Bolts: To grease or not to grease?

[lsidir]

Hi,

when re-assembling, for example the rear trailing arms, should one lightly grease the bolts? I have seen grease on the wheel lug nuts, but what about the allen bolts that tight together the trailing arm, the ball bearing housing, and the brake plate? Is it ok if I slightly grease those ones to prevent corrosion?

cheers

[Syncrobaz]

I always use copperslip but not on caliper bolts.

You probably won't get any comments from the other guys 'cos they're at Busfest !

[lsidir]

right I forgot that:) Busfest!

[max and caddy]

I'm at Busfest..I copper slip everything!

[Drunk Aardvark]

I have recently been introduced to copper grease. Great stuff

[syncropaddy]

I copperslip everything except anything to do with brakes or steering

[skippymoss]

What if its a bolt with a prescribed torque setting?
Wouldn't the grease alter that?

[max and caddy]

What if its a bolt with a prescribed torque setting?
Wouldn't the grease alter that?

Might do..I do it anyway and will continue to do so...better than rusted in every time.

[Wychall]

Not sure on present regs, but back in the 70's a HGV could fail it's annual test if there was grease on the wheel studs. As mentioned above, greased studs and nuts could not be correctly torqued. The lubricant allowed the nuts to be over-torqued which could lead to stud failure and wheel loss.

[syncropaddy]

What if its a bolt with a prescribed torque setting?
Wouldn't the grease alter that?

No it wont because the prescribed torque is the force applied to tighten the bolt. It will alter the clamping force of the bolt. This is why more and more manufacturers are quoting a small initial applied torque and then angular movement to achieve the required clamping force.

Engineers Edge Engineering Forum ...... its all there!!

[max and caddy]

I think hgvs do still fail if copper grease is visible on the nuts..vw also state that no lubricant should be applied...but then they get stuck in to the point where it damages the threads getting them out and if the car gets a puncture the wheel brace may as well be chocolate..it may be controversial and even illegal but I'm carrying on greasing up my nuts!

[lsidir]

I have read in so many different forums long discussions about whether or not grease effects the torque readings. Maybe we should send it to mythbusters to investigate it:)

[max and caddy]

It certainly affects the tourque readings getting them back out again in ten years time! And the swear word readings!

[toomanytoys]

It certainly affects the tourque readings getting them back out again in ten years time! And the swear word readings!

By not greasing them.. ha ha ha ha

I always use copperslip on just about everything. Coz I know I will be checking it again and I may need to get the fugger off in the future... but just a light dab on the wheel studs.. but only use 100ftlbs to torque them up.. never had a stud break or nut come undone..

[..lee..]

i`m with alex on this. been copper slipping fixings for years including wheel nut despite knowing you`re supposed to fit nuts dry. never had a problem, the same cant be said with cars that come in new to us.