheels the steering method won't work. I'll report back on that later today.

 

[gnob]

Second front wheel is off. It took a combination of the steering method and puller, with liberal soaking overnight and this morning with PB Blaster.

Photos of the wheel and hub coming.

Unfortunately for the rear wheels the steering method won't work. I'll report back on that later today.

it will. back the lugs off a turn or two. move back and forth slowly until they pop.

 

[msahr]

Second front wheel is off. It took a combination of the steering method and puller, with liberal soaking overnight and this morning with PB Blaster.

Photos of the wheel and hub coming.

Unfortunately for the rear wheels the steering method won't work. I'll report back on that later today.

With all the lugnuts removed, move the truck back and forth and side to side.

 

[4Cruisers]

Photos:

 

[4Cruisers]

Rear wheels came of in a few minutes each using the 6-5-5 method.

- Remove 6 lug nuts

- Soak in PB Blaster for 5 hours

- Set up, tighten puller, remove wheel - takes about five minutes

The rear wheels come off much easier because there is a lot less hub-to-wheel opening surface area with the design of the 4Runner aluminum wheels.