broken transit wheel- I'm stumped

[marke]

About 3 years ago, I bought a set of transit wheels (from ApexSpeed vendor) for my VD RF98k FF with center lock wheels. I think they are simply motorcycle wheels welded to an aluminum plate that mounts to my hubs (first photo):



And they have worked fine- UNTIL last week when I opened trailer door the left rear one had broken, remarkably with brake rotor on tire so it didn't hit the ground! I put a stand under suspension and have this(second photo)





And I can't get the nut off. Only torqued to about 60 ft/lbs, but I can't get it off. Turns differential if car in gear, strap wrench can't "bite" on anything, tried lowering disc gently onto floor, but still not enough friction.

Not being able to put a wheel on this car is a definite problem for the 2021 season- ideas?

thanks
Mark E

(please let me know if should be posted elsewhere)

[David Ferguson]

Can you have someone step on the brake pedal (or use a clamp) while you break the centerlock nut?

[marke]

Can you have someone step on the brake pedal (or use a clamp) while you break the centerlock nut?

I couldn't figure out what to clamp- wife couldn't easily reach pedal to stand on brake fully, going to try my brother next

thanks!

[99sh]

Get an impact gun in your arsenel!

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[Bill Schmidt]

I cant imagine a couple of light taps with an impact wrench, not taking this right off in a jiffy?

[Garey Guzman]

If you lock the gearbox by pushing in two shift rods (like for a gear change), doesn't that lock the wheels?

I frequently put a woodworking "bar clamp" on the brake pedal to keep brake pressure. Holds pretty well.

Lastly, putting a breaker bar on the socket, I would hit the end with a rubber mallet or maybe a regular hammer.
Or try to rotate the driveshaft fast and let the breaker bar handle hit the floor or the trailer, in the direction of loosening. Maybe spinning the other wheel or putting a socket on a bolt head/nut on the CV.

[marke]

I have an impact wrench , figured it would just turn the hub like 1/2” breaker bar. Will push full brakes and try impact- update tomorrow
Thx guys


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[T540]

Put a block of wood on each side of the rotor and squeeze them on tightly with a g-clamp.

The wood should bear up against the upright and stop the wheel from rotating.

[problemchild]

An impact gun will buzz that off. If you want to use a breaker bar, just stick a big screwdriver through the rotor/hat so it jams against the upright.

[EYERACE]

Get the nut nice and hot for an extended period of time. For this I do not recommend using a torch. .....but during that extended period of time you can continue working on the beers

Liquid wrench into the threads......wait.........

............have another beer

.....something as a bar wedged into the gap on the inside of the rotor with the bar's end hitting the floor and then a long long handle on the socket for the stuck nut [put a pipe on the end of socket's breaker bar]

If that doesn't work.......go buy more beer.......because it will not only give you time to think of another idea but the additional beers will help you think of another strange idea that might work instead.

If no ideas come..........go buy a lot more beer.........invite all of us over........someone's bound to get it for you......maybe one of us will bring a welder and fix your wheel after the nut comes off.

[R. Pare]

DO NOT heat the nut! Depending on the temp you go to inadvertantly, you can draw it's hardness and strength back.

An impact should do the job pretty easily. However, if it ends up spinning the hub, you will need to take off the back cover of the tranny and lock 2 sets of gears together to prevent that. I should be able to be undone very easily then.

Those welds are way too small for the loading a transport wheel can be expected to be subject to. Get someone to reweld it with much longer welds.

[cjsmith]

An observation of the weld from the hub to the spokes, it looks like the spokes are tack welded but never welded complete. To keep this from happing again, assuming the weld are the same on all 4 coiners. Send them to weld shop to have additional weld added to the joints.

[OneWayOut]

from ApexSpeed vendor

Did you contact the vendor? What did they say?

Simply by looking at the wheels, I'm 99% sure I know which vendor. I hope their other products are of better quality.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Did you contact the vendor? What did they say?

Simply by looking at the wheels, I'm 99% sure I know which vendor. I hope their other products are of better quality.

I have the same wheels. I'm going to take a closer look at them. When they were received the mating surface had a ridge and weren't square so they wobbled when rolled. Friend fixed them with a large mill.

Been used for about 5-6 years without problems though.

[EYERACE]

I guess I would have said heat the nut because I have separate nuts for the transport wheels that do not go out on track.......but if the nut was to be used for both purposes, I agree.
An alternative to Liquid Wrench that supposedly works better is a combination of acetone with automatic transmission fluid as a penetrating oil

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Looked and mine are welded all around the inside. No welds or tacks as pictured above

[99sh]

I had the same experience. I don't know why he doesn't weld the entire circumference.

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[BeerBudgetRacing]

TransportWheel.JPG

Probably could do this to that one.

[marke]

Thanks to all you guys for the help- interested to see I'm not alone with this issue- Using my brother's full force on the pedal, the C-clamp/wood block, and an overnight soak in penetrating oil, I got the wheel remnant off. Will replace the nut, suspect got strange torque as wheel fell apart rolling down the highway.

Completely agree that all 4 wheels going to the welder, don't trust the others now

Hope to meet some of you in "real life" soon!

Mark Englehardt
#81, SVRA PCF

[marke]

Thanks to Beer Budget Racing- welding shop I went to today hadn’t considered flipping wheel over and having larger contact area. Liked your photo...


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[EYERACE]

Thanks to all you guys for the help- interested to see I'm not alone with this issue- Using my brother's full force on the pedal, the C-clamp/wood block, and an overnight soak in penetrating oil, I got the wheel remnant off. Will replace the nut, suspect got strange torque as wheel fell apart rolling down the highway.

Completely agree that all 4 wheels going to the welder, don't trust the others now

Hope to meet some of you in "real life" soon!

Mark Englehardt
#81, SVRA PCF

...and I'll buy you a beer............but (if I can get away with the old joke).........you'd best bring enough chewing gum for the whole class

[greg pizzo]

I saw this thread just now
we had not heard of these problems till just now

it would have been good to hear there was a problem as we strive to provide the best
this will be done differently in the future
we had to move away from the welder we were using for other reasons but this is another

sorry for the problems that all have had with these
going forward this will be fixed