[s-cars] Yet More Bolt Practicality

[Fred Munro]

I suspect, Scott, that the Audi engineers have built a little "extra" into
the wheels and lug bolts or the highways would be littered with cracked and
broken wheels from the multitude of monkey lads that whack them on with the
impact wrench set to "max". I'll bet less than 5% of car wheels ever
routinely have a torque wrench on them, and that 5% is car enthusiasts like
those on this list. I've only ever found one tire shop that torques wheel
lugs by hand and I am still going there to get tires.
So, while what you say is by-the-book correct, absolutely good practice and
very prudent indeed in the litigatious U.S. of A., I do believe the world
won't come to and end if I slop antiseize on my wheel lugs and apply the
Audi torque values. Which, I suppose, if why I do it, but YMMV, and we all
choose our own hell (or heaven for that matter).
Good info, Scott, keep it coming!

Fred Munro
'94 S4


-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-admin at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com]On Behalf Of QSHIPQ at aol.com
Sent: October 30, 2002 8:52 AM
To: wmahoney at disk.com
Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Yet More Bolt Scientology


Good information Bill.  I'm not sure he addressed your questions exactly...

Two points.  First, audi doesn't list ANY documentation wrt the use of A/S.
So, the 81 is a dry torque, Clean Inspect/replace (re)Torque by default.

Antisieze:  The only marque that specifies it that I can find is Porsche,
and
they use a wet torque, and use alloy (not steel) lug nuts, *threads* only.

Opinions aside (mine of course being right:), IF you use A/S, again by
definition, the torque MUST be adjusted downward from the stock audi
specifications.  IF you aren't doing this, by definition, you are
*overtorquing* your wheels.  That is putting the wheel in an "extreme"
environment every single day of it's life.  This would require a more
diligent inspection of wheels for cracking (zyglo is the typical consumer
stress crack identifying agent, tho it's accuracy is assured only on an
unpainted wheel = problem).

Using A/S or NOT still requires routine inspection of bolts for signs of
fatigue (stretch, nicks, galling), which also requires routine cleaning to
do
so.  And frequent retorques of any non/coated bolt should be routine as
well.
 A program of complete hardware replacement isn't such a bad idea either.

Summary:  The CIRT (tm- sj) process should be the standard for ALL wheel
installs, and ANY wheel change (including a removal/remount) should be
accompanied by cold retorque procedures (right now the consensus is that 50
and 150 miles post is a good guildeline, more if "extreme" environment).

HTH

Scott 3dubua Justusson

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