Defense of Anti-Sieze....

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

I think it was PDQShip who quoth:

> >(a torque spec, by definition, is a dry CLEAN thread, unless
> >otherwise noted) and forget the A.S. on the wheel bolts, bottom line, the
> >procedure and the A.S. cure are and can be just dead wrong....  Same
> >procedure for the brake carriers too.......  Think about the A.S. argument,
> >you aren't solving the problem, just creating a new one....

Granted, torque specs for lug bolts are dry.  But Kuh-MON, let's not 
get carried away!!!!   This is NOT a critical element of car 
maintenance...there is considerable room for variation.  Fer cryin' 
out loud, torquing the lugs has only about three functions:

1)  Holding the wheel on
2)  Assuring the rotor will not warp due to uneven tightening
3)  Assuring the lugs will not come loose

Now, we ALL know that lug bolts are often tightened to at least 2x 
their rated torque by idiot service people.  It is unusual for the 
bolts to fail even under that extreme duress, and what's more, it 
does not *usually* cause the wheel or rotor to behave strangely.  It 
also does not *usually* cause the wheel to crack.

SO - what harm is it likely to do to OVER-tighten the lugs by perhaps 
10-15 lbs/ft (at the outside) by adding anti-sieze?  I submit that 
this error is **trivial**!  I am not likely to cause any rotor warpage 
because they will all be tightened to the same (possibly, not certainly)
 slightly excessive torque; the lug bolts will not be stressed sufficiently 
to cause them to stretch and fail ; my experience tells me they will 
not loosen, and they will therefore not fall off.   All the criteria for 
performance I listed are met.  What's more, I know that the lugs 
will not lock up.  I have no such assurance that cleaning the threads 
will asure this - they are still subject to weather and heat.  I 
grant you that cleaning the threads may be a neat idea, but I doubt 
that the other priorities on my time will ever incline me to do so.  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843           Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
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