Removing Wheels - Help a Newbie!

[500NEWBIE]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone here could give me some advice.
I have searched the forums and all of google, but cannot find an answer to what I consider to be a very simple question. Which makes me nervous because I feel like an idiot for not knowing the answer to something that no one else seems to have an issue with!

My problem is this:
My mother owns a Fiat 500. It is a great wee car and she loves it! However the other day she miss-judged the kerb and damaged the tyre. I offered to fix it for her by putting on the spare she has in the boot. I have changed many a tyre in my time. Take off the center cover, undo the bolts including the locking nut, Raise the car on the jack, pull the bolts out, pull the wheel off, voila. Not today!

Today the wheel was attached as if the bolts were still there. I even read the manual in case there was something I was missing. I couldn't find anything stating I had to do more than I usually would. I found no tools in the car that I was unsure of. The only thing I found was a single diagram in the manual showing two tiny pins concealed in holes next to the bolts. There was no information as to what they were, if they were to be removed, how to remove them or if they were even associated with taking the wheel off of the car.

Can anyone help me? I pride myself in knowing how to do simple things like change a tyre. However this has me stumped. If the car was on the road rather than at home I would be very worried that I/my mum wouldn't be able to change it ourselves at the roadside. And it should be easy! Right? Am I being a complete car + google noob?

PLEASE HELP!
(Thanks in advance just for reading)

500NEWBIE

 

[dave]

kick the tyres of wheel it frees it off the centre

 

[500NEWBIE]

Hi There,

Thanks for the reply.
I admit I lost my temper with this one and kicked the hell out of it. I even tried to take off the rear wheel and had the same problem. :S
If there is nothing wrong with my theory tho, which I think is what you are saying that means it is seized on. I'll get my hammer out tomorrow.

Thanks again!

P.S. LOL for your location!

 

[dave]

kick the front not the back

 

[fingers99]

Assuming steel wheels, the wee bolts (technically one, at least, is a "spire bolt") are just there to align the wheel on the hub.

As Dave says, but maybe put a teeny bit of copperslip on to prevent them seizing again.

 

[Ziggy122]

If they aint removed in a long time
or there a very tight fit to start with they seize on

in college the other day the wheel was super seized on - to the point a big toffee hammer had to be used and it belted off - with some effort been required

kick in the
3 9 3 12 6 12 9 3 9 6 12 6 sort of order it'll eventually come off
ziggy

 

[raton_laveur]

Same happened with my Idea a few years ago. A passerby stopped to see if he could help. I asked if he had a hammer. He opened his hatch and came out with a rubber mallet. It worked perfectly after a few bangs on the rim.

 

[s130]

When wheel sieze this tight the only safe way to remove them without damaging the rim is to put the bolts back in hand tight. Lower the car back down and remove jack. Now undo/relase all four bolts two or three turns.

Now rock the hell out of the car from side to side. Get the monment and thus vehicle mass working for you. As soon as you hear the clunk and rattle noise indicating the wheel has be freed then stop the rocking, jack up and remove bolts an wheel.

Remember to clean / wire brush the hub mounting center, the wheel inner boss, removing all rust and corroded alloy white deposits.

Before refitting the wheel use a thin smear of waterproof greese, (silcon or moly grease) on the hub centre boss and the wheel inner boss hole.

I do NOT recommend copper slip/grease as it is not waterproof and will eventually was away and dry out far sooner than silicon/moly grease.