Mounted wrong size wheels - they’re now permanently stuck to the car. Disaster [resolved]

[brancky3]

I’m confused. All four are stuck on? That little lip shouldn’t matter too much because the center bore of your wheels should be flared on the end to be hub centric.

 

[martyb126]

I’m confused. All four are stuck on? That little lip shouldn’t matter too much because the center bore of your wheels should be flared on the end to be hub centric.

Yup they’re all stuck. Maybe there something I’m missing they isn’t the lip or the center bore, but no clue

 

[martyb126]

You won't need to removed the center cap. Look at your wheel, take a photo through the spoke from a foot or so back, facing the center of your brake rotor where the wheel seats to the rotor (hat).

I suspect that you live in an area where road salt / grime has caused the wheels to friction fit. I'd also suspect that the shops you dealt with don't want the liability. Next shop, I'd offer to sign the work order with any sort of 'liability waiver' that the shop is comfortable with.

I assume the wheels you have are meant for all 3's, which would track for cost effective model 3 specific wheels. And your comment about them mounting fine. You'd absolutely know if the wheels were not flush against the brake rotor hat.

To be funny, you could always joke with the workers to "hit it (harder) with their purse (sledge hammer)".

Attaching photos. The wheels are sitting flush to the hat. With a heat gun and some elbow grease I got about a mm of wiggle, but the wheel still won’t come off.

 

[martyb126]

Attaching photos. The wheels are sitting flush to the hat. With a heat gun and some elbow grease I got about a mm of wiggle, but the wheel still won’t come off. View attachment 874126

 

[DOOLMTR]

Yikes I’ve seen videos of guys using a grinder to cut the spokes off the wheels before. Then you’ll have room to cut a slot into the wheel hub and pry it open radially.

There’s not enough room with the wheel on to remove the 3 18mm wheel bearing bolts I don’t think.

 

[XPsionic]

There are lots of ideas on YouTube about seized wheels. Putting a solid object as a wedge below the inside edge of a tire and lowering the car onto it, using a tree stump as battling ram, backing off the nuts 1 turn then driving the car a bit with some steering input.

I still like the bearing puller idea the best. If you could move the wheel 1mm then that means you will be able to get it off.

 

[buckets0fun]

Attaching photos. The wheels are sitting flush to the hat. With a heat gun and some elbow grease I got about a mm of wiggle, but the wheel still won’t come off.

If you’re able to get any wiggle, keep at it, it will come off.

Thanks for all of your ideas. I definitely like the idea of the gear puller. I’m not sure the wheels will have best spot to place those hooks, and I’m concerned that the hooks are just going to eat through the rim with them touching such a small surface area of the wheel, though.

Park next to something you can wrap heavy duty ratchet straps around
attach hooks on straps to the wheel spokes
undo lug nuts
heat the wheel with heatgun/device you’re comfortable using to shove heat into the hub face
crank the straps until that wheel starts moving.

Really sounds like you’ve got a friction fit due to wheel coating and/or corrosion from winter.

 

[martyb126]

There are lots of ideas on YouTube about seized wheels. Putting a solid object as a wedge below the inside edge of a tire and lowering the car onto it, using a tree stump as battling ram, backing off the nuts 1 turn then driving the car a bit with some steering input.

I still like the bearing puller idea the best. If you could move the wheel 1mm then that means you will be able to get it off.

Tried loading into a wedge. Tried the gear puller. The wheel doesn’t allow for the best gripping on all 3 hooks, but I got it to grab and cranked an ungodly amount of force and nothing. I have about a mm of space generated, but no matter what or how many times I do it, it just won’t wiggle off. It seems to be completely mechanically seized.

 

[martyb126]

If you’re able to get any wiggle, keep at it, it will come off.


Park next to something you can wrap heavy duty ratchet straps around
attach hooks on straps to the wheel spokes
undo lug nuts
heat the wheel with heatgun/device you’re comfortable using to shove heat into the hub face
crank the straps until that wheel starts moving.

Really sounds like you’ve got a friction fit due to wheel coating and/or corrosion from winter.

I’ve considered attaching straps to another vehicle and trying to pull. I’m confident at this point that it would just drag the car off the jack. Something has caused it to completely attach. I would say corrosion and winter is possible, but the car has been driven ~50 miles in this condition and we haven’t any snow/salt yet on that roads. And the first time they were stuck had about 10 miles and no weather at all. I think by tightening the lugs the first time, I’ve deformed some metal either in the brake hub or the wheel to become completely attached.

 

[XPsionic]

Man I feel so bad for you. I remember how hopeless it felt when my winter wheel seized on and it took me 2 hours to get it off. I can just imagine how you're feeling now trying all kinds of things.

If nothing works, contact body repair shops? They always have solid posts and pulleys for pulling frames straight and should be able to pull on wheels to get them off.

 

[TacoSteve]

@martyb126 Here's something you could do if they will not come off. This would suck but it could be done. You should be able to remove the 3 bolts that hold the wheel bearing in the upright and keep your puller attached the way it is. You'll also have to pull the brake rotor and caliper along with it, so you'll need to remove the two bolts holding the caliper and disconnect the brake line. Once its off you should be able to take the wheel to a shop with a press to push the hub out of the wheel. This would be the last resort but it should work.

Have you tried lots of heat on the wheel? You probably need to get it over 200 degrees before the metal will start to expand enough.

 

[oreobbq]

I’ve considered attaching straps to another vehicle and trying to pull. I’m confident at this point that it would just drag the car off the jack. Something has caused it to completely attach. I would say corrosion and winter is possible, but the car has been driven ~50 miles in this condition and we haven’t any snow/salt yet on that roads. And the first time they were stuck had about 10 miles and no weather at all. I think by tightening the lugs the first time, I’ve deformed some metal either in the brake hub or the wheel to become completely attached.

Pulling with another vehicle is probably not the safest idea. Even if you kept the car on the ground and the lug nuts screwed partially on the stud, there's a chance the wheel can dislodge with force. And then to do it four times.. I mean if it works for one wheel I might try it lol. Best bet would be to find some other shops. Tried hammering the gear puller?

 

[TacoSteve]

Oh and the reason they are stuck is not because of the wrong bore size but the fact that the Performance has an additional lip at the base of the bore. Most wheels marketed towards tesla's will have these milled steps in the hub but apparently yours do not.

 

[David.85D]

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I love this stuff. Cool chemistry. Aluminum nano particles in a spray. Reduces iron oxide when heated. Aluminum turns into aluminum oxide and helps scrub the braking surface.

 

[martyb126]

Man I feel so bad for you. I remember how hopeless it felt when my winter wheel seized on and it took me 2 hours to get it off. I can just imagine how you're feeling now trying all kinds of things.

If nothing works, contact body repair shops? They always have solid posts and pulleys for pulling frames straight and should be able to pull on wheels to get them off.

Yup sounds about right. I’m at 10 hours invested at this point and have nothing to show for it. Already had 3 shops try and say sorry no luck. Had 10 others say no way I’ll try

 

[martyb126]

A blowtorch seemed to work the best so far. I’m getting 2-3mm of wiggle at this point, which is the most I’ve seen. Now I’m going nuts trying to figure why I can get this movement but it won’t come off. It seems like enough movement where it should pop off, but nothing.

 

[dsgerbc]

TBH, I'd be happy the wheels didn't fall off on you while driving on a highway.
IF you have movement, a BFH should help convince the wheel to come off.
My guess is that after these come off you will at the very least need 20 new lug bolts.

 

[XPsionic]

TBH, I'd be happy the wheels didn't fall off on you while driving on a highway.
IF you have movement, a BFH should help convince the wheel to come off.
My guess is that after these come off you will at the very least need 20 new lug bolts.

You're right, a big hammer will be able to get it off if it wiggles. Try that or a big piece of wood that gives you more momentum. If it wiggles it'll come off.

I think the wheels have plastic deformation around the hub and op is literally trying to destroy the deformed metal to get it off.

I'd try to use the bearing puller and then hammer, alternate between the two.

 

[martyb126]

You're right, a big hammer will be able to get it off if it wiggles. Try that or a big piece of wood that gives you more momentum. If it wiggles it'll come off.

I think the wheels have plastic deformation around the hub and op is literally trying to destroy the deformed metal to get it off.

I'd try to use the bearing puller and then hammer, alternate between the two.

I agree that some metal has deformed and I’m trying to brute force it off. I also generally agree with the sentiment that if it wiggles then it came come off, but at this point I have tried sledge hammers, crowbars, the gear puller with a 6 foot breaker and the wheel is not coming off.

Last idea I have is to get an angle grinder and cut the spokes off and then try to carefully cut into the center of the wheel and try not to damage the hub. Not incredibly excited to give this a shot, though.

 

[martyb126]

TBH, I'd be happy the wheels didn't fall off on you while driving on a highway.
IF you have movement, a BFH should help convince the wheel to come off.
My guess is that after these come off you will at the very least need 20 new lug bolts.

This is the one thing I’m not concerned about even in the slightest. There is nothing unsafe at this point with these wheels on the car. I am fairly confident I could take all the lug nuts off this car and drive on the highway and the wheels wouldn’t budge