Anyone else wash their lugnuts?

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So, got through all the Nor'Easter snowstorms and wife was annoyed at the reassuring noise roar of the $99/set chinese snow tires I shod her Prius with. Got a cheap set of (subaru) steelies from CL for this purpose but they don't take the same lug nuts as the summer alloys do.

So, here we are. Gotta get the salt off 'em as best practice. Dried them, then misted them with "Jig a Loo" (my WD40) and stuck 'em in a ziplock back for summer.

Anyone else got a routine?

 
How did you wash and dry them?

My snows are on a separate set of wheels that takedifferent lugs. Probably should swap back today.... which would mean doing this like now.

Jog a loo is silicone IIRC - different than WD-40 by far. No concern about torque variations?
 
washed in the kitchen sink, air dried.

Good point about the jig-a-loo, I'll try and find some "oil" even if it's 1/2 oz of 10w30 in the bag and then shaking things around.

Not worried about torque variation with such a thin oil.
 
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They get the same treatment as most of the other steel, rub with aluminium using sunflower oil as a binder.

I avoid worrying about "torque variations" by not using a torque wrench. I use polythene on the threads, plus a spot of grease if I have some handy.

The remains of the polythene are visible on these studs but I replaced it when I put the drum back on. The wheels nuts are the same colour as the drum (don't think I have any pictures). but they see a bit more wear so maybe show a bit of rust around the edges.

 
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Thanx for the tip. The SE's alloy nuts are in a baggy. I will add a few squirts of oil and do likewise with the winter lugs.
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No salt in Texas!

I DO however - always use light oil on the threads and also where the cone contacts the aluminum wheel.
 
I actually just wash the snow tire steel wheels & black winter lug nuts off before I put the alloys & chrome lugs back on. The wheels would rust in the basement if I didn't, esp. the beads.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
No salt in Texas!

I DO however - always use light oil on the threads and also where the cone contacts the aluminum wheel.


Lubing the threads are one thing, but lubing the cone of an aluminum wheel is a huge NO-NO. Not only will you significantly over torque things, the lugs will not hold torque.

I'm not throwing stones, I'm just offering some friendly advice.

Scott

PS I do lube the threads with "T9 Boeshield". After applying I wipe the threads off with a rag to so the threads are only very lightly lubricated.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked
They get the same treatment as most of the other steel, rub with aluminium using sunflower oil as a binder.

I avoid worrying about "torque variations" by not using a torque wrench. I use polythene on the threads, plus a spot of grease if I have some handy.

The remains of the polythene are visible on these studs but I replaced it when I put the drum back on. The wheels nuts are the same colour as the drum (don't think I have any pictures). but they see a bit more wear so maybe show a bit of rust around the edges.

Just place a dab of anti-seize on each stud and burnish it in with a paper towel. Good for life. What make of vehicle is that brake drum off of? Looks like it has a radial ball bearing.
 
Had been on my mind to do the last few rotations/winter tire changes. Since I'll hopefully swap out of winter tires later this pm, washed the lugs with some meguiars wash and wax in a bucket.

They were grimy. All they had ever gotten was a quick touch with a sponge or brush during a car wash.

They'll get grimy again, so not much sense in making too huge an effort. Couldn't get it all off.



They'll get a spritz of CRC 3-36 in a bag, then be installed. The offgoing lugs will get the same treatment.
 
Originally Posted By: SLO_Town
Lubing the threads are one thing, but lubing the cone of an aluminum wheel is a huge NO-NO. Not only will you significantly over torque things, the lugs will not hold torque. I'm not throwing stones, I'm just offering some friendly advice.


Well....... I have been proving you wrong for almost 30 years now.
Never had a lug nut come loose in my entire life.
I don't use max torque specs.

Coming from Aviation/Aerospace, I have a pretty good feel for "TFAR - That Feels About Right"
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: SLO_Town
Lubing the threads are one thing, but lubing the cone of an aluminum wheel is a huge NO-NO. Not only will you significantly over torque things, the lugs will not hold torque. I'm not throwing stones, I'm just offering some friendly advice.


Well....... I have been proving you wrong for almost 30 years now.
Never had a lug nut come loose in my entire life.
I don't use max torque specs.

Coming from Aviation/Aerospace, I have a pretty good feel for "TFAR - That Feels About Right"


Well I am a bit younger than you, but I have to agree. No problems here with lubing any part of a lug nut,
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex

Coming from Aviation/Aerospace, I have a pretty good feel for "TFAR - That Feels About Right"


Also having worked in the Aerospace, but most recently in automotive supplier, I'm honestly surprised that you would admit in public to using "TFAR - That Feels About Right" for torque. Everyone I knew when I was working in Aerospace, and also in my Automotive plant, would only suggest in humor that they have a "calibrated arm", knowing perfectly well that there have been plenty of experiments where others who have claimed similarly, have been totally embarrassed.
 
What a great topic!

I use two pieces from my Craftsman 48-piece Master Thread Restorer Kit; I use a tap to clean the threads of the lug nuts, and I use a die to clean the threads of the wheel studs. Gets the crud out, and fixes any thread deformities!
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Originally Posted By: Yah-Tah-Hey
Ducked said:
They get the same treatment as most of the other steel, rub with aluminium using sunflower oil as a binder.

I avoid worrying about "torque variations" by not using a torque wrench. I use polythene on the threads, plus a spot of grease if I have some handy.

The remains of the polythene are visible on these studs but I replaced it when I put the drum back on. The wheels nuts are the same colour as the drum (don't think I have any pictures). but they see a bit more wear so maybe show a bit of rust around the edges.

Just place a dab of anti-seize on each stud and burnish it in with a paper towel. Good for life. What make of vehicle is that brake drum off of? Looks like it has a radial ball bearing.



That'd work too, but you can't get antiseize here. I have a little aluminium stuff but I'd have to go to Japan to get more, so I'm not putting it on wheel studs, and I'm certainly not rubbing a hub with it.

The polythene works fine as an antiseize, is freely available, and should last forever, though with wheel studs longevity isn't really an issue. I suspect it also has a mild threadlocking effect, nyloc stylee.

Car is a Daihatsu Skywing, local variant of the Charade.

Incidentally, in case it isn't obvious, the bag, oil and shake technique described above wouldn't be a good idea with veg oil, though it is a good way of treating small parts.

Though grease on the threads MIGHT keep them free, you REALLY don't want veg oil on the threads of anything you might want to take apart in the future.

Been there, tried that, wish I hadn't.
 
Originally Posted By: BHopkins
Linctex said:
Everyone I knew when I was working in Aerospace,... would only suggest in humor that they have a "calibrated arm",


If you have every worked in any aviation MRO, you KNOW full well there are places where a torque wrench simply doesn't fit into. I must have torqued more than 1,000 fasteners in my years, and I think my "calibrated wrist/arm" is actually pretty close.

Close enough that my lug nuts don't fall off, anyway....
and I can still get 'em loose on the side of the road to change a flat,
which is more than many others can attain to.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
How did you wash and dry them?

My snows are on a separate set of wheels that takedifferent lugs. Probably should swap back today.... which would mean doing this like now.

Jog a loo is silicone IIRC - different than WD-40 by far. No concern about torque variations?


Jigaloo is actually a brand name with a half dozen lubricant products. The orange can Jigaloo is probably the one you are thinking of.
 
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