Posts: 2,418
Threads: 122
Joined: Dec 2015
Went to Costco yesterday and asked to have my tires rotated, balanced, filled. This service is included with the purchase price for the life of the tires.
Today (separate story) I am trying to change one of the rear tires and it is completely stuck on the rim. All lug nuts are off, obviously. I've banged on it as hard as I can with a rubber mallet. I can't put too much force on it because its on the chintzy jack. I then tried the other rear tire, same story.
My question for the peanut gallery here: is it even possible that this stuck condition followed a complete removal of the tires yesterday?
A quick search found all sorts of advice and stories about stuck rims (this one is great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2bqw46L_tA) but I'm pretty sure they get stuck by rust and other crap over long periods. I'm thinking that my tires were in fact not rotated. Thoughts?
Posts: 26,413
Threads: 741
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
0
I think it's pretty likely that you are correct and that they did not bother rotating the tires. Take a look at how much brake dust is on each wheel...in general the fronts will have vastly more than the back. If that's still the case, then they definitely didn't do the rotation.
Last time I had this situation, the only thing that got the tires off was to get a long 4x4 and smack the wheels hard from the opposite side of the car. I would advise using a jackstand or something else solid rather than a jack if you do this.
Also, when you do finally get those off make sure to put antiseize on the hub to wheel contact surface to reduce your chances of this happening again.
Posts: 21,885
Threads: 1,109
Joined: Mar 2024
Reputation:
0
Been there too. Took a long handle sledge hammer and a 2x4 block to strike against before I got it off. Doubt they would go to that much trouble, would have been nice if they told you about it though.
Posts: 2,418
Threads: 122
Joined: Dec 2015
mikebw wrote:
Doubt they would go to that much trouble, would have been nice if they told you about it though.
The evidence seems clear that they didn't go to that trouble, but they do have a lot more resources to do it than I do with the chintzy jack in a one car garage (about 18 inches from car to wall). They installed the tires initially and advertise rotation, so I kind of feel like they HAVE to go to the trouble. We'll see.
Posts: 4,019
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2024
Reputation:
0
so costco didn't charge you anything for not doing anything and lying to you? You can certainly complain to them about that. What were you doing changing a tire days after rotating it (just curious really).
Posts: 68,324
Threads: 17,210
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
1
rimming can be exhausting.
_____________________________________
I reject your reality and substitute my own!
Posts: 54,612
Threads: 1,938
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
2
Mark your tires next time. I'd say get DOT numbers but sometimes they will be the same on multiple tires.
Posts: 5,275
Threads: 110
Joined: Dec 2024
Reputation:
0
Kick with force on the bottom-middle of the tire.
Posts: 10,594
Threads: 664
Joined: May 2025
Reputation:
0
You could put the lugnuts back on, loosen them 1/4 turn, drive the car at slow speed with at least one turn. It might break the rim free.
Posts: 31,028
Threads: 2,688
Joined: May 2025
leave one lug nut on the rim, loosened but not off.
lower jack SLOWLY and let weight of car move rim.
if you are nervous about this, you can use a jack stand as a "safety" by having it lower than the ground contact, but not so low as to have anything bad occur.
