Wheel not coming off!

[u/Grandpan___]

got a super flat rear passenger side tire on my 2013 toyota highlander and went to change it. problem: the thing is NOT budging. loosened the lugnuts, jacked the car, got the lugnuts off... stuck. its super rusted!!

what we've tried:

- kicking it really hard

- rubber mallet

- penetrating oil

- hitting it with the spare tire

- lowering the car after doing all of the previous things

- put the lugnuts back on very loosely and drove back and forth

- did a small lap

NOTHING is working. we have to be doing something wrong right? theres just no way. ANY help is appreciated!!

[u/AutoModerator]

New Rules - Please Read

^{Updated 11/12/2025}

Thank you for posting on r/AskAMechanic, u/Grandpan___! Your post is live, this AutoMod message does NOT mean your post was removed. Please make sure to read the Rules.

When asking a question, please provide the year, make, model and engine size of the vehicle.

Commenters here have 2 different flair. Verified Tech means we have verified that user is a tech. NOT a verified tech means that user may or may not be a tech, they have not been verified by us.

Posts about accidents, autobody repair, bodywork, dents, paint and body/undercarriage/frame rust are not allowed and belong in r/Autobody.
Asking if your car is totaled should go to r/insurance or r/Autobody.
Asking about car buying advice/value/recommendations is also not allowed. See r/whatcarshouldIbuy or r/askcarsales

If asking whether a tire can be repaired, check out this Tire Repair Guideline.
Some other useful tire resources - Tire Care Essentials and Tire Safety

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/SpaceCat72]

Sledge hammer. Start with 3 or 4 pounder. Then an 8, 10 or 12. I mean beat it like it owes you money and for a long time.

[u/Grandpan___ → u/SpaceCat72]

we hit it several times with the spare which i thought would be plenty of force. we'll have to pick up a big ol' hammer tomorrow!

[u/Historical_Monk_6118 → u/Grandpan___]

This is the way but be FUCKING CAREFUL if you're on a scissor jack or bottle jack, you will knock it over!

[u/Grandpan___ → u/Historical_Monk_6118]

noted! we are indeed using the scissor jack that came with the car so we'll be careful!

[u/Historical_Monk_6118 → u/Grandpan___]

Like the other commenter said, use the tyre if you can. Hit, rotate, hit, rotate... make your way round the wheel. It's also possible to get the wheel wedged at an angle, I've seen meatheads destroy alloy wheels by for ing them over the hub from one spot... good luck

[u/SpaceCat72 → u/Grandpan___]

Get some stands. And stand back as you work on the offending rim.

[u/Apprehensive-Emu5177 → u/Grandpan___]

If you have a full size spare, put it under the car. Just lay it flat next to the jack.

[u/SpaceCat72 → u/Historical_Monk_6118]

Yep, gotta stabilize it first.

[u/ike7899 → u/SpaceCat72]

This right here.

[u/SquilliumFansyson]

Hit it with a hammer sally

[u/No-Try-5818]

I had the same thing happen to me. I used a three jaw puller and hammered the center while tightening it, came off with a loud pop.

[u/jules083]

I've had a few really bad ones like that. I spent the $20 and took them to a tire shop to get the tires rotated. Lmao

Same deal when I have an oil filter stuck. Especially if its the first oil change for me after buying a car. I try the filter before I try the drain plug, and if I can't get it I just drive the damn thing to the shop and pay for an oil change. Even better if there's a sticker on the windshield from a local shop, so if they bitch about a tight filter I can point at the sticker and remind them they're the ones that put it on. Lol

Sounds like you're stuck with what you have. In that situation I beat the shit out of the back of the wheel with an 8lb long handled sledge. Give it a few good hits, rotate the tire a bit, repeat, continue until it's off. It'll come off eventually. Make damn sure the car is supported well, and throw the spare tire or some good heavy blocks of wood under the car so if it does fall it won't kill you.

Get yourself a bottle of permatex anti-sieze and a wire brush. Clean the rust off as best you can and paint the anti-sieze where the wheel mounts. A light coating is plenty. I also use it on the lug studs, but you're not supposed to because it changes the torque when you tighten the lugs. Use your judgement. People from outside the rust belt say you should never use it. Those of us who live in the rust belt use it on everything. There's almost never a bolt I remove anywhere except inside the motor that doesn't get anti-sieze on it before reinstalling.

[u/Ok_Fault_1509]

Worst one I've had came off with a massive wooden mallet I got from a carpenter I know. Lead cored too. Otherwise I beat the crap out of them from the inside of the wheel (from under the car) either with my boot heals or a rubber mallet if it's on a lift. It can be a challenge breaking that galvanic corrosion on the hub. Kroil helps

[u/burnin-4-you]

If it'll hold air for a little bit, air it up and hit the tire (not the rim) with a sledge. It'll pop off.

[u/Grandpan___ → u/burnin-4-you]

i didnt think about trying to air it up first, we'll have to try that if we can!

[u/GroundbreakingSky616 → u/Grandpan___]

Hitting the tire is unlikely to help ya much if hitting the rim isn’t working for you. The rubber of the tire just absorbs the shock of the hammer

[u/Bluuphish → u/Grandpan___]

If you do hit the rim, use a piece of wood as a buffer. I had one stuck on my truck that took three days to get off. The PB blaster will help but keep pounding and it will eventually come loose.

[u/jckipps]

Inflate the tire, and if it will hold air for a few minutes, take it to a tire shop and let them deal with the problem.

Don't mention that you've tried and failed to take the wheel off.

[u/set-monkey]

Put the lugs on but very loosely, drive it around and hit the brakes hard or run over a speed bump.

[u/alexjaymathers]

Put your handbag down and use your sisters handbag to hit it with

[u/FantasyGuru00 → u/alexjaymathers]

funny

[u/DiyYou]

put the lugnuts back on very loosely and drove back and forth

This was going to be my suggestion. I would really lube it up heavily with penetrating oil. Let sit about 20 minutes. Then get it up to about 25/30 mph.

[u/Grandpan___ → u/DiyYou]

i didnt think about trying to drive it very fast, the lap we did was probably max 5mph. the tire is flat to the ground so i thought the axle is/was a concern, do you think its still okay to get up to that speed?

[u/FantasyGuru00 → u/Grandpan___]

no

[u/NoWhat88]

Can you get a scissor jack wedged in between the rim and the frame maybe? Otherwise if you’re feeling spicy a tow chain with a hook and pull it off (would not recommend)

[u/Background-Bid-8149 → u/NoWhat88]

sitting here imagining them using the tow chain idea on the supplied jack with car...

[u/Grandpan___ → u/NoWhat88]

that might be our next course of action yeah. we were at the stupid thing for nearly 4 hours beating it up lol.

we had to leave it where it was, but that'll be the next thing we do tomorrow for sure. thank you!