Steel to aluminum never sieze?

Question

My friend Scott drives a Buick station wagon, with aluminum wheels. He bought the small lugnuts cause he likes them better. I figured that was a mistake, and it was. They fused to the wheels. And being short, there is no way to get a good wrench on.

After about 20 hours of using a die grinder, he did manage to get them off, and replace the studs. Got the real lug nuts, the tall ones with the chrome cap.

Must have had an "air head" put them on, at one time. When we did the brake job a few weeks ago, one wheel needed a breaker bar and a lot of weight to get the lugs to loosen.

What's a good never sieze to put between steel lugs, and aluminum rims? I'd used white lithium grease spray, cause I had some. I suspect they were also over torqued.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Stormin Mormon · Accepted Answer

Always a good thought. Go to the auto parts store, to get materials for working on the auto.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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The kind the auto parts stores sell works fine. Bunch of different brands.

Stanley Schaefer · Answer

There's a type with aluminum in it that's probably the best for the job. Copper may react with the alloy wheels and corrode them with salt water exposure, not sure about the nickel type. Graphite is probably not a good idea, either. And your grease idea is much better than bare nekkid. It's not liable to wash off, anyway. Need to get some behind the rim, I've had more alloy rims stick to the drum/disc than lug nuts fail to come off.

A torque wrench is almost a must-have with alloys, over-torque one, it cracks and you get to buy a new one. The tire chain I deal with may use air tools to get them off, but always uses hand lug wrenches for replacing and torque wrenches for final tightening. Have never needed a cheater when removing a tire and rim they put on.

Stan

Stormin Mormon · Answer

Your tire place sounds like they are skilled, and caring. I'm not sure who was the last person to replace the lugs in this case. But, I do know one needed a breaker bar and a lot of oompah to get the lugs loose.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link

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There's a type with aluminum in it that's probably the best for the job. Copper may react with the alloy wheels and corrode them with salt water exposure, not sure about the nickel type. Graphite is probably not a good idea, either. And your grease idea is much better than bare nekkid. It's not liable to wash off, anyway. Need to get some behind the rim, I've had more alloy rims stick to the drum/disc than lug nuts fail to come off.

A torque wrench is almost a must-have with alloys, over-torque one, it cracks and you get to buy a new one. The tire chain I deal with may use air tools to get them off, but always uses hand lug wrenches for replacing and torque wrenches for final tightening. Have never needed a cheater when removing a tire and rim they put on.

Stan

newshound · Answer

Probably not a single answer, the issue is corrosion including electrochemical corrosion. Different answers for Alaska, Arizona, or if you drive it on the beach.

Jim Wilkins · Answer

"newshound"  wrote>>LPS-3 is better than nothing, but it doesn't stop the aluminum from corroding and it picks up dirt. It does appear to keep the steel from sticking to it.jsw

Steel to aluminum never sieze?

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