Oiled the Lug Bolts
- Thread starter spindlewood
- Start date
On a rusty stud I might use a little WD40 to free it up the rust but lubing perfectly good stud is a bad idea since it can double the clamp load, which in turn stretches the stud in the process. It might be hard to read but here are a couple of charts testing the cloamp loads on steel/aluminum wheels and the difference between clean threads and oiled.
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Thanks for the links - some were new to me. None seemed to talk about cleaning and what impact the left over residue might have. After reading through a lot of it, I doubt the amount that is left will have a significant impact - certainly not the 20% quoted for lubed. It's possible the little oil left might actually offset whatever corrosion / rust there is and even out the torque. My only regret is not cleaning the receiving threads. Next time. It'll be interesting to see how the bolts respond when I take them off in the spring.
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I looked up the MSDS:
Petroleum distillates
Hydrocarbon-based solvent
Petroleum-based oxidate
Isopropyl alcohol (5 – 10%)
Carbon dioxide (1 – 5%)
Petroleum-based anti-oxidant
It's a penetrating oil, but how much oil is a trade secret. I find it odd not to be able to find any info on how lubricating it is relative to other products.
Of course, many people will claim they never had a wheel fall off from lubing the studs. Thats because you increased the clamp load by a bunch! But something has to give a little, and that is stretching the stud beyond its design limit the further you turn it. It's all physics based on multiplying the thread pitch trying to make the stud longer, and then it's stripped out lug nuts eventually as the threads get further spread apart.
Take it for what it is worth, but I used a small dab of anti-seize on the studs on my long-gone Miata (And everything I own currently). A car whose wheels got swapped out probably 200 times or more during my ownership. Always torqued to 86 ft/lb.
Never lost a wheel on track or on an autocross course, and spent hundreds of miles WOT on Road Atlanta and Atlanta Motorsports Park, and never had a wheel come loose, never had a broken stud, never stretched a stud. The car got sold with its factory lug studs. 4x100 wheels and R-Comp tires, along with scorching brake heat (I needed stock brakes to remain in my Autocross class, so in order to track the car I had to use extremely high temp pads on track), so it wasn't from me being gentle on it.
I started doing anti-seize on my studs when my brand new Isuzu Rodeo (in 1997) broke 3 out of 24 studs the first time the wheels were removed. Not sure why they were seized from the factory, but ever since then I've had no wheel stud problems. My 2003 Accord is pushing 270K and I don't know how many sets of tires. Always antiseized and torqued to 86-90 lb/ft. Again, no problems.
My opinion is, that unless you are gorilla torquing your lugs on, you'll never have a problem and you might save yourself some headache, especially if you live in the salt belt.
Never lost a wheel on track or on an autocross course, and spent hundreds of miles WOT on Road Atlanta and Atlanta Motorsports Park, and never had a wheel come loose, never had a broken stud, never stretched a stud. The car got sold with its factory lug studs. 4x100 wheels and R-Comp tires, along with scorching brake heat (I needed stock brakes to remain in my Autocross class, so in order to track the car I had to use extremely high temp pads on track), so it wasn't from me being gentle on it.
I started doing anti-seize on my studs when my brand new Isuzu Rodeo (in 1997) broke 3 out of 24 studs the first time the wheels were removed. Not sure why they were seized from the factory, but ever since then I've had no wheel stud problems. My 2003 Accord is pushing 270K and I don't know how many sets of tires. Always antiseized and torqued to 86-90 lb/ft. Again, no problems.
My opinion is, that unless you are gorilla torquing your lugs on, you'll never have a problem and you might save yourself some headache, especially if you live in the salt belt.
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I have always (15yrs) put a small amount of automotive grease on our lugnuts, never had a problem, never had any rust. I also apply that grease to the hub/wheel mating surface. Again no issue and I change winter tires/wheels to summers tires/wheels every year on our 2 vehicles and my parents SUV.
Here I've been using antisieze on my studs for my entire career. Just a dab, not a lot. The only wheel I've ever had come loose/off was one I didn't install. I also use a thin layer of grease on the back of the wheel as stated above to keep them from sticking, especially on ones I've just painted or had powder coated. I think you're being overly cautious. That's not a bad thing at all but I wouldn't stress it or go to any more trouble to clean it.
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I didn't realize just how many past threads and divided opinions on the topic there were.I thank everyone for your replies.
I've read enough folk swear by 3-in-1, WD-40, anti-seize, motor oil, white lithium grease, ATF and more. I'm convinced by the millions of miles you've driven.
I've learned a lot in the process. From what I can tell, I applied about as minimal lubrication as possible, and if anything, I might apply anti-seize next time. I will also wire-brush the inner threads.
Interestingly, someone on the Audi forums shared a link and a page from their 2010 manual where Audi advised (10 years ago) to use anti-seize compound (Castrol Optimol). Not sure why they no longer include this advice in the work manual, but I think it shows what you've all been saying.
The manual states:
To install wheel bolts correctly, follow the sequence and instructions below.
Note - Do “not” use an impact wrench to install the wheel bolts.
♦ Before mounting a wheel, carefully clean all rim contact surfaces for the wheel hub, the wheel hub and the surfaces for the wheel bolts on the rim.
♦ Before installing the wheel bolts, carefully clean the thread and the cap contact surfaces.
♦ Apply the Optimol paste to the threads on the wheel bolts. Refer to the Parts Catalog.
♦ The ball bearing surfaces of the wheel bolts must be free of grease and clean.
♦ Do “not” use an impact screwdriver or impact wrench to insert the wheel bolts.
♦ Install all wheel bolts in a diagonal sequence until the wheel is seated securely on the wheel hub. Only then can the vehicle be placed on the ground.
♦ Place the vehicle on the ground.
♦ Use a wrench that is the correct size for the vehicle when tightening the wheel bolts to the specification.
♦ Set the required torque on the torque wrench.
♦ Tighten all wheel bolts in a diagonal sequence to the tightening specification when the vehicle is stationary on the ground.
♦ Check each wheel bolt with the torque wrench set to the correct torque at least once.
♦ By checking the torque, make sure “all” wheel bolts on “all” wheels are tightened to the required specification.
If all of the assembly steps were performed carefully and correctly, the wheel bolts do not need to be re-tightened after the vehicle has been driven a specific distance.
I've read enough folk swear by 3-in-1, WD-40, anti-seize, motor oil, white lithium grease, ATF and more. I'm convinced by the millions of miles you've driven.
I've learned a lot in the process. From what I can tell, I applied about as minimal lubrication as possible, and if anything, I might apply anti-seize next time. I will also wire-brush the inner threads.
Interestingly, someone on the Audi forums shared a link and a page from their 2010 manual where Audi advised (10 years ago) to use anti-seize compound (Castrol Optimol). Not sure why they no longer include this advice in the work manual, but I think it shows what you've all been saying.
The manual states:
To install wheel bolts correctly, follow the sequence and instructions below.
Note - Do “not” use an impact wrench to install the wheel bolts.
♦ Before mounting a wheel, carefully clean all rim contact surfaces for the wheel hub, the wheel hub and the surfaces for the wheel bolts on the rim.
♦ Before installing the wheel bolts, carefully clean the thread and the cap contact surfaces.
♦ Apply the Optimol paste to the threads on the wheel bolts. Refer to the Parts Catalog.
♦ The ball bearing surfaces of the wheel bolts must be free of grease and clean.
♦ Do “not” use an impact screwdriver or impact wrench to insert the wheel bolts.
♦ Install all wheel bolts in a diagonal sequence until the wheel is seated securely on the wheel hub. Only then can the vehicle be placed on the ground.
♦ Place the vehicle on the ground.
♦ Use a wrench that is the correct size for the vehicle when tightening the wheel bolts to the specification.
♦ Set the required torque on the torque wrench.
♦ Tighten all wheel bolts in a diagonal sequence to the tightening specification when the vehicle is stationary on the ground.
♦ Check each wheel bolt with the torque wrench set to the correct torque at least once.
♦ By checking the torque, make sure “all” wheel bolts on “all” wheels are tightened to the required specification.
If all of the assembly steps were performed carefully and correctly, the wheel bolts do not need to be re-tightened after the vehicle has been driven a specific distance.
