Need help removing the wheel
 

So I've got a flat tire, and I can't get it off to put the spare tire on. I removed the lug nuts and the clip on cap to the wheel, but if I pull the tire doesn't come off it just moves the entire car. Is there a trick? Am I missing something? or should I just keep applying force (which never seems to work out right)

Maybe it could be that the steel wheel has rusted to the brake rotor? try spraying some "freeze off" or something similar between the rotor and the wheel and pull hard

have you ever removed this wheel before?

I cant really think of much else that could be holding it :confused:

If it's a rear tire/wheel, is the parking brake off?

At this point you should probably raise the car and put it on jack stands.
sometimes the wheel corrodes to the axle, and spraying and hitting with a mallot, just make sure the car is securedly lifted.

It's a rear wheel, passenger side. The parking brake is off. Should it be on?
I've tried everything I have to get it off. Even smacked on it with a rubber mallet. I only have one idea left and that's to use the lawnmower and a chain to see if I can pull it off... And that sounds like a terrible idea...

Edit: mespe, your post is exactly what I just did! I have it on jack stands and sprayed it and hit it with a mallot. Not even the slightest budge

Hit it harder

I figured out the trick. I went back to banging it and got nothing. Then I grabbed a claw hammer and put it through the gap in the wheel, and basically just stood up and squatted the hammer/tire. Popped off like butter. I'm sure beating it with a mallot helped loosen it, but it wasn't enough for it to budge. But it was enough to make using a claw hammer able to pry it off (hence, a pry bar would also probably work).

Loosen the lug bolts 3-4 turns. Drive the car a few feet and stomp on the brakes. Repeat in opposite direction as necessary. No special tools required. If possible, reinflate tire, however temporarily.

Should it be?

Hmm...
I don't think I'd recommend this many turns... I'm more of the mind of 1/4 -3/4 of a single turn. all that's needed is slight gap to get the wheel loose from the face of the wheel.
3-4 turns is unlikely to cause damage, but it's also not necessary, and some of the shorter bolts could be really close to out at 4 turns...
I would not want the wheel to clear the center hub, just break up the corrosion that's holding it there.

That's a good point. Anyone driving the special edition W123 with short lug bolts would be advised to take note.

Yes, the parking brake should be off if you want to remove the wheel once the car is lifted up.

It's (parking brake) job is to hold the wheel in place via a drum shoe affair located inside the rotor hub.

Then is my 240 a special addition? as it has the shorter bolts. not sure what a special addition is. enlighten me with a splenation. :)
I want to special. :P

I have only seen one wheel rusted so bad it was like welded on. this was on a VW Rabbit PU probably 25 yrs ago. don`t remember how the guy got it off. we sure did a bunch of pounding and beatting on it.

Might be a good idea in the rust prown areas of the country, to apply a thin coat of Anti-seiz to the contact areas. any one think this might help with future removal of a wheel?


Charlie

What does the parking brake have to do with removing/retaining a wheel?

Wheels held on by parking brakes!!! What will they think of next?

Absolutely nothing.

Ask vstech. According to him, some W123's have lug bolts so short that they barely have four threads engaged. (Maybe they are "steel wheel" bolts (not to be confused with "steel" wheel bolts) used with alloy wheels, which is a problem all its own.)

From where I am sitting, I can't quite tell how long your lug bolts are. Maybe you could enlighten me.