This last week, after a few long distance journeys, I decided to remove the wheels to check the inner surfaces and clean and polish them. A bit anal I know. They have not been removed from the vehicle, since new in late 2016. This was not as easy as it should have been. They were well and truly stuck fast to the wheel hubs, on all four. This was obviously due to slight corrosion, between the dissimilar metals of the cast iron hub, and the alloy wheel. After much effort (stamping on the tyre edges) they came free. Oxidised discolouration, could be easily seen on the inner wheel locating point. I cleaned the surface with a non abrasive cleaner (WD40). and then applied a very slight amount of silicone grease, to the same contact points. After offering the wheel back onto the hub, which is not easy, as there is no locating studs, to catch the wheel when offered up. And only approx 5mm of mounting ledge protruding from the hub, for the wheel to sit on. I then rotated the wheel, through 360 deg's several times, until feeling that the wheel rotated freely. Then replaced it. What made it easier was that I only lifted the vehicle, so that each wheel was only 15mm from the ground, which made it far easier to lift off and back on.
I thought it would be easier to remove the wheels, and deal with the issue, at the comfort of home, instead of having to fight with them, at the side of a busy road, at night in the pouring rain, should the need arise.
I thought it would be easier to remove the wheels, and deal with the issue, at the comfort of home, instead of having to fight with them, at the side of a busy road, at night in the pouring rain, should the need arise.
