Oiled the Lug Bolts

S

spindlewood

Joined
Nov 7, 2022
Messages
7
I know there are numerous threads on why NOT to oil the bolts. Too late for that.

After wire brushing off the rust, I sprayed the bolts with some Seafoam Deep Creep to get remaining rust off, then carefully wiped the threads off with paper towel. I'm realizing now that I can't simply wipe away oil and there is likely a significant residue and that I should probably remove and clean bolts and inner threads with brake fluid. Am I being over cautious to remove and clean with brake fluid, or being stupid if I don't?
 
"brake fluid" doesnt clean anything and a light oil residue wont hurt anything.

Did you use a torque wrench when installing?
Is this for a subaru they spec around 70ft/lb iirc.
spindlewood said:
to remove and clean with brake fluid,
Click to expand...
 
I thought brake fluid would be a solvent for the oil and help remove it.

I torqued to 100 ft lbs - Audi's spec for an SQ5.
 
blufeb95 said:
I think he's being pedantic, I'm sure what you meant was brake cleaner, which is either perchloroethylene or a blend of acetone and similar solvents, not brake fluid which is typically a glycol polymer.
Click to expand...
Of course... an unconscious slip - brake cleaner for sure. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.
 
The oil on lug bolts doesn't cause any harm in and of itself. The damage is caused when the lug nuts (I'm assuming an American or Asian car?) are tightened. By having lubricant on the bolts, chances are the nuts turned on further than normal, even if torqued to spec. This extra turning probably stretched the lug bolts.

I'm not sure about all the risks of stretched lug bolts, but I know one is that, now that the bolt threads have changed pitch, they no longer match up with the threads in the lug nuts, and the lug nuts become more difficult to remove. This can be severe enough to result in the lug bolt having to be broken to get the lug nut off.

I'm no metallurgist, but I suspect that stretched lug bolts also loose strength. any time metal is stretched beyond the point where it can return to it's original state, it looses strength.
 
 
Last edited:
DriveHard said:
Personally I would not lube the threads...I usually spray mine down with WD40, wire brush, then wipe it dry. I do put this on the hub, but try to avoid the threads.

Click to expand...
Sounds like what you do is similar to what I just did, as WD40 and Deep Creep are both penetrating oils. I did the wipe down as well. Seems logical and glad you've had no problems with this.
 
My 1971 Dodge FSM allows for dry or engine oil threads, but no other lubes, and none on the tapered seat.
Not only will anti-seize etc lead to over-torque, but could allow loosening.
Budd wheel nut torque is 450 ft-lbs
 
Quite often I’ve seen torque specs for lightly oiled threads.

Ive had much bad luck with over torquing this year only. Never before.
 
When I worked at a tire shop their sop was antiseize on all studs. I don't anymore but while working there I'm sure I lubed thousands upon thousands of lug studs and bolts, never had or heard of an issue.
 
If you adjust the applied torque to your lubricated lug nuts then I think you will be fine. By adding lube your changing the coefficient of friction and over tightening your lug nuts.

Just my $0.02
 
You'll be fine.
By design, lugnuts are overengineered. There has to be a large margin for error because they are often removed and reinstalled on the side of the road. Much of the time "as tight as you can get it with the tire iron". Which could be a little old lady or a dozer bro.
Even greased, you have to really whale on it to stretch the threads.
 
I've read on occasion that globbing oil onto your bolts or pouring it into lug nuts can be the biggest danger, as the oil is forced to the end of the lug nut and builds up pressure, giving the false sensation of actually being tight. I would hope that nobody would use that much oil on lug nuts and bolts, but you never know what folks will do these days. I think a light oiling with some or most wiped away would be fine, especially for those of us who do not torque to the manufacturers specifications. My Mustang calls for 150, I give it 110, so if I'm tightening more than I think I am, I'm still not over-tightening.
 
Nothing on the lug nuts/stems. Just clean and torque to spec. but use a VERY LIGHT coating of high-temp. antisieze between hub and wheel to ease removal of wheels at next tire rotation. Have found they tend to stick. I stress DO NOT get it on the threads!
 
On hub-centric wheels 30W oil drops are recommended, but nothing on the mating surface of a stud mount (Budd):
"Stud thread lubricated with light machine oil. Ensure that nut cone is DRY."
and
Do not paint disk wheel mounting surfaces, dual wheel mating surfaces, wheel nut seating surfaces, and wheel hub mounting surfaces

www.tirereview.com

Bad Advice for Lug Nuts

I am a sucker for helping stranded motorists, and this pothole season is no exception. So far I have seen two lower ball joint failures, one u-joint pole vault and a separated tie rod. I think people are at their best when others are at their worst.Advertisement I recently stopped to help a...
www.tirereview.com www.tirereview.com
 
spindlewood said:
I thought brake fluid would be a solvent for the oil and help remove it.

I torqued to 100 ft lbs - Audi's spec for an SQ5.
Click to expand...
I think you are 100% fine, with no lube on the bolt head to wheel interface, I doubt a bit of penetrating lube on the threads is adding much to your bolt strain at 100 ft lbs. Your bolt strain might be at the same as110ft lbs... or 120 ft lbs... tire shops every day over torque by way more than that with only the extreme over torquing causing problems.
What I like to do is tighten and torque and then put a drop of oil on the nuts to seep in where ever it can.
 
Last edited:
spindlewood said:
I know there are numerous threads on why NOT to oil the bolts. Too late for that.
Click to expand...
Nah, not too late. Here are just a few. Maybe your supplementary cleaning question can be found in one of these:

Lug Nut and Wheel Lubrication?

Is putting a little grease on the lug nut to wheel conical mating surface a bad idea, or a good idea? I have always left this contact surface dry, but I have noticed that in a few of the stud holes on my alloy winter wheels the lug mating surface is getting scored. The lug nuts are hard enough...
bobistheoilguy.com

Lube Lug Nut Bolt Threads?

If you did, what lubricant would you use? I am seriously considering it. I understand manufacturers generally do not recommend the practice. Yesterday I tried to rotate the tires on a '12 CRV yesterday and had to use a sledge hammer on the lug nut wrench to break the set. Dealer rotated the...
bobistheoilguy.com

Oiled Or Greased Studs?

In the Prius owner manual they tell you not to oil or grease the wheel studs because the nuts may loosen. I've been lubing mine for decades and never seemed to notice any problems with wheels loosening. Do you lube your studs or not?
bobistheoilguy.com

Anti Sieze On Lug Nuts

I know there has been a lot said on this subject one way and the other. I saw yet another example of why to properly lubricate lug nuts yesterday. My neighbor was replacing the tires on his pop up camping trailer. They were cracking and dry rotting from too much UV light exposure. I saw him...
bobistheoilguy.com

Why not spay WD-40 inside wheel lug nuts?

I remember people posted this before...
bobistheoilguy.com

Lube for open ended lug nuts.

I recently won some very nice Kics R40 Neo-Chrome titanium nitride coated lug nuts and am worried about the elements rusting the threads. I do not use anti seize or oil on my lugs but would like to prevent corrosion. How would spraying them monthly with something like Amsoil silicone spray work...
bobistheoilguy.com

Sure you could use anti-seize on your studs, but???

For everyone that thinks using anti-seize on wheel studs is a great idea, you might want to think about it more. Sure it will torque up and clamp the living do-do up really tight, but at the same time it is also can stretch the stud beyond the yield point to the point they could just snap. Yes...
bobistheoilguy.com

WM TLE still uses anti-seize on lug studs?!?!

About a decade ago, my parents and I went to a Sam’s Club for tires and we noticed the tech used anti-seize on lug studs. Last week, I went to a Walmart TLE and noticed the same practice was still being followed: copper anti-seize on lug studs. I believe they also follow the full OEM torque...
bobistheoilguy.com

Anti-seize On Lugnuts?

I have always been told that anything on lug threads would cause them to possibly back off and become loose,that they should be threaded on dry and torqued to spec. for the particular application.A friend of mine had a flat on his MB that has lug bolts(not the usual US setup of nut on stud)in...
bobistheoilguy.com

Another Off-The-Wall Question.....This time about anti-seize compound.....

Hi all. Here's the question. Is anti-seize compound safe to use on alloy wheels' lug nuts? I have read many posts on this subject, and there seems to be differing opinions. The pros say that it prevents galling of the wheel lug nut seats, and gives a more uniform torqueing. The cons say that it...
bobistheoilguy.com

When to use or not use anti-seize lubricant?

I'm a big believer in using anti-seize lubricants like Permatex (http://www.permatex.com/products-2/produ...ubricant-detail) on sparkplugs. I've also heard good things about "LOCTITE Silver" (http://www.henkelna.com/product-search-1554.htm?nodeid=8797898047489). Recently, I've heard someone say...
bobistheoilguy.com

Anti seize ?

All aluminum male and female threads, what is best to use to stop galling and corrosion?
bobistheoilguy.com

lubricated studs and torque values

To make a long story short I had an unpleasant experience hand changing a tire a few days before Christmas. The next day with plugged tire in hand I antiseized and torqued the offending wheel to specifications. Yesterday I was working on my F-150 and needed a torque value and noticed standard...
bobistheoilguy.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

W
Lug nut issue
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
4WD
T
super tech brake parts cleaner worthless?
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
dlundblad
Elkins45
Broke a bolt adjusting the brakes on my riding mower.
Replies
16
Views
954
Cherrybomb
E
Thread lubrication for Service Manual Torque Values
Replies
5
Views
1K
explorer2030
JC1
Caliper Slide Pin Bolts Broke inside the slide pin
Replies
16
Views
2K
Donald
Back
Top