Having had a few second hand cars in the past where the alloy wheels have not been removed for several years and the wheels were stuck on the hub due to corrosion, I would not be happy if the dealer didn't remove them every couple of years. It's not nice trying to change a punctured tyre on a cold dark rainy night and the wheel being stuck to the hub.
You are absolutely spot on
@Kithmo.
This condition is totally preventable by all manufactures for only a few pence.
But they don't really care.
Wheels are the last thing to be fitted to the car, before it releases the overhead cradle that has carried it over the under body section of the factory.
Honestly, the problem of dissimilar metals in close contact ( mild steel wheel hub and aluminium alloy wheel hub ) has started soon after the wheel has been fitted.
When any moisture is present, the process of corrosion commences.
There is no barrier to allow air to start off the cycle.
If the car is stored any length of time or has been in a salt water environment, then the process is accelerated.
I was travelling to work one morning at 5.00am with my son in the car, just before we entered the main entrance, I could feel that one of the rear tyres of my Golf, did not feel right.
Pulled over to find the O/S/R tyre was completely flat !.
My son grabbed the spare from the boot and I set about jacking up the car and removing the alloy wheel.
Oh .........btw the car was only about 18 months old at this point.
That wheel was well and truly stuck on there, it was solid !.
I knew what the problem was, but I needed the wheel off to short it.
It needed a 2lb copper and hide hammer and a LOT of beating on the back of the tyre to brake it free from hub.
It was that badly corroded with a mixture of white power corrosion from the alloy wheel and red rust from the steel hub !.
Needless to say, every wheel was removed when I got home and all traces of corrosion was removed.
The clearance then between the hub and the alloy boss of the wheel was okay then, but it is very soon taken up with corrosion.
What is the 2 pence cure to this problem ?
A VERY VERY thin layer of an anti seize / copper grease applied to the mating surfaces.
Don't apply to much as you don't what it to come in contact with your brake pads.
You can remove that wheel in 12 months time and it will have issues.
I have conducted this procedure on every car I have owned now and it never failed.
Did it on my Gen1 ZS EV within the first month and the wheels have never left the car.
It is now over two years old and covered over 19,000 miles.
I wanted to remove a wheel about 2 months ago.
Bolts out, wheel almost fell of itself !.
Free "Top Tip" folks.
If I get a ZS EV facelift, it will get the same treatment.
Only carry out this work if you feel comfortable to do so safely and only raise one wheel, at one single time.
