Today was my first time changing wheels on this March ‘23 car.

 

The winter wheels have been used on 2 previous Bears.

 

I’ve never seen such messy wheel bolts. A mere 7,000 summer miles.
 

A wire brush and some WD40 cleaned things up.

That’s not good in such a short space of time.

 

Is there anything that can be applied to prevent this? It always used to be copper grease in the past but this doesn’t seem to be recommended any longer. 

Although it is specifically not recommended nowadays, I do use a very light smear of copper-ease grease on both the wheel bolts and the hub to wheel mating surface - and use a torque wrench to tighten correctly. I have never had problems with either.

That’s what I’ve always done too, I’m planning on getting the wheels off if it ever stops raining so I’m going to go with that, I never had any issues in the past and I regularly check wheel bolt torque anyway.

Edited 7 December, 20232 yr by Modders
Typo

You do realise that the block of wood on the jack crutch is sharing the vehicle weight between the cill and the plastic underguard?

 

I won't mention the lack of an axle stand (glass houses, stones and all that) but perhaps your attention should be a little more on the lifting process than the furry bolt threads.

 

In any case its the corrosion around the hub centre spigot that could bite you, not the unengaged section of the wheelbolt threads.

4 hours ago, J.R. said:

You do realise that the block of wood on the jack crutch is sharing the vehicle weight between the cill and the plastic underguard?

 

I won't mention the lack of an axle stand (glass houses, stones and all that) but perhaps your attention should be a little more on the lifting process than the furry bolt threads.

 

In any case its the corrosion around the hub centre spigot that could bite you, not the unengaged section of the wheelbolt threads.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

My half century (+) of wheel changing without mishap allows me to skip the axle stand for the few seconds it takes to pull off one wheel and pop on the, ready greased, clean bolted replacement wheel. (Excepting this one where I paused for a picture)

 

At no time was any part of my body under the car, at risk of getting trapped by a falling car. 

 

Do you carry an axle stand along with a jack and spare wheel?

 

The picture angle misleads you. My 2x2 timber is securely placed on the reinforced jacking point on the sill.
Definitely nowhere near the plastic trim.

 

 

I can't be sure but I think the furring is caused by a reaction between the alloy wheels and the steel hub and the wheel bolts. 

I forgot to add that I believe it's the same reaction that causes alloys to stick firmly to the hubs hence why @Warrior193 and myself use a smear of copper grease. I never bother with it when I put my winter steelies on. 

Edited 7 December, 20232 yr by @Lee

12 minutes ago, BoxerBoy said:

Do you carry an axle stand along with a jack and spare wheel?

 

4 hours ago, J.R. said:

I won't mention the lack of an axle stand (glass houses, stones and all that)

 

14 minutes ago, BoxerBoy said:

The picture angle misleads you. My 2x2 timber is securely placed on the reinforced jacking point on the sill.
Definitely nowhere near the plastic trim.

 

The camera does not lie, especially when the image is enlarged, the bottom lip of the cill is sitting on the wood (the manufacturers jack crutch straddles it) and it projects beyond at least 3" (now I know the timber size) before going out of frame so it is underneath the plastic underguard not the cill trim, I was not trying to be funny but I thought and now I am all the more certain, that you may not know of its existence, I didn't, I thought it was the floorpan so was not worried that my jack crutch with 5" diameter rubber pad extended underneath it until I heard the ominous cracking.

 

I do not wish anyone else to make the mistakes that I have done, this one after half a century of complacency.

 

I mean WTF, a plastic underguard protecting nothing on the side I broke!

22 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

Although it is specifically not recommended nowadays, I do use a very light smear of copper-ease grease on both the wheel bolts and the hub to wheel mating surface - and use a torque wrench to tighten correctly. I have never had problems with either.

 

Yes, that`s exactly what we are doing here in North.

On 07/12/2023 at 13:57, Warrior193 said:

Although it is specifically not recommended nowadays, I do use a very light smear of copper-ease grease on both the wheel bolts and the hub to wheel mating surface - and use a torque wrench to tighten correctly. I have never had problems with either.

Copper grease does not belong anywhere near a car nor has it done for the last 20 years since a massive range of metals are now in use and not just steel and iron, this means galvanic corrosion is more of a problem now than ever.

 

Copper-ease/slip/seize (it’s not a grease) on the hub will simply dry out as heat cycles happen and leave the metal there as a thick layer causing further seizing.
copper-ease on the threads will have the same issue + cause torquing issues. 
the manual makes clear to use clean dry threads but a thin layer of grease on the conical head is allowed.

Not only that, myself and many other mechanics hate the stuff as it simply makes a mess everywhere.

 

instead clean the hub and the wheel spigot and apply a thin layer of ceramic grease, the same for the wheel bolt conical faces. Ceramic grease is an actual grease, has high heat resistance and also is insulating to galvanic corrosion. 

I still use copper slip, it has served me well.

 

As with everything in life, an element of common sense is required.