Thanks for all suggestions guys.
I finally did get the wheels off. I pondered the problem, researched it thoroughly and then just got fed up and pounded the ***** out of them... and they finally broke free. What eventually worked in the end was jacking up just one side of the vx, putting a jack stand under the frame and using a short 2X4 and a baby sledge and pounding away on the inside lip of the wheel from the underside of truck. Turning the wheel 90 degrees every 2-3 strikes as I went. There might be more efficient or quicker ways of getting the wheels off, but nothing's quite as cathartic as wailing away on a stubborn S.O.B. with a 5lb hammer. Plus, the sacrificial 2X4 prevents any damage.
It's funny, I always seem to forget that no matter how well designed or engineered a car/truck is... sometimes you just gotta use blunt force to get the job done.