I tried a new trick today and it worked... 2 times.
Sometimes the Sprinter wheel lug bolt design has advantage over the more common wheel studs.
The rear wheels/tires on my 2006 Sprinter were rusted securely on to the hub. I needed to inspect the brake pads and also change out the thin tread rear tires. I found both of the rear wheels seized to the rotors. The fronts were stubborn, but some tapping here and there loosened them up.
Not so with the rears. Lots of tapping and hard bumps to the tires with a 16 pound sledgehammer left the stuck wheel laughing at me. I gave up on the passenger side. Before re-installing the lug bolts I sprayed PB Blaster on the hub and into the spaces between the wheel and hub. I re-installed the lug bolts figuring that maybe the penetrating oil would help after an overnight soak.
Hope springs eternal for the driver side so I went to try that wheel. Same thing only the lug bolts were so rusted I needed to drop the tire back to ground just to back the lug bolts off. (This was after loosening them a couple turns. Why don't mechanics believe in oil or grease on wheel fasteners?
)
Anyway, I ended up with all the lug bolts out, the wheel seized to the hub, and the tire partially loaded with my floor jack still supporting the Sprinter. Tapping the wheel with a hammer and using the sledgehammer on the tire did nothing to loosen things up on this side either.
I decided to try using a quite large ball peen hammer that basically fit the lug bolt tapered holes. I held the peen end into the lug bolt tapered holes and whacked the other end of the ball peen hammer with another large hammer. Note: Striking a hammer with another hammer is not recommended. Wear eye protection. Using a brass mallet to strike is safest, but it needs some weight.
After using a circular pattern to whack each tapered hole I noticed a change of sound as I struck the wheel. A couple more whacks and the wheel popped loose. After the driver side removal success I went back to the passenger PB Blaster side. I removed all of the lug bolts, lowered the tire to put weight on it and then just like the other side I whacked this wheel with the ball peen. After a short time that one also changed sounds and soon popped loose.
So it is worth trying the large ball peen hammer beaten into the tapered holes trick. My theory is that it bounces the steel of the wheel which transfers force to the stuck parts. The large ball peen end didn't damage the lug bolt holes at all. I don't know if lowering the jack to put weight on the wheel helped or not because I did that on both sides.
vic
Added:
Another DIY trick that given time may help.
Good to hear you got it done.
For DIY types not in a hurry.
Last Fall I wanted to change out all the brakes on my 2006. Fronts went great. The rear rotors wouldn't budge. For some reason my rear brake parts are rusted more than any other area of the van. The pads and rotors were good enough for inspection. 3/8" thick pads.
I sprayed PB Blaster on the hubs and after doing some other work, greased the rotor center joint with some heavy duty wheel bearing grease before installing the wheels/tires. The idea was that the grease would soak in over time.
I didn't do the rear brakes until better summer weather. Some whacks with a hammer were enough to break the rotors free. Before re-assembly I brushed a
thin coat of anti-seize on the inside rotor and hub faces. When I first started using anti-seize in that way I was concerned that it might migrate. I have been doing so for decades now with no problems.
Did my after the fact PB Blaster and grease treatment help?
So what value might this story have? Pre-treatment may help.
Any time you have your wheels off you might consider hitting the hub areas with some penetrating oil followed by grease before putting the wheels back on. Even after the fact it may soak in to help keep things free(er). It costs little and may help.
vic