Coupe - Cannot remove rear wheel - unusual disk wear

Haggispeed · Post by **Haggispeed** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 11:37

Sounds daft this I know but I need to get one of the rear wheels off as I'm not happy about the brake wear, (it seems only part of the disk is being used, maybe something embedded in the pad?) Anyway undid all the wheel bolts yesterday but the wheel is very firmly stuck on, I'm no stranger at working on cars as I prepare race cars but this seemed to me to be locked on in some way not just stuck on the centre hub, don't want to whack it too hard (as it's still under warranty). Checking the handbook that mentions "special accessories" from your BMW dealer for changing wheels, what's that all about....
If someone can confirm for me there is nothing special going on here and it's just stuck on the hub then I'd be grateful for the confidence to try a little harder....

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 11:40

Try harder, I usually sit on the floor and kick with both feet

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 12:02

I agree its probably just being stubborn.

I've seen the guys changing HGV tyres using massive mallets and taking a run up

Cloz · Post by **Cloz** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 12:45

Before you put the wheels on, put a little bit of white grease it will be easier to do the next time.
Cloz

estocks · Post by **estocks** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 12:53

If the brake has been binding the heat could have caused it to get stuck on. Get out your biggest "persuader".

henrycrun · Post by **henrycrun** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 13:08

can you put 2 studs back in just loose, and then drive slowly back and forth a little ?

Haggispeed · Post by **Haggispeed** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 13:25

thanks guys, that confirms there's no other locking mechanism, I have seen systems that have a locking pin into the wheel centre hub. S here comes the extra large rubber mallet

and I won't be driving it on two studs, not even an inch !
As for the brake wear, I think something is embedded in the pad, I'm only getting wear in centre of the disk and there's a very light scraping noise when breaking gently and it's quiet outside.
Checked with BMW dealer and it's not covered under warranty

PVR · Post by **PVR** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 13:35

I generally use a piece of wood against the inside of the wheel and use a sledge hammer to get them off.

I now use wheelmates on them so they no longer fuse on.

PhoenixCoupe · Post by **PhoenixCoupe** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 13:46

I use the 'garythefish' approach. Good boot from the inside, slight spin of the wheel, another boot, repeat until it falls off. You may want someone to catch it as it comes off, or at least control it as it does.

Post by **Robert T** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 14:18

Haggispeed wrote:S here comes the extra large rubber mallet

You should try spinners then. My other car was even supplied with a rubber mallet in the toolkit. The tyre place asked me to take 'em off and put 'em back on.

Don't forget to use a little copper grease on 'em once you get 'em off, then you won't have to hit it so hard next time.

Cheers R.

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 14:22

Excuse my ignorance but what are "wheel mates" and "spinners"?

I always copper grease the flat surface of the hub but usually it still requires rubber mallet persuasion to get the wheels off.

PhoenixCoupe · Post by **PhoenixCoupe** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 14:35

Spinners are the big wingnuts that used to feature on wheels.

PVR · Post by **PVR** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 15:34

Wheel mates are thin disks that you put in between the wheel and the hub, and as it is not metal, it ensures that the wheels do not make contact and cease.

I paid £25 for mine including shipping from the US.

http://www.autogeek.net/kwwm.html

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 15:49

Phoenixcoupe wrote: Spinners are the big wingnuts that used to feature on wheels.

Thanks

I read it in the context of an accessory rather than realsing RobertT's vintage car associated reference - it is Monday!

PVR wrote:Wheel mates are thin disks that you put in between the wheel and the hub, and as it is not metal, it ensures that the wheels do not make contact and cease http://www.autogeek.net/kwwm.html

Thanks again - kind of like paper copper grease then

PhoenixCoupe · Post by **PhoenixCoupe** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 07:31

Did you think he'd been pimping his ride so to speak?

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 07:40

PhoenixCoupe wrote:Did you think he'd been pimping his ride so to speak?

The concept of Hummer wheels sporting big chrome dustbin lids on an Froggy did cross my mind.......
How about it RobertT ?

Post by **Robert T** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 08:44

Well I did post this link up a while ago.

Not sure that the wheelarches have the clearance for hummer wheels, but madder things have been done - there is currently a discussion about starting a drag racing group on the AH forum - one guy has a V8 100 and another a V8 frogeye.

Cheers R.

Mouldy · Post by **Mouldy** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 11:25

PVR wrote:Wheel mates are thin disks that you put in between the wheel and the hub, and as it is not metal, it ensures that the wheels do not make contact and cease.

I paid £25 for mine including shipping from the US.

http://www.autogeek.net/kwwm.html

A thin smear of Copperslip will do the same thing and save some money, too!

PVR · Post by **PVR** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 11:34

Nope, it does not.

I use coppergrease on my other cars and it will still stick. The Wheelmate is the only thing that really works.

Mouldy · Post by **Mouldy** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 13:59

Works for me!!

Mike Fishwick · Post by **Mike Fishwick** » Fri 12 Mar, 2010 13:14

Back to the problem chaps - he can't get the wheel OFF!

It's common on neglected cars such as BMWs with not spare, and the simple answer is to heat the wheel bu slowly pouring a kettle or two of boiling water over the centre of the wheel, after wrapping it in a towel to retain the hot water.

After the second kettleful it will usually come off without difficulty. Then clean the hub spigot and the wheel centre, before coating them lightly with Copa-Slipor similar.

All you have to do then is to repeat the treatment on the other wheels!

PS: The spelling for a brake is DISC! We haven't become full Americans yet . . .

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 12 Mar, 2010 16:07

The OP has probably got the wheel off now, it was back in September

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 12 Mar, 2010 16:08

Double post

PVR · Post by **PVR** » Fri 12 Mar, 2010 16:09

It is a slow day in France

Mike Fishwick · Post by **Mike Fishwick** » Fri 12 Mar, 2010 16:17

Yes, a very slow day - I've been going around our B&Q equivalents, and the local builders merchant, trying to get a load of plumbing bits tigether. Les Francais do not restock before they run out of stock, so it's a matter of seeing who has whatever you want!

I don't often look at the Z4 Forums, but just could not resist a replay, however late. This chap seems to be blaming his unfortunate ofspring for having to sell his car, and BMW Finance for simply keeping totheeir part of the deal he entered into of his own will!

The number of businessmen and reps I met who whined about having to pay additional tax for their free car every couple of years always amazed me - how did they think we ordinary folk managed?

Still, these people do at least provide us with a good pool of slightly used BMWs we can buy at a good discount frm the new price!

Haggispeed · Post by **Haggispeed** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 18:15

Well yes I did get the wheel off, with a large rubber mallet !!. A very common problem according to my local tyre fitter ( a proper fitter not a tyre monkey, I trust them to fit the tyres to my race car !)
So cleaned and dealt with now.
However the original issue that I wanted to get the wheel off for continues, that is uneven wear on the pads and disks, and it has now spread to one of the fronts. No foreign bodies in the pads.
I wouldn't say the car gets negleted at all, it is kept outside and it didn't get used in all that snow in January (alhough it may have been entertaining....) it doesn't get used everyday but two or three times a week. It's just had it's first service and the mech said I'm probably not hard enough on the brakes....

pdwarren · Post by **pdwarren** » Mon 15 Mar, 2010 21:07

Haggispeed wrote:mech said I'm probably not hard enough on the brakes....

That's what I've heard too. Once it starts, it won't get better as the corroded part of the disc wears the pads faster than the smooth part.

If the discs have picked up coating of corrosion since the last journey, I always try to ensure that they're properly clean by the end of the journey with a few moderately hard stops.

Paul

Haggispeed · Post by **Haggispeed** » Tue 16 Mar, 2010 10:04

Yep that's pretty much what it's down too I guess, get a little heat into them then a few hard(ish) long brakes should clean them up nicely.

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Wed 17 Mar, 2010 09:43

There is a post by SiWilson regarding bedding in pads and discs. I know yours aren't new but the same process will help

I did a search for Si's post and came up with these two suggestions

Read this first http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_wa ... disk.shtml

Then do this http://zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

Mike Fishwick · Post by **Mike Fishwick** » Sat 20 Mar, 2010 12:49

Lots of owners spend lots of money and time polishing their cars, but very few - particualrly owners of recent cars - ever think about taking wheels off in order to grease the mounting spigots and attachment bolts. It is therefore inevitable that sooner or later they find they cannot remove the wheels. I would call that the result of neglect!

Of course, their excuse - if they ever thought about it - would probably be that if BMW in their corporate wisdom do not grease such items, who are they to do so? Of course, they may even believe in the BMW M Mobility Kit - and probably Santa Claus too.

They may even belong to the group who make a virtue out of their own ignorance, but can solve any problem by use of a credit card and a mobile phone . . .

I know - I'm old-fashioned, but I prefer to change my own wheels and get going again, rather than wait at the side of the road for the AA etc to arrive.

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Sat 20 Mar, 2010 16:24

When I had the new alloys fitted earlier in the week the fronts were pretty stubborn to get off, required a good whack with a rubber mallet

Made sure the hub face was given a coating of coppergrease before the new wheels were fitted so hopefully shouldn't be a problem in future

Tim.

velocemax · Post by **velocemax** » Tue 24 Aug, 2010 13:28

I had a similar problem with one on the front's on mine the other day. Long story but, brake pedal went to the floor !! No accident fortunately, massive brake wear on one side of the front brakes, nothing on the other. The intense heat that was being generated on the problem side made it difficut get the wheel off. Like you, I have competition experience so a "very" firm boot got the wheel off ! The problem was a brake pad that was stuck on the one side of the car, causing massive wear on the oppisite side. Having talked to a BMW expert, he tells me that up to about 1999 BMW service used to take the pads out on inspection, clean them up and put them back. They don't do it anymore. Steam cleaners and power washers can strip any copperslip or other grease that has been put on to the locating lugs on the pads and sticking can occurr. Mine only needed new pads. The disk "run out" was fine. Whilst I had calipers off I reconditioned them and put in aeroquip hoses and fitted "redstuff". It now stops properly !!

Pete.

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Coupe - Cannot remove rear wheel - unusual disk wear

Coupe - Cannot remove rear wheel - unusual disk wear

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