How in the hell do you get the wheel off the front spindle. I forgot to tell the Sears people that there are front and rear wheels and they managed to jam a rear onto the right front, neither they nor I were able to beat it off even little. It's already put a gouge when I tried to drive it away. Help, suggestions please!

 

Take it back to them and tell them to put the wheels on properly. Let them deal with any damage they may do.

 

yep it's their problem, and it's something they should of known and not had to been told.

 

Agreed, don't take any of their crap! They put it on wrong, they should fix it, including any repairs that may need to be done as a result. Anything they tell you otherwise is them trying to weasel out of liability and cost.

 

It's still at the Sears store, what has me worried is how they all looked at the problem scratching they're heads with jaws hanging slack. Has anyone else gotten a wheel stuck like this. It seems that the hole in the rim is an interference fit on the spindle. Could the rim be heated to expand it?

 

I doubt the rim could be heated that much without damaging it. It would probably warp the rim anyway, making it useless. If they got it on, they can get it off. I'm surprised that someone tried forcing the wheel on, because any technician should know that there are such small differences in spindle size; a rim could look like it might fit when in fact it is the wrong size. I helped a friend of mine part out a car on saturday (he's a ford mechanic), and the car had to roll, so he kept the suspension on and swapped the rims with spares. To me, one of the spares he was trying to fit looked like it would, but he immediately put it aside, saying it was the wrong size. And this kid is like 23.

If the people at Sears looked like they were scratching their heads, it was probably to keep from looking guilty. They're entirely responsible for getting your car running, and the only cost to you should be for the tires. Keep on their heels, and you'll end up alright.

 

Have them use a wheel puller simular to a steering wheel/gear puller, I believe it will work. It will probably take at least a 6-8"puller and at least 2-3 jaw. Insert jaws behind wheel spokes and center on dust boot, it might slip until lined up right, but worth a try.