Wheel lug nuts

[Ralph50]

I would like to know why if you lubricate the nuts it can cause the rotors to warp. This make no sense to me because the metal under the lug bolts is in compression. that bolt does not create enough force to compress that metal. So how can it warp a rotor?. I do understand that if the lug nuts are lubricated the compressive force is 20 percent higher. Something does not add up?

[ricebike]

just don't over do it with the anti-seize compound on the threads...

a very small dab & run the lug nut on the bolt with the rim/tire assembly off

then mount the tire/rim and torque to specs with a torque wrench

i've been doing this procedure since 1989 with no i'll effects

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i do see those incompetent tire techs just impact-wrench the lug nuts on without even checking with a torque wrench for the final tightening

at least use those impact-wrench "torque sticks" if they want a balance of productivity with some accuracy

[polarzak]

Everything I have ever read says do not lubricate wheel lug nuts. ..(can't remember the reason) .so I don't.
I just use a torque wrench and gradually tighten each one in a pattern until the desired torque is set. I HAVE put a very very light coat of high heat grease on the inner contact point of the rotor so it does not rust on, but on the nut and lugs..never.

RICEBIKE..I never understood how those torque sticks work. MY garage guy couldn't explain it either. I took my daughter's car in recently for some other problem, and I noticed he had gotten rid of them and was using an adjustable torque wrench on another customer's car.

[ricebike]

yeap, other sites from googling is about 50:50 on this one

i practiced it because i had bad experiences when techs over-torque them from previous tire replacements/balancing jobs...

i sparingly use it & have no problems since then; i don't fully coat the threads at all

and i recheck my torque values after a day then after a week & no problems

heck, just after a tire job or rotation job, i'll bring it home to recheck their work with my own torque wrench

back to ralph's original post: i think it's other factors that warp rotors

[happydog500]

I always lube the lug nuts.

Chris.

[imidazol97]

I'm operating on memory here but one of the service manuals said the threads should be clean but not lubed. I take that to mean brass wire brushing would be good; oil, bad.

[ricebike]

ya i wire brush and put a very small dab of antiseize...

i don't use oil or lithium grease on them

others in countless forums do the same with no ill-effects

but when someone coats it on like there's no tomorrow, that'll be a problem