Flat tyre questions

[AdventureWagon]

Hi guys. Picked up my wife's car (Lancer) from the garage today only to arrive home and find my Prado lopsided in the driveway. Passenger front tyre is pooped. I've been meaning to replace all 4 as they are just on the edge of acceptable IMO so I'll bite the bullet on that.

Did try and get the wheel off to put on the spare but the rim is locked to the hub. Anyone have any tricks for this. I'd whack the tyre with a hammer or kick it but the tyre is flat. They are alloys so don't want to get mega violent with a hammer on the rim.

I've got the tyre dude coming on Friday, what are people's thoughts on leaving it on the flat tyre until then? Bad for suspension maybe? Or nothing to worry about?

 

[Dave_S]

Personally I'd jack it up and put it on an axle stand. I doubt it'll do any harm to the suspension, but it'll need to be jacked up anyway.

Ref the wheel removal, its almost certainly corroded to the hub, guess someone didn't copperslip the faces before fitting last time! You could soak in penetrating oil, but you'll need to watch you don't contaminate the brakes.

 

[AdventureWagon]

Yeah I think you are right I'll put it on a stand first thing tomorrow. Think I haven't had that wheel off since I bought it in 2019.

 

[Shayne]

Loosen the nuts a little and let the jack down .

 

[AdventureWagon]

Great idea I'll try that!

 

[Towpack]

If the tyres had it anyway, slacken the nuts and jiggle the steering wheel L&R with the weight on the wheel.

 

[AdventureWagon]

Another great thing to try thank you! Yes they are fine treadwise but there are very tiny cracks around the grips that I don't like. Plus I replaced one or rear axle last year and have never been happy with the 2 different tyre brands/wear on the one axle.

I'll use that one as the spare so I'll have a relatively new spare just in case.

 

[karl2000]

If all else fails get a piece of wood across the width of the rim to spread the load and BFH it

 

[AdventureWagon]

Thanks guys got the hard ground tent peg club hammer and some hardwood and had another try today, success! Spare is on and she's good to go for now albeit with no spare. I did locate the puncture though, just a hole in the tread with nothing left in there. So if SHTF I could repair that with a tyre plug and pump it up.

 

[Shayne]

Mate of mine who's a plant fitter stuck a plug in for me though he wasn't happy with it being so close to the side wall so many years ago i can't remember which tyre it was , what truck its on , do i still have that tyre ?

 

[AdventureWagon]

They are hard to spot once they are worn in. The puncture on this tyre I actually thought looked like an old plug that had lost it's seal. But at a second glance I think it's just something sharp that has been run over.

My old spare now a production tyre has a plug I did ages ago and that was still at 30psi after 2yrs on spare duty.