Anti-seize your trailer lug posts/nuts?

[jetboater4life]

I had my trailer tires changed today and this is what my lug posts looked like.


One of my lug posts stripped out presumably because the nut was was rusted on.

I asked the guy working on the tires if I could put some anti-seize on the lug posts before he re-installed and he said I couldn't because it would mess up the torque setting which he said was 100 ( is this ft/pounds ?)

Anyone care to share their thoughts on this topic? I really want to do something to those lug posts otherwise I might not be able to get the Lug nuts off myself. How about some Naval Jelly and then something to protect them that doesn't mess up the torque rating? If I do use anti-seize what should I use for my torque setting?

My brakes look good as far as I can tell.

 

[JC6275]

We use anti seize on our semi truck lugs all the time, never had a problem ever. If you do torque them, 100 lbs on a torque wrench is 100 lbs. if you choose not to do the anti seize I would use PB blaster and a hand powered wire brush and clean the lugs up, maybe spray them with a silicon spray to help with the rusting. As far as the brake pads, the pic of the pad looks good, I would say 75 to 85%

 

[JC6275]

If you do use anti seize, you only need a small amount. No need to smother them in it.

 

[Gym]

I anti seize my lugs to prevent the problem you had as I boat in salt water. The first time I removed the lug nuts I had to use an electric impact wrench to remove them as not one of the 20 lug nuts would budge by hand. If I were on the road and had to change a tire I would have been screwed.

With regard to torque: All nuts and bolts have a torque spec. I see garages use an air gun to install lug nuts all the time without torqueing to spec. That doesn't make it right but that's what happens. Also, rust and messed up threads will affect your torque results also. If you change a tire on the road it's unlikely you will have a torque wrench with you. I do own a torque wrench but I don't torque spark plugs or lug nuts.

 

[Boat Crazy]

Looking at the pictures, if you used your brakes getting to the tire shop, I question whether your brakes are working properly! That surface rust on the rotor should not be there after using your brakes for some time. ANYONE else care to comment on this?

 

[JC6275]

@Boat Crazy , good catch. It was late when I saw the post and the rust on the rotors slipped by me. There should not be rust on them if they are working. It could be from the impact wrench or tapping on the rotor cover putting a coat of rustr dust on them. But definitely worth checking into....

 

[KXCam22]

Anti-seize is you friend, especially on lug nuts. Cam.

 

[jetboater4life]

Looking at the pictures, if you used your brakes getting to the tire shop, I question whether your brakes are working properly! That surface rust on the rotor should not be there after using your brakes for some time. ANYONE else care to comment on this?

I wondered about the rust too, but I never got over 30mph on my trip to the discount tire and only had 1 or two stops at that speed. Less than 3 miles one way. I can hear the trailer clunk when I take off but don't here anything when I stop. I believe this is expected behavior.

 

[motorboater]

Why wouldnt you put anti-seize on them? Thats what its for. Mess with the torque setting? No I dont think so. Also the spec is 90 ft/lbs but 100 is fine. If you change one on the road just retorque them later, its not that big of a deal. The whole goal of following the spec and using antiseize is so that you dont have them stripping and breaking on you when trying to change a tire on the side of the road which can turn a 10 minute stop into a ruined day.

 

[Glassman]

Lost a lug this year when changing a tire

 

[jdonalds]

I don't but that is a good idea. I had to have a shop remove two bolts and replace them because I couldn't break then free.

 

[txav8r]

I may differ in opinion here. I use anti seize and always will on my boat trailer and boat spark plugs. But IMO, the rated torque is now totally off. 100 ft #s on a dry nut isn't the same as 100ft#s on a lubed nut. The lubed nut will certainly tighten farther onto the threads with 100 ft#s driving it. Is it an issue? Don't think so, but I don't bother with a torque wrench when using anti seize. I snug them with my air impact wrench to the second setting...and I can still break them loose with a hand tire iron.

 

[maboat]

I wondered about the rust too, but I never got over 30mph on my trip to the discount tire and only had 1 or two stops at that speed. Less than 3 miles one way. I can hear the trailer clunk when I take off but don't here anything when I stop. I believe this is expected behavior.

Easiest way to see if they are working is to unplug the harness and try backing up.

 

[txav8r]

I know what 5000 pounds behind you will do if the brakes aren't working, so it is pretty easy to tell if they aren't...takes two blocks to stop from 65mph!

 

[bucks448]

Antisieze and stainless acorn nuts! Where's that squirl pic...

 

[DoubleThrust]

Guys, anti seize affecting torque isn't an opinion. It's data, measurable. Let me do some searching.

 

[DoubleThrust]

Try this as a start...

http://www.mechanicsupport.com/bolt_torque.html

 

[bucks448]

Guys, anti seize affecting torque isn't an opinion. It's data, measurable. Let me do some searching.

Then so does rust as @Gym mentioned. Regardless, use antiseize on lug nuts if you want a chance at changing them on the road.

 

[DoubleThrust]

Agreed that the pictures of those nuts should be convincing enough reason to anti seize. Reading on the other forum back in 2010, I put it on mine within the first few weeks of owning the boat.

Now my mistake was that I over did it and slung it all over the wheels for the next two years, but that was my side of the learning curve LOL. The old original wheels are still stained to this day from it... So enough to coat things lightly should do it, don't goober it on

 

[Gym]

So, torque specs are ONLY valid when the threaded material is new. Otherwise rust, dirt, lubricants or damaged threads adversely affect the actual torque delivered to hit the required setting thusly rendering it unreliable. I believe one of our members recently broke a spark plug as a, suspected, result of torqueing it to spec after applying ant seize possibly causing it to be over torqued.