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HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:38 pm
by loftfind
Yello... think I'm being a bit thick here, just picked up an original optima from a car boot sale for crimally low cash.. it came 3rd in the scottish finals in the 1980's according to paperwork enclosed so you could say I'm a bit pleased with mhyself.... anyhoo..

I can't get the wheels off once I've taken the whell nuts off (feels like they been stuck on).. any ideas as feels like I'm going to pull the swing arms off tugging at them very hard.. :oops:

Cheers in advance.
Lofty

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:13 am
by mugenbulldog
Remove dog bones, put end of a flat head screwdriver, or a thick Allen wrench in there, unscrew wheel to break loose. If you have universals you can accomplish the same at the diff, but too much force can break the universal.

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:42 pm
by Jay Dub
Are the wheels plastic or aluminum?

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:29 pm
by shodog
Stock wheels are plastic

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:11 pm
by Coelacanth
That's odd, I've never had plastic Optima wheels stuck to the 12mm hex drives...

The hex drives sticking onto the tapered axles, that's another matter...on some occasions, those can be real difficult to remove from the axles.

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:40 pm
by shodog
Most likely the wheels have been tightened on so hard that it has crushed the plastic around the axle hole. Have you tried a penetrating lubricant anound the axle/ wheel interface?

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:59 pm
by loftfind
Cheers guys, much appreciated.. I'll add fluid, take the driveshafts out and push from other side..
lofty

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:37 pm
by Jay Dub
Take drive shaft out and push from the other side? It may help to post a few pics. -Jeff

Re: HELP !?!? - Optima sticky wheels

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 5:44 pm
by loftfind
SWEET!.. thanks for advice.. some numpty had covered everything in thread-lock (including where wheel meets axle).. managed to shock them out from the other side... got brand spanking new sand super's on.. looks great.. will post pics, ta :wink: