Going on 60, I just learned a trick to remove a car wheel rusted to the hub

[HereSince1628]

The left front tire on my 16 year old escort has been needing to be replaced for many months (I don't drive it many miles a month and no I hadn't rotated the tires in several years).

Since August, I've tried several times to get it free, kicking it, hammering on the inside of the rim with varying weights of hammers, all to no avail.

Today the weather was great by "Nov in Wisconsin" standards...it's sure to be one of the last 2-3 days it will be in the 40's with no ice on the driveway for the next 3 months, I was determined to get the wheel off and the tire replaced.

I tried again, hammering, kicking HARD. I loosened the lugs and turned the wheel back and forth on the pavement using the power steering to break it free.

Nothing.

Google to the rescue...I found a bit of advice which I followed...I left the lug nuts loose each between 1/2 and 3/4 of a turn...drove down the empty country road and slammed on the brakes. Repeated 3 times, went back to the farm, put it up on the jack and kicked the wheel...it came free.

In 5 decades of driving and a life around junky vehicles that needed lots of work, I never ever knowingly drove with a single loose lug nut. It's been a cardinal rule to never do that. Until today.

I loosened all 4 on that one wheel. It worked!