So here's the question. How long do you guys wait for your car to cool down?

It seems that when I remove the lug nuts after I get home the lugs seem to unseat on the threads and then of course lock on the studs - then I have to just muscle the lug nut off. They go on fine, but it seems the steel studs and the metals in the lugs expand differently under heat.

 

I'd like an answer to this as well. I have stripped or broken about 9 wheel studs in the past 2 years and am so sick of it I am moving to street tire class soon so I don't have to change tires as much. Thankfully the group I autocross with has a street tire class for street mod. But I still would like to prevent this happening in the future. And before you ask, yes this has even happened when using a torque wrench to tighten them to spec. I have planned to goto the ARP studs on the front, because until 1.5 months ago I hadn't stripped a rear stud. Now it looks like I need to do it sooner and both F&R. I have probably done this myself by using lugs with the wrong taper or something but any help would be appreciated!

 

I never used to use antiseize on studs, but I problems w/ some lugnuts seizing on me and snapping the studs. I've since gone to aluminum lugnuts and started using antiseize. No problems since then.

Warren

 

Taking a tip from Radial Tire, I've also started putting anti-seize on my wheel studs. They seem to stay torqued as well as before, yet come off nice and easy.


[Modified by Geezer, 10:22 AM 8/12/2002]

 

Humm I've always try to clean the rust of my studs but never have broken one, crossing my fingers. But I do the thread anti-seize on my brake caliper threads, so I guess on my next change over I'll wire brush the studs and apply the anti-seize to them. I always keep my torque wrench in the trunk so I'll check them weekly.

Great tip!!

 

So anti-seize. I don't know what lug nuts comes with Kosei K1s so I'm guessing they are aluminum. I'll try that.

Do you guys think it's a problem because of heat? Due to the studs being steel and the lugs being aluminum? I think aluminum expands quicker than steel. I'm also torqueing everything down to specs 80 ft/lbs for autocross. It seems to only happen when the I get the car home from an autocross (30 miles) and start changing the wheels/tires right away.

 

Anti-seize will solve your problems! Just be careful and do not get any on the surface between the wheel and rotor. Wipe off everything except the studs.

 

Wow. I've never broken a stud. Never had problems with seizing. Of course, my lugs thread in, so if it did seize, the nut and lug would just come off together. I use anti-seize when I remember.

 

Easy way to find out is use a magnet to try to pick one up.

Sticks to magnet = metal, no stick to magnet = aluminum.



[Modified by Civic242, 11:36 AM 8/12/2002]

 

This is my first year breaking studs. I've been autocrossing for 5-6 years now. Broke them all this year. I was changing my tires more often back in 2000 and 2001.

 

With the antiseize torque your lugs every weekend or two (if you make it that far between tire swaps) to be absolutely safe.

 

Yup I do that but without the anti-seize compound. I actually torque to specs every weekend before I autocross - just to be on the safe side.

 

Actually, torque specs are based on lubed threads. If you use a torque wrench even with anti seize, they will not come loose until you want them to. I use it on all my street cars that get the wheels removed infrequently. Check the torque a day or so later, just to make sure, then thats it. I use it because I don't want to be messing with a stuck/boogered lugnut on the side of the highway.

 

Yeah I've never found any play in the lugs after the second retorquing, but you can never been too safe eh? Especially with improper wheel/lug combos (like Koseis and stock Honda lugs... I know 3 people with this combination and had the lugs back out).