I got my nuts stuck.....

[Mad Hatter]

I do a lot of wheel changes since I drive to the track and in these last three weeks I have been busy with 4 track days. No problem until yesterday When we were putting on the last semislick, a nut got jammed and in the process of trying to put work it free I broke the arp bolt. Luckily there was lots of bolt left so we put on a old nut and everything looked ok. At the end of the session when it was time to change to the street tires almost all the nuts got stuck and had to drive home on the race tires. Am using gorilla open ended nuts and I always change them when ever they even look a bit rough.

Any ideas what could have happened? Would it be to risky to use stock wheel studs? Or should order a new set of ARP studs?

 

[VoodooBoss]

Order a new set. We've seen too many stock studs break.

 

[Calif boss302]

Does anyone grease their nuts? I was told by old racer guys to put a dab of grease on the threads to prevent binding. Anyone do this these days?

 

[Cobra700]

I always put a lil bit of antisieze on my nuts.
Also on the hub where the rotor seats and on the rotor where the wheel seats. Whether this is ok or not dunno. But looks like I'm about to find out by some more experienced members.

 

[F.D. Sako]

^I've done both, as well.

I like my rotors to slide right off once the caliper is removed :

 

[Black Boss]

^I've done both, as well.

I like my rotors to slide right off once the caliper is removed :

+1

I change wheels frequently and use Anti Seize on both the hub/rotor interface and the studs. Torque is -10-12% with lube. I torque studs to 88-90 lb-ft.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Agree. I use the anti-seize as well, one dab per weekend per lug.

Not a bad idea to have a spare set of studs laying around either (I don't have spares yet).

Also I use the Vorshlag 17mm open-end lugnuts and have a bag of spares as well in case one starts to get weird.http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=141_142_270&products_id=519

 

[Mad Hatter]

Broke 5 of the wheel bolts getting my nuts off..... :'( Have a new set of ARP bolts coming and in the mean time I bought the only set of OEM wheel studs in Chile so I can make the next event.

From now on will lube my : nuts!!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

FIVE? Holy crap, dude. You need to make sure they are going on correctly and not cross-threading. I always start the lug nuts by hand to ensure this--no NASCAR BS trying to gun them on. Once you have them correctly threaded you can finish them off with an impact or drill.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Yep. I'm in no hurry so I start the lugs by hand, use a drill to snug them up and torque by hand.

 

[F.D. Sako]

Time to fire your pit crew!

 

[Mad Hatter]

Yes! I know, I usually put them on by hand and torque them down by hand as well. I really do not know how it happend..... and all in one day..........

Got to watch out for those helpfull hands that appear out on nowhere!

 

[Flyboygsxr]

It's probably already been said but never remove the wheels right after you come off track. Everything is hot and you're just asking for disaster. I always wait until everything has cooled before I take the wheels off.

 

[TMSBOSS]

With or without lube, clean the threads regularly.
Lube will attract dirt and abrasives gumming up the threads. A quick spray down with brake clean will remove the buildup of dirt and metal.

Lug nuts are a maintenance item. Replace when resistance is felt.

 

[Grant 302]

I use anti-sieze. Aluminum wheels in contact with the steel and iron studs/rotor hats create a strong galvanic reaction. Replace studs when there is any galling or deformation on the threads.

 

[DocB]

@ Mad Hatter:

1. Are you torqueing the nuts to the correct spec with a good torque wrench?

2. Does the nut seat angle match the seat angle on the wheels?

 

[modernbeat]

Though Terry likes standard nickle anti-seize, I much prefer using a dry anti-seize on wheel studs. My choice is Moly-Mist by Jet-Lube. It's a molybdenum aerosol that drys after application. I've got an old Tupperwear bowl with the bolt pattern punched into it to use as a mask so I don't have to be as careful when applying it and worry about getting it on the brakes.

http://www.jetlube.com/pages/Moly_Mist.html

 

[Mad Hatter]

Will have to check on whats available down here, I did find a copper based paste.... I have never had this happen before and thats after nearly two years of having at least two events a month, thats some 96 tires changes a year!. Nuts where torqued and never had a stuck one till that day.

It might be because I had a long trip through some tall very green grass the week before. Maybe the sap from the " "freshly cut" grass made a paste that seized the nuts and I never noticed???. Sounds a little far fetched..

 

[modernbeat]

Will have to check on whats available down here...

Bel-Ray is a popular brand that is know to Motorcyclists in the US, but they have a larger, industrial presence in Chile and are based out of Santiago. You might check with them as they make a good anti-seize.

http://www.belray.cl/news/mineria-productos4.htm

 

[Mad Hatter]

Thats great info, Thanks!!