Locked Up Wheel

[GirsMJ86]

So I decided I should put air in my tires and turn them all so I don't end up with flat spots since the tires are brand new and the truck doesn't move. I got the front two off without any issues, but the trouble started in with the back ones. The driver side one appears to be rust fused to the drum, and no amount of kicking or hitting with a rubber mallet was going to break it free. I didn't have the time to crawl around and soak it with penetrating oil then wait, so I put the truck in neutral and turned it so it at least would not be sitting on the same spot. Stick the truck back in gear so it won't roll when I drop it and head around to the passenger side. I get it up in the air and sure enough that one is fused to the drum as well. Once again I decide to just stick it in neutral to turn it, but I can't get the thing out of gear (reverse). I had to drop the tire back on the ground and still getting it out of gear was tough but I got it. Pump the thing back up and I still can't turn the wheel. No matter which way I turned it or how hard I pushed it would not budge.

 

This truck has not been driven for about a year at this point, and the only moving it has done was up onto the flatbed when it was towed to my house. It was of course then backed off the flatbed and pushed to where it sits now, all in neutral gear until parked then tossed into reverse to hold it there. That was in mid-May, and since then all that has happened was when I started it once I forgot I had it in gear and it lurched backward and stalled. I did notice when I turned the other three wheels it sounded like the brakes were dragging or the wheel bearings were shot or something, it does have a broken brake line back by the driver side rear wheel if that matters.

 

So anyways, it doesn't matter all that much since I think I've basically decided I'm just going to scrap this thing unless I can find a buyer for an interior-less rig. But I do need to be able to move it to get it on the trailer at some point to haul it off to either be scrapped or fixed if I win the lotto. So what does everyone think the issue is?

[jimoshel]

Brake shoes rusted to the drum. Back the shoes off and give yourself some slack.

[mvusse]

As far as the wheels being stuck, they could have either rusted to the drum, or they could just be tight on the hub. Either way heat may help, as well as a hammer on the wheel mating surface between the lug nuts.

 

Wheel not wanting to turn, like Jim stated, is the brakes rusted up.

 

Flat spotting is something bias ply tires do, but you most likely have radial ply tires. Even so, it is not good to always sit on the same spot, and even worse to have no air pressure with weight on it (flat tire). No matter how well you take care of them, they will eventually dry rot.

[GirsMJ86]

Alrighty, thanks guys. I'll give trying to back the brakes off on the one to see if that'll let it spin and break out the torch to try and heat things up to get them off and check back in if it all worked or not. Might not be until next week though.