Llanigraham. It's very simple, if there is any movement at the hub/wheel face in normal use, it will fret.

I have no idea why your dealer does it and I don't own a freelander. My real landrover doesn't get the wheel faces lubricated. Perhaps the tolerances on the freelander wheels are too tight or the owners too weak.

Please explain how there can be any movement/fretting when the wheels are torqued up correctly?

And why so patronising?

Graham. This is the crux of the problem.

Wheels rely on friction between the hub and wheel surface to stop movement. This requires clamp load which is supplied by the bolts/studs/nuts.

If you reduce the friction from about 0.3 (dry) to less than 0.1 (lubricated) then you need 3x the clamp load to stop movement.

To get that 3x clamp load you need 3x the torque on the studs.

Now we all know that 3x the torque will result in damage to or failure of the studs/bolts.

If you lubricate the faces, then the required torque is triple and other failures will result.

If you are worried about the centre spigot getting friendly with the wheel and not letting go. Then by all means put some anti-seize on the spigot. Anti-seize =/= grease and grease =/= antiseize. They can each do a little of the job of the other. But they aren't the same thing.

Norry, grease is formulated to keep a film under very high pressures. It's not getting squeezed out when you tighen up the bolts, it's just getting squeezed thinner.