Corrosion on wheel studs

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: BigD1
The problem with that is some lugs are rust buckets, and by the time the tire needs to be serviced they are rusted so bad that a tire tool, or breaker bar is not going to break them free without breaking studs. Anti-seize takes care of the problem. I have seen popular Ingersoll Rand 231C air 1/2 impact wrenches struggle to bust rusty lugs loose.


Especially if you don't rotate the tires when you're supposed to do so.


Offset tires don't get rotated.

 

[eljefino]

I only use antisieze when the lugs come off real hard on an old clunker... eg the running torque is over 10 ft-lbs.

I stopped greasing the back of the wheel where it contacts the rotor when I had some acorn lugs work loose, freaked me out.

 

[Ducked]

I've had nuts loosen once. I'd got distracted and hadn't tightened them fully.

 

[Kira]

The prohibitions on this board should be revised to R,S,P and Lubing of Lug Hardware! (Ha-Ha)

1) Different climates (road salt, salt air)
2) Wild variations in steel quality. Yes, the car companies some of worship are bar stewards and buy junky parts.
3) The size of wheel lug hardware is so big there's a built in range of acceptable torque values. Ever see a totally disinterested clown with an air gun hammering away on a lug nut?

Me? I use a touch of anti-seize as I was taught by everybody. Never a problem.
The used cars I've serviced have had rusty lugs which have broken sockets. That is worth avoiding.

 

[The_Eric]

Lubing of lugs/studs is fine if:

The torque is reduced to account for the decrease in friction. Those who think this is fundamentally wrong- consider that with the reduction in friction due to the lubricant, comes an INCREASE in clamping force. Without reducing the applied torque some, your wheel is now being help more tightly to it's flange.

Also keep in mind that movement of a bolted joint is one of the biggest reasons fasteners loosen. So those of you who found loose lug nuts- there is a reason. Could have been a little dirt of corrosion keeping the hub face of the rim from making full contact, or more commonly a heavy ring of corrosion surrounding the center hub used to locate the rim. You might have tightened the lugs down to whatever spec, but it won't matter once you hit the streets and that wheel starts getting much larger forces imparted on it. It'll do the happy dance on that debris and cause a loose lug. That causes the installer to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 56.

 

[Merkava_4]

I put Permatex silver anti-seize on the wheel studs with an acid brush.

 

[Ducked]

What is an acid brush? Heard the phrase before.

Never mind. I Googled it. Probably doesn't translate into Chinese anyway.

I'd probably substitute "old toothbrush"

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
What is an acid brush? Heard the phrase before.

Never mind. I Googled it. Probably doesn't translate into Chinese anyway.

I'd probably substitute "old toothbrush"
Just as good Ducked

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
What is an acid brush? Heard the phrase before.

Never mind. I Googled it. Probably doesn't translate into Chinese anyway.

I'd probably substitute "old toothbrush"


It's an extremely useful tool. It gets its name because it's made out of natural bristle rather than nylon and therefore it's acid proof. I use them for a multitude of tasks. Anything from applying anti-seize to cleaning out crevices. It's great for anti-seize because it works the anti-seize in between the threads of bolts and studs so that you don't apply too much.

 

[Trav]

I use a 1/2" plumbing round internal brush on the studs and a wire wheel or knotted brush on the hub face and wheel back and center opening.
As to the question on never seize, no you shouldn't use it but having lived and worked in in places that uses salt and chemicals all my life I do. Too many broken studs, already damaged chrome covered nuts that are so stuck they round off inside a aluminum wheels, wheel locks that round out and wheels I had to use a BFH to get off not to.

I never had any lug come loose or issues with corrosion but for those concerned about it you can spray the hub and back of the wheel with zinc (after masking) and use blue thread locking tape n the studs, both will keep corrosion away but both need reapplication eg when changing wheels.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Trav

As to the question on never seize, no you shouldn't use it but....


DO or DO NOT.

There is no should or should not.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: BigD1
The problem with that is some lugs are rust buckets, and by the time the tire needs to be serviced they are rusted so bad that a tire tool, or breaker bar is not going to break them free without breaking studs. Anti-seize takes care of the problem. I have seen popular Ingersoll Rand 231C air 1/2 impact wrenches struggle to bust rusty lugs loose.

Especially if you don't rotate the tires when you're supposed to do so.

Offset tires don't get rotated.

Okay.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Also keep in mind that movement of a bolted joint is one of the biggest reasons fasteners loosen. So those of you who found loose lug nuts- there is a reason. Could have been a little dirt of corrosion keeping the hub face of the rim from making full contact, or more commonly a heavy ring of corrosion surrounding the center hub used to locate the rim. You might have tightened the lugs down to whatever spec, but it won't matter once you hit the streets and that wheel starts getting much larger forces imparted on it. It'll do the happy dance on that debris and cause a loose lug. That causes the installer to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 56.


This is exactly correct as to how they loosen even when torqued to the proper value. The only two times I've ever seen loose lugs or nuts was because the back side of the wheel or the face of the rotor hub was corroded.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Trav

As to the question on never seize, no you shouldn't use it but....


DO or DO NOT.

There is no should or should not.


Meaning what?

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Trav

As to the question on never seize, no you shouldn't use it but....


DO or DO NOT.

There is no should or should not.


Meaning what?


I think it's just a play on Yoda's words to Luke, do or do not, there is no try.

Originally Posted By: maximus
Some of these posts are unbelievable. Everything I've read and been taught strongly advises against putting any kind of lube on wheel studs. They should be clean and dry.

A cleaning with a wire brush and shot of brake cleaner is what I've always used.


I live in the Rust Belt. Approaching 1 million miles of not-so-trouble-free driving with multiple vehicle types. Lubed every single lug nut with anti-seize, and torqued to the factory value... with a beam torque wrench, no less.

People online tell me I'm doing everything wrong.

I've never broken a lug nut. Never had a loose lug or wheel. Ever. Not in decades of driving.

I did have a Goodyear Tire & Auto cross-thread most, and break a few lugs. I caught it hours later when I went to retorque the lugs. Service writer on the phone said it was impossible, they used "torque sticks". I brought a few with me, slapped them down on the counter, and told him how much he owed me- and I fixed it myself. That was about 2 decades ago, it still [censored] me off. Also first car, tire shop overtorqued nuts with air guns, had to borrow a breaker bar from a pavement layer repairman to get it off, that was 3 decades ago. Anyway, that and a few 30 year old lugs I replaced due to shear rust, wear & tear, that's all the lug issues I've ever had.

It's your vehicle, do what you want, but my lugs get anti-seize.

 

[Dr_Who]

Originally Posted By: maximus


Studs can be replaced fairly easily if they're that far gone.


Not on ALL cars. Like the captive rotor cars Honda made in the 90s.

 

[andyd]

My father used to say " Do as I say, not as I do". All I can say is that my alloy wheels on several different cars over 25 yrs of experience, not one lost lug. I use hand tools on greasy hubs and don't even own a torque wrench anymore. I stomp on the crank for the 528e and loosen and tighten the lugs in a 3 stage star pattern. Just like I run an oily 32:1 mix and lace my OPE gas with MMO. I run Supertech dino 20w50 doesn't mean you should. These are just the bad habits of a shade tree hack. YMMV

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Trav

As to the question on never seize, no you shouldn't use it but....


DO or DO NOT.

There is no should or should not.


Meaning what?


I think it's just a play on Yoda's words to Luke, do or do not, there is no try.



Doesn't stop it being profound though.

I suppose what I and the wee green fella were getting at is something like "Grow a pair" (of large ears, presumably).

Saying "no you shouldn't use it" before giving an entirely rational explanation as to why you should use it is a cop-out.

It's just humouring them.

I'm tired of humouring them.

 

[KrisZ]

"Should" and "should not" are not directly interchangeable with "do" and "do not" in a sentence.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Ducked


Doesn't stop it being profound though.

I suppose what I and the wee green fella were getting at is something like "Grow a pair" (of large ears, presumably).

Saying "no you shouldn't use it" before giving an entirely rational explanation as to why you should use it is a cop-out.

It's just humouring them.

I'm tired of humouring them.


Just remember you are dealing with a few posters that belong in an old ladies sewing forum here, if you don't phrase every word the way they like or misspell something the old bags go crazy, sad but true. Frig them all but six I say, you need them for pallbearers.