Wheel Removal

**'13Phantomblack** · 11-20-2013 10:40 AM

So I wanted to put mud flaps on my car, but in order to do that I need to take off my Wheels. I got the 5 bolts off, but then theres the big center lock.... Do I need to take this off to get the wheel off? The tire won't budge otherwise. How do I get the wheel off?!

Please help!

Thanks in advance

2013 Audi A4

**AudiKerl** · 11-20-2013 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by '13Phantomblack

How do I get the wheel off?!

2013 Audi A4

**Skyler@Achtuning** · 11-20-2013 10:53 AM

That large nut is the axle bolt, do not undo it!

If you have all 5 lug bolts removed the wheel should be able to be removed quite easily, especially on a 2013 car. Given your location there may be some corrosion on the hub which can make things stick together.

Taking the nature of this post into consideration please be sure that the vehicle is properly jacked up and supported while working on the vehicle. The factory jack is absolutely not to be trusted on it's own.

**dennisA4** · 11-20-2013 10:57 AM

Good advice above. Make sure the car is properly supported.
You may need to spray some anti-sieze between the hub and the wheel. Then a couple swift kicks should knock it free.
Again, only if properly supported!!!

**Ajp428** · 11-20-2013 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by AudiKerl

^hahaha^ but yeah what they also said don't undo it just give it a little force if its stuck, kick the bottom part of the tire lightly while pulling the top toward you maybe if it wont budge. if all 5 nuts are out wheel is out just gotta take it off

**richardm0025** · 11-20-2013 11:06 AM

For the front, Id loosen (Just a tad, nothing crazy!) the lugs on the front wheels and then turn on the car and turn the wheels left and right. Then jack up the car and remove the bolts and the wheel should come right off.

For the rear, Id lift the car up and place a jackstand under it, remove bolts, and kick the tire a couple of times ;) !

**jesters22** · 11-20-2013 11:14 AM

is this a real thread?

**FuchsB** · 11-20-2013 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by jesters22

is this a real thread?

+1 my thoughts exactly. maybe next well get a how to get gas in the car thread...

**AWDLover** · 11-20-2013 11:25 AM

**MacFady** · 11-20-2013 11:26 AM

If this is for real, it probably needs to be re-iterated to follow the above advise about properly supporting your vehicle. Then give the wheel a good kick from behind and it should some off. I've had to use a gentle swing with a sledge hammer from behind on other vehicles but I live in eastern Canada, not Florida! Like they said above, on a 2013 I'm surprised it didn't just fall right off. If you do use a hammer, it should go without saying to try to make contact with the tire instead of the wheel.

**amz** · 11-20-2013 11:33 AM

While helping a friend, we used a sledge hammer and a 2x4 to knock stuck wheels off a camry. Put the piece of wood flat against the tire, knock the bottom with the sledge hammer and the wheel comes right off. Distributes the force across the bottom section of the tire (so it doesn't wreck your summer tire) and it protects your rims. First time I've seen that solution but it's a good one.

**TCHUN003** · 11-20-2013 11:50 AM

He probably forgot to jack the car...I'm being serious.

**Wilbur** · 11-20-2013 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by richardm0025

For the front, Id loosen (Just a tad, nothing crazy!) the lugs on the front wheels and then turn on the car and turn the wheels left and right. Then jack up the car and remove the bolts and the wheel should come right off.

For the rear, Id lift the car up and place a jackstand under it, remove bolts, and kick the tire a couple of times ;) !

as Seinfeld would say to Kramer "oh I like this idea, what could go wrong..."

**r6_11b8** · 11-20-2013 01:42 PM

you mean to tell me you can take off the wheels?!?!

**hender** · 11-20-2013 02:04 PM

Gonna stick my neck out here -- I tried to remove a wheel and even after kicking / hammering it, it wouldn't budge. I gave up. Turns out you gotta not be a nancy about it, but I wasn't all too comfortable given the shitty jack.

audi and hyundai disagreed on the lug nut / bolt argument, so it threw my original notion off. thought I was missing something (besides some masculinity, now found i think)

**smetch** · 11-21-2013 06:44 AM

had to use a rubber mallet and a quite of few hits to get off my wheels for the first time after picking it up.. have a 2010

**kongmw** · 11-21-2013 04:14 PM

Had a flat tire last Friday, not sure where to jack up the car and didn't have the owners manual with me, so I called audi roadside assistance who sent over some auto rescue dude.
turns out he could not for the life of him get the wheel off after taking off all lug nuts. He basically gave up and I had to tow it to the dealership at 3am.
I was told the second morning that I might have a wheel lock? so confused...

and yes, this is a serious post....

**Ajp428** · 11-21-2013 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by kongmw

Had a flat tire last Friday, not sure where to jack up the car and didn't have the owners manual with me, so I called audi roadside assistance who sent over some auto rescue dude.
turns out he could not for the life of him get the wheel off after taking off all lug nuts. He basically gave up and I had to tow it to the dealership at 3am.
I was told the second morning that I might have a wheel lock? so confused...

and yes, this is a serious post....

im pretty sure a wheel lock would be included in one of the lug nuts you'd have to take off so its very odd that they'd tell you that. unless im mistaken

**richardm0025** · 11-21-2013 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by kongmw

Had a flat tire last Friday, not sure where to jack up the car and didn't have the owners manual with me, so I called audi roadside assistance who sent over some auto rescue dude.
turns out he could not for the life of him get the wheel off after taking off all lug nuts. He basically gave up and I had to tow it to the dealership at 3am.
I was told the second morning that I might have a wheel lock? so confused...

and yes, this is a serious post....

F*ck the tow bill, I'm kicking that tire until it comes off! A wheel lock would be one of the Lug Bolts.

**gunsmoker** · 11-21-2013 06:21 PM

I had the same issue when I changed my brakes. It took a lot of anti-seize and beating with a hammer on the inside through a piece of wood. It's galvanic corrosion between the wheel and the rotor. My new rotors have painted hats, but I put anti-seize on them before putting the wheel back on.

**MatZo** · 11-21-2013 07:47 PM

I live in Florida and when I had a flat tire I couldn't get my wheel off at all, had to call Audi support and we had to lower the car and turn the steering for the friction to pop off the wheel. I had tried pulling the wheel off when I had the car jacked up but resulted in the car slipping and putting a small dent on the underside of my car :/

I wouldn't recommend turning the steering by yourself and have someone with you, obviously.

**13S4** · 11-21-2013 08:07 PM

The easiest way to get a seized wheel off is undo the nuts then lower the jack slightly. The weight of the car will usually pop it free..

**SleeperCar** · 11-21-2013 09:04 PM

Kick bottom of tire... 3-4 short but firm kicks causes vibration.... Works every time for me

**richardm0025** · 11-21-2013 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by MatZo

I live in Florida and when I had a flat tire I couldn't get my wheel off at all, had to call Audi support and we had to lower the car and turn the steering for the friction to pop off the wheel. I had tried pulling the wheel off when I had the car jacked up but resulted in the car slipping and putting a small dent on the underside of my car :/

I wouldn't recommend turning the steering by yourself and have someone with you, obviously.

You should never turn the wheels with a jack under the car haha. If your by yourself, just loosen the lugs bolts up like a half a turn and then get in the car and turn the wheel. The lugs are still to tight for the tire to just come off!

**oh10a4** · 03-21-2014 11:46 AM

Found this thread while trying to get my wheel off and couldnt. Lowering the car with the lugs off popped the wheel right off. Thanks for the tips everyone!

**nerv81** · 03-21-2014 11:59 AM

Loosen your lug nuts a little and try this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv4m41viy4I

**holyShred24** · 03-21-2014 06:09 PM

Mine is an 09 and my wheels only got stuck once and it was when i first rotated em myself. Loosen bolts, jack the car up, take off all bolts and hit both sides (alternating left/right side) from the inside with a rubber mallet. I do the same thing with my truck and works like a charm. Always put some anti-seize before putting the wheels back on.

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