Anti seize on wheel lugs

[Provincial]

In the late 1990's our dump truck fleet at our rock quarry had a rash of broken studs on our hub-piloted 22.5 inch wheels. Most happened when removing lug nuts. We began moving our wheel changes in-house, and using a dab of anti-seize on the threads.

We were located about 1.5 miles from the closest pavement, and the threads of the studs were exposed to fine rock dust. We were not able to determine if the damage came from siezed threads or the rock dust jamming the threads when the nuts were removed.

In addition to the anti-seize, we wire-brushed the exposed threads before removing the nuts.

In over ten years, with a fleet of seven trucks and five trailers (most with eight axle combinations) we never had another broken stud. We never had a loose nut, either.

 

[Tonyuk]

Don't feel bad, lots of mechanics do the wrong thing. Like putting grease or anti-seize on lug threads.

To all of you that do this: stop. Sooner or later, you are going to lose a wheel from broken lugs.

Even when the vehicle manufacturer specifically requires it?

There's no right or wrong here, common sense is whats needed.

 

[sberry]

It doesn't even have to seize, friction alone can damage the threads; that's why I oil everything that has threads.

This.

 

[Mike99]

Am I the only one who has never used a Torque wrench to install wheels? Ive used them on cylinder heads and such when I worked in the machine shop years ago but the tire iron has alway worked for me. Last few years all I use is the small wrench that comes in the trunk. I really liked the older ones with 4 differnt nut sizes available. You could spin a nut on faster than an impact gun with one of those babies!

 

[madison069]

I put a little bit on and am more worried about putting it where the hub/wheel meet so the rims doesn't get stuck on it.

Same, I didn't worry about this when I lived in Texas but here in Pennsylvania I've ran into wheels stuck to the rotor/hubs too many time. I put a thin coat on the contact area of the rim to the rotor/hub and a little bit on the thread to prevent rusting up in the salt environment.

 

[Mike99]

To make life easier. Youre very fortunate to have never had an issue. Wish I had been so lucky. I have never used a torque wrench on a wheel so couldnt tell you if Im over or under spec so how important can the spec be? 40 years and counting. Havnt lost a wheel yet.

 

[engineer2]

A song comes to mind...

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

I have used anti-seize on my lugs for years and I am the type to check them several times weeks and months later and never, ever have any been torqued any less than the day that I put them on.

Is there any verifiable evidence that your wheels will come off by using anti-seize?

Not just some dude that said my wheel fell off because of it?

When I was younger me and my friends were constantly swapping wheels for different reasons (drag racing) and didn’t use anti-seize and actually had wheels come loose then because of improper tightening and wrong lugnuts etc etc.

I have looked around online and I can’t find any verifiable evidence or any testing done in a controlled environment to prove this actually happens


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[22george]

I put a light coat of anti-seize between the rim, rotor and wheel bearing hub. This is where l have the most problems with rust and sticking

 

[sberry]

Head bolts and engine bolts are a good example of controlled installation with ordained practices. Engineers understood this way before the computer and cad was a *********. Wayyyyyy before anyone came up with this dry thread ****. The Snapon Torgue wrench manual I have from wayyyyy back says, and it lists them for common car models and bolt size as well as thread pirch,,,, all values are for clean lighty lubricated threads.
I had a sharp guy work for me a while and he asked me right off id I had any peaves. I said,,, I want the bolts sprayed, he said ok. He came back in a while after we work on some of the same stuff and says,,, you made me a believer when we never had stuck bolts. A little juice just lights it slide around and polish and glide and not burr under pressure causing a sticking condition all the way to dry seize at times.

 

[sberry]

I really believe they went to dry because people put the wrong **** on them and the advent of aluminum wheels and improper use of impact guns.

Am I the only one who has never used a Torque wrench to install wheels? Ive used them on cylinder heads and such when I worked in the machine shop years ago but the tire iron has alway worked for me.

I never really use a torque wrench either. I use an impact and set the setting on a 4 speed and watch the socket and take a hand tool and check myself on occasion. I have compared my impacting at times with torque wrench.

 

[sberry]

I have used anti-seize on my lugs for years and I am the type to check them several times weeks and months later and never, ever have any been torqued any less than the day that I put them on.

Is there any verifiable evidence that your wheels will come off by using anti-seize?

Not just some dude that said my wheel fell off because of it?

The concern is too tight mostly with it. It can ruin the the seat on the wheel, there is a possibility it could stretch a bolt but at rated torques highly unlikely and the thing would throw the threads off.
The problem with dry is sticking and friction. It is a real problem to tell where and when the torque is being used to clamp and used to overcome it. Fast air guns burn them right on to stuck, some actually welded. A more extreme example used to demonstrate it is the tapered pupe thread, often a little rougher. But turn some together dry and see where they stick then some wd40 to install and note the difference trying to get them apart.

 

[MikeF2316]

My car calls for dry wheel bolt threads. I know it's wrong to go against what the carmaker says, but I feel it's even wronger to listen to that low frequency squeak that you get when you tighten dry, rusty threads.

So I put that **** on everything, at least everything exposed to the weather.

 

[joel63]

A song comes to mind...

Good one! .

Thanks

 

[skatep]

My last vehicle, must have had defective studs or something, because in one day I broke 3 of 20 studs just with hand tools. I have been using anti seize ever since.

 

[ChrisLS8]

I have used it on my turbo SE-R track car for over a decade never a lost wheel or broken stud and I use ARP extended studs with titanium lugs. This site is the worst for overthinking simple things lol

 

[Sine Swept]

I always yell at the tire guys when I dare bring my car to them. "What is that torque wrench set to?"

Them, "100"

Me "My wheels only need 80"

I turn away and no doubt they hit it with 100 anyway

 

[Sine Swept]

I had made that mistake myself and sure as **** pulled out the stud.
The replacement I got from the parts store wasn't a proper fit and I had to grind it to get it to fit. It's still on the car and I use a breaker bar, low power impact and a torque wrench and never have any issue. The cars up here eat liquid salt 6 months of the year.

 

[intimidator782]

I usually use normal bearing grease on my work truck. (2010 dodge 3500 service bed, crane, fuel tanks, etc.) The steel duals would rust together sometimes so bad you have to use a puller to get the rears off. I always use a thin layer of grease on them whenever I pull them apart. But grease collects dirt debris etc so I use it sparingly. I use to put a dab on the studs but seems that it does more harm than good when they get gunked up with dirt and stuff

 

[3baygarage]

I always yell at the tire guys when I dare bring my car to them. "What is that torque wrench set to?"

Them, "100"

Me "My wheels only need 80"

I turn away and no doubt they hit it with 100 anyway

That’s funny. I went to this sketchy tire shop one time, the type of place Garage Journalers like to envision doing all the wrong things. I watched the young kid grab a torque wrench and I hollered out my torque spec to him thinking I was helping out, but he completely ignored me.

Next time I went there I was asked to take a seat in the waiting area.

 

[Mustang415]

Probably you have never encounter a car driven on the rust belt... or monkey/chimp with an impact wrench at the tire store.... or the combination of both is the worse.

I live in Indiana and worked for one of Firestone’s busiest stores in the nation. 30-40 cars a day in an 8 bay shop. So I think I qualify in both counts. Studs break because of incompetent mechanics. No anti seize needed.


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[Billy Jack]

Working in a car dealership in Western PA for over 40 years, I've seen my share of corrosion-related incidents and I'm an anti-seize believer. Now that most lug nuts are covered, one application lasts through many wheel removals, IMO. However, the wheel-to-hub contact surfaces and the lug nut cones get a light wipe every time. Never had a problem with anything coming loose.

Bill

 

[Fly YX]

It's is what I use at work

 

[Sportsman762]

I have a policy that every bolt gets either anti seize or lock tight. I was helping a friend work on his crane truck and when I reached for my can of anti seize he stopped me. It turns out DOT will fail the truck inspection if there is anti seize on the lugs. Anti Seize is not approved for lugs per DOT. This has not stopped me from putting it on. I really hate it when you have to fight and fight to get a wheel off. Per other posters I also put it on the hub so the wheel does not stick.

 

[sberry]

Use common spray.

 

[gearhead1]

Working in a car dealership in Western PA for over 40 years, I've seen my share of corrosion-related incidents and I'm an anti-seize believer. Now that most lug nuts are covered, one application lasts through many wheel removals, IMO. However, the wheel-to-hub contact surfaces and the lug nut cones get a light wipe every time. Never had a problem with anything coming loose.

Bill

I grew up in NW PA and have seen first hand my share of frozen lug nuts. Friend had a truck and we broke several studs even after using penetrating oil.

So being a young kid, I lathered it on mine. No way that was going to happen to me. Long story short, my rear wheel passed me one night. Funny part was, all the lug nuts were in the hub cap!

I still use it on my lug nuts, even in N.C., but very sparingly. It’s great, it works, but don’t overuse.