Do you use anti seize or impact drill on your lug nuts

Anti Seize or Impact Drill on lug nuts?

  • I Do you use Anti Seize on Lugs!

    Votes: 36 24.8%
  • I Do you use an Impact Drill on Lugs!

    Votes: 52 35.9%
  • I Do you use BOTH AS & ID on lug nuts!

    Votes: 22 15.2%
  • No way I don't use either on my lug nuts!

    Votes: 39 26.9%
  • Shops do all my work at the tire and lugs

    Votes: 9 6.2%
  • I would use anti seize in salt belt but not needed in my location

    Votes: 5 3.4%
  • I feel very strongly about my choice

    Votes: 32 22.1%
  • I haven't put much thought into this

    Votes: 15 10.3%

  • Total voters
    145

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Jeepwalker

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Let me be more specific than the poll questions:

I use anti-seize (and/or grease), on my lug nut "THREADS" ...and threads only. And have since the 80's. That really should have been one of the questions. One should never use anti-seize (or grease) on the actual taper surface of the lug nuts or the wheel. The friction of the tapers keeps the lug nuts from backing off. If any anti-seize or grease gets on the actual taper surfaces, even a little, it should be removed & both surfaces cleaned with solvent (the tapers, not necessarily the 'threads').

Just about every factory service manual I've read since the 70's or 80's clearly states that in bold print. If the taper surfaces are super dry, a little light oil can be applied ..but then wiped off leaving only a very small amt of residue.

I usually zip wheels on with light torque and always go around and final-torque by hand when finished. I don't use a torque wrench anymore bc I have a pretty good feel by now. Happy truckin' :favorites13:

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MRFREEZE57

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I spray the threads with a little bit of liquid wrench and tighten them to the specified torque.
When you say the tire came off do you mean the lug nuts came loose causing the wheel to fall off?
 

jejb

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I own the newest DeWalt 20V impact, the DCF900. I use it to pull the wheels and, in low mode, snug them back up. But I start the lugs by hand and do not use any lube on the threads.

I always finish with one of my 1/2 torque wrenches. And I also use them to double check if a tire shop works on it. Had several a little loose recently when Discount Tire put new tires on my 22 Ram. Sure glad I checked them!
 

HEMIMANN

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None of the above, per my usual analytical contrarianess.

Grew up without (1) anti-sieze cause, you know, that's expensive! Depression era parents don't buy nice to have things!
(2) impact wrench was my 20 megaton forearms and shoulders, now shriveled to 1 inch-ounce torque. Therefore, today I use impact wrench full up to remove, lightest setting to screw on.
(3) torque wrench? Never heard of it until high school - see reply 1. Per reply 2, I always torque all structural bolts now, with CDI (partial Snap-On) torque wrenches.

You know I live in snow belt. Tires don't last that long up here, we all run soft AT's, so lug nuts come off every 3 years so so. Never had a stuck one.
In old days, rear tires changed twice a year between dedicated snow tires and highway tires. Never had an issue without anti-sieze.
 

shmedley

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After having almost all the lug nuts loose on every wheel after a tire rotation at a shop I check/retorque the lugs when I get home
I'll use an impact to remove them and living in the Chicago area I don't use anti seize on the lugs.
 

Dinky

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We don't have a issue of severe rust on the west coast so no reason for anti seize. I will say I had new wheel put on and about 500miles one wheel came loose. sheared three out of eighth studs and the shop said new wheels need ot be re torqued after a few hundred mile. I said ******** then every new car sold needs to come back to the dealer to have them checked lol. Now I make sure I check all my lugs after rotation as I trust no one anymore. I typically find at least a few not to spec every time.
 

BadHemi2014

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I've never used antiseize on lugs and only use an impact to take em off. I start the nuts by hand, spin em on with a 4 way, then use torque wrench once tires are on the ground.
My experience with tire shops is they tend to OVER tighten which makes my head explode.
 

Zoe Saldana

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So what do you guys do for lugs? Ever since we had a case where a family left a tire shop and a tire came off and killed a kid back in the late 80's, I have tried to do my own work that I can at the tire. A few times I let the shop do this such as when I had them replace an axle, but I rotate my own tires even though it is "free" where I get my tires. I do and have done both without issue to this point, but that doesnt mean this is the smart thing to do. So I am looking for some collective knowledge on this issue. I don't feel strongly about my procedure which is the reason for the poll. Do you folks do either or both or none of this?

Is it dangerous to not use anti sieze in some locations such as salt belt? Have you seen any "official" info that anti seize is ok on lugs, or that it isnt ok.? It appears loctite doesnt spell it out either way from what I have seen, yes they say nuts but not specifically lug nuts.

If you do use anti seize on lug nuts what type?

Discuss...

You need to change your poll about IMPACT Drill.
OK to remove Lung Nuts
NOT OK start nut on screw - must be by hand.
OK to tighten nuts with IMPACT but MUST use Torque Wrench also
 
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Burla

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I spray the threads with a little bit of liquid wrench and tighten them to the specified torque.
When you say the tire came off do you mean the lug nuts came loose causing the wheel to fall off?
I don't remember the specifics, it was over 40 years ago. But I do believe that was the case, and I have also periodically been aware of other tires falling off for whatever reason. 3 tires are not enough, when one comes off, there is no control available, you will be going sideways unless you are the lucky type. It happen twice to a friends son, both times it was vandals.

This does bring up another question I should have had in the poll, I just didnt think I was interested in it. But if someone uses lubricant on threads, which is different then anti seize. Thanks for the post.
 

mikeru

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You guys must mostly be Younger, Healthier or more Flexible.
Got a 1/2 in plug in electric Impact ,from the early to mid 70's, but seriously doubt I could handle, all, it can do, anymore.
Like my Big 1/2, electric plug in, Drill, Hate it when that thing bears down.
Even with the shoulder brace and extra arm handle, thing like to rip your body apart.


I use my trusty, XL long, torque wrench, that barely fits in my tool box drawer.
Had an older one, that I stole, from my Dad, back in the 70's, but it grew legs and walked away.
Hope it is Happy, now.
I do miss it so.


No anti seize. If Lugs looked like they need, it, they get replaced.
But, I live in the Rust Belt and am never, ever again, going to fight with rusty ANYTHING, ever again.

Cutting torches are Gods Gift to Man.
Cut back to the damn frame, if I must.
Buy a new car, if I must.


My days of busting rusted, are done and gone.
Give it a good effort, then the Heat goes on.

If the part still refuses to come off, it needs cut out, like a Cancer.
OR
Replaced, like an Ex--Wife.
Costly but worth it, in the long run.


FWIW, thank you all for informing about Electric Ratchets.
How, in the World, did I never think of picking them up?
Ratchets are air driven.
Talk about stuck in ones ways.


but Imma gonna hit Lowes, today , for couple electric ratchets.
The neighbor Kids, Bike Repairs, are getting electrified, this year.
About all I actually work on now.

Good Thread!!





EDIT:
Wonder if my Dad misses that old Torgue wrench, too?
I'd ask him but then he just stopped accusing me of stealing it, a decade or so ago.

OMFG!
That's about when it grew legs!

I'm looking over HIS garage.
What are the Odds I get to steal it, again?



EDIT #2:

True Cycle of Life :
Stealing tools , from your Dad.
Entertaining post! :Big Laugh:


I usually do my own rotations/winter changeovers, and never used to use anti-seize until I had a problem with the threads galling on an old Honda Prelude. Since then I've used it religiously, although sparingly. Just a thin coating. I remove the lug nuts with the impact, but put them on and torque them by hand. Been doing it that way since I worked in tire shops in the mid-80's.
 

joesstripclub

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I use anti-seize on the face of the brake rotors to keep the wheels from being a pain to get off. Also works on the hub to rotor face to get the brakes off when its time for new rotors. A little anti-seize sometimes gets onto the threads but I've never had an issue with it. I install lug nuts with my impact using the same technique every time. I do check with a torque wrench periodically and Ive never been under torque spec.
 

indept

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indept

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I use anti seize on the hub where the rotor contacts it. I use my impact wrench to tighten after hand starting all lugs and use a torque stick about 5 ft lbs lower than spec and finish with torque wrench.

I put new brakes on my granddaughters car last October. Her car has 5 lugs / wheel. Of the 20 lugs, 18 were cross threaded. The butthead at the inspection shop no doubt put the nut in the socket and rammed it on spinning full speed. Gotta love idiots with tools.
 

mikeru

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I use anti seize on the hub where the rotor contacts it. I use my impact wrench to tighten after hand starting all lugs and use a torque stick about 5 ft lbs lower than spec and finish with torque wrench.

I put new brakes on my granddaughters car last October. Her car has 5 lugs / wheel. Of the 20 lugs, 18 were cross threaded. The butthead at the inspection shop no doubt put the nut in the socket and rammed it on spinning full speed. Gotta love idiots with tools.
He must have been practicing for his NASCAR pit crew try-out. :driver:
 

Dan Topp

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Good issue to bring up for the inexperienced. I was taught on the farm but didn’t know how important it was until i did a brake job on a landcruiser that was neglected,3E64F312-CC2C-4859-8F8D-A29D67EE4C2E.jpegimage.jpgand spent a lot of time and kick’s getting the aluminum wheels off the hubs. Use sparingly around the contact surfaces
 
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Burla

Burla

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At 62 I also do my own tire rotation even tho tire shop offers it free. I use a dewalt 20v impact and 130# torque limiting extension. Haven’t used anti size tho.
do you have a link to that torque extetension?
 
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