Thread: Wheel nuts and anti seize

The copper stuff is used pretty much exclusively over this side of the world, even on the later type stuff.

A small paint brush is the best way of applying. Plenty on the faces of the hubs (enough to stop dry hubs seizing) and then a small amount on the top of the studs (threading the nut on will spread it through the rest of the threads).

Any excess on the hubs soon disappear once driving at highway speeds.

M

Originally Posted by camel_landy

The copper stuff is used pretty much exclusively over this side of the world, even on the later type stuff.

A small paint brush is the best way of applying. Plenty on the faces of the hubs (enough to stop dry hubs seizing) and then a small amount on the top of the studs (threading the nut on will spread it through the rest of the threads).

Any excess on the hubs soon disappear once driving at highway speeds.

M

Do not put anti seize on the hub faces. All the drive to your wheels are transmitted by friction on that face.
It's also completely unnecessary. Flat faces don't seize together very often.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Do not put anti seize on the hub faces. All the drive to your wheels are transmitted by friction on that face.
It's also completely unnecessary. Flat faces don't seize together very often.

I am reading this thread with great interest. My 226 gram plastic bottle of Permatex 09127 Copper Anti Seize says it is OK with stainless, aluminum, Monel, copper and even steel and iron.

Regardless, I only use it on the stud threads and I assume both the studs and the lug nuts are steel. As to the hub faces, on my 3 I have not ever had a sticking problem, however on a relatives 4Runner, (I think that is a Prado in Oz), it was a different story.

I foolishly offered to install the snow tyres last fall.

Initially it seemed to be just a matter of jacking the vehicle up, removing the existing factory alloy wheels and mounting the snow tyre steel wheels, (rubber was already mounted and balanced).

Jacking was easy, air shocks, but no air springs, hence no challenge at all as no articulation - reminded me of a Series Rover.

Remove the lug nuts, (little things they are - kind of like my wifes Passat.) The first wheel just about fell off but it is not light, seems about as heavy as on the 3; definitely not a Passat wheel.

As to the next 3 wheels, well they were not as much fun. The second would not come off so I put a couple of lug nuts back on and went to the third wheel - same deal - would not come off.

Head scratching, coffee time, got to think about this; got the owners manual out - pretty good English I must say, and removal appeared to be normal, there should be nothing unusual here.

Eventually I found a length of 4x4 timber and a sludge hammer; laid the 4x4 against the sidewall rubber and banged first gently, then with gusto and there was finally movement. It was the same with the other two - it was just no fun and if it had have been a flat on the side of the road, well..... If there was anything funny about this, initially I thought maybe this sticking was some sort of super precision Japanese machining of a matched wheel hub and wheel - sheesh - no, it was just corrosion.

With all the banging and yanking, I was glad the 4Runner was not jacked up to the moon and half tipped over as I normally must do with the 3.

In summary, I can say I have never had a rim stuck to the wheel hub on my 3 but that two year old Toyota, egads. Also the wheels had been removed the previous spring to put the summer tyres back on, but at the Toyota dealer.

I am not going to be so quick to volunteer again; the Toyota dealer can have the fun this spring and I will continue to not use any anti seize on my 3's wheel hubs. I appreciate the comments as I did think that if a little is good, perhaps a lot would be even better. I will stick with doing just the threads, and sparingly.

I just give the studs a quick squirt with Lanotec (lanolin) spray....works well.

Been using copper anti seize for 30 years now on threads... Never had a problem especially getting nuts loose!
I use it on all suspension bolts too. Regularly had to change bushes when I was racing Rangie based racers in the UK. Anti seize made life so much easier.

Went down to COV,S to check out the price of Loctite Nickel. I did not purchase as they wanted $78 for a small tin. I reckon they would not Evan pay half of that in the states!

Originally Posted by pannawonica

Went down to COV,S to check out the price of Loctite Nickel. I did not purchase as they wanted $78 for a small tin. I reckon they would not Evan pay half of that in the states!

look at the other brands.

permatex is a common one and the last tube I got came in a toothpaste tube that didnt have an applicator.

I prefer the ones with the build in brush because its less messy, but at the time I had to take what I could get.

be warned antisieze has a shelf life and gets clumpy after it, not too bad in the bottles you just mix it up but in the tubes its very hard to remix.

Buggered if can see the need for any product........don't foresee ever having having an issue with wheel nuts