Caution: If penetrating oil gets on the vertical surfaces between the wheel and the rotor or drum it could cause the wheel to work loose as the vehicle is driven, resulting in loss of control and an injury accident.
Notice: Never use heat to loosen a tight wheel. It can shorten the life of the wheel, studs, or hub and bearing assemblies. Wheel nuts must be tightened in sequence and to the specified torque to avoid bending the wheel or rotor.
Penetrating oil is not effective in removing tight wheels. However, if used, apply the penetrating oil sparingly to the hub surface only.
Excessive force, such as hammering the wheel or the tire, may cause damage. Lightly tap the tire sidewall with a rubber mallet.
Sometimes wheels can be difficult to remove from the vehicle due to foreign material or a tight fit between the wheel center hole and the hub or rotor. Use the following procedure to safely remove the wheel:
Caution: Before installing the wheels, remove any buildup of corrosion on the wheel mounting surface and brake drum or disc mounting surface by scraping and wire brushing. Installing wheels with poor metal-to-metal contact at the mounting surfaces can cause wheel nuts to loosen. This can cause a wheel to come off when the vehicle is moving, causing loss of control and possibly personal injury.
• | The wheel nuts |
• | The studs |
• | The wheel |
• | The rotor mounting surfaces |
Caution: Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. Tighten the wheel nuts with your fingers until they are snug. Then, tighten the nuts (in the sequence shown) to the fastener tightening specification shown in Specifications in this Section. Improperly tightened wheel nuts could eventually allow the wheel to come off while the vehicle is moving, possibly causing loss of control, personal injury, and property damage.
Notice: Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.
Tighten
Tighten the wheel nuts in sequence to 140 N·m (100 lb ft).