[s-cars] RETorquing wheels

[Brett Dikeman]

At 6:27 AM -0700 10/15/02, Bernie Benz wrote:
>So, just keep torquing Scott!  Grease your bolts, threads and heads.  You'll
>get more clamping force out of them for a given torque and thus reach
>equliberium sooner.

I'll agree 100% here.  I keep all my wheel lug bolts well coated in
anti-seize.  I've been told I go overboard, so I've cut back a
little... :-)

I never have a problem breaking them loose, and I never have a
problem with them coming off what I torqued them to...EVER.  Never
since I've owned the car, including a track event at Watkins Glen,
have I had a bolt work even slightly loose.  Then again, I in a
opposite-corner pattern, and torque them in at least 2 steps.
Result?  No wheels leaving cars.

I think the "don't use anti-seize" mantra is a bunch of horse whoey.

We had, at Watkins #2(I think?) a guy who lost a wheel into a
cornfield about a half mile from the track coming back from lunch.
He was presented with the very first Cornstalk Award at the banquet
that night(I hear he beat out the guy who ran out of gas mid-session.
I think the awards committee decided $4/gal was enough punishment :)

One VERY important note: NEVER torque your bolts until everything has
cooled down...ie, torque right BEFORE you go out...

Brett
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