Copper grease and wheel bolts

[arthurfuxake]

I had to change a wheel on the side of the road in the dark and rain recently, and I battled my behind off to loosen the bolts. Now, I'm not a small lad(16 stone), and they required some serious jumping on the wheel brace to release them.

Is it ok to put some copper grease onto the bolts so that they don't seize in future?

 

[1210tech]

yeah, whack it on there, get a sprayable copper grease from halfords rather than one you have to apply with ya finger.

the bolts should ideally be greased every time they are removed to avoid them seizing, also spray the face of the brake disc where the alloy touches to stop that from bonding as well and as its copper grease it won't matter if you over spray onto the disc face. :thumbsup:

 

[madvw]

I wouldn't use copper grease, it sometimes falls onto the ABS sensors and causes problems.

Audi supply a non-metallic grease just for this purpose.

 

[Marko]

Well I've read and heard the opposite, they must never have any grease on them. I always put some on the wheel that come into contact with the hub as, sometimes, the wheels can really stick. I had to use a block of wood and a hammer when I first got the car. Don't think Audi had the wheels off as per so called brake check.

I'm interested to know now, whether they can be greased. Personally I wouldn't at present. ??

 

[madvw]

that proves i didnt read the post properly...

yep, just the mating faces of the wheel and hub should be greased, not the bolts.

 

[peteA3tdi]

NEVER PUT GREASE OR COOPER SLIP ON WHEEL STUDS OR BOLTS
if you do when they heat up they can snap and your wheel will come off

 

[Ess_Three]

NEVER PUT GREASE OR COOPER SLIP ON WHEEL STUDS OR BOLTS
if you do when they heat up they can snap and your wheel will come off

What?
Give over...

VW, Audi, Honda and Porsche all Coppaslip both wheel bolts and hubs around here...and despite track work I've never had any issues....and I'm damn sure all these dealers wouldn't do it if it wasn't kosher.

I have once had the pleasure of tyring to change a rear wheel on a Golf where the owner (my dad) used only 3 in 1 oil on the threads...it took me 2 hours to change the wheel...the bolts were corroded solid and the alloy wheel to hub was all but welded together.

Coppaslip avoids both.

I agree that there should be consideration given to tightening torques for wheels, dry vs lubricated...but wheels coming off?
Give over...

 

[Diesel Dan]

I have been using Coppaslip on wheel bolts and on the mounting flanges for 30 years without any problems.

Makes life so much easier the next time you have to dismantle things.

 

[james0808]

Ive never used anything on mine but might start to now.

 

[marmite]

If you are going to use cooper slip on bolts and hub faces remember to clean the bolts and faces first, use a wire brush
I have seen bolts seized in were someone has used cooper slip on them when they were dirty

Other issue is people not torquing up the wheels, they think they have to be done up really really tight torque them up no issue

Cleaning the inside of the alloy were it sits on the hub helps and I use spray Alu spray from wurth and never ever had an issue

 

[Randomjim]

Don't like the sound of any sort of grease on wheel bolts. Invest in a torque wrench.

 

[arthurfuxake]

It wasn't the torque that was making them hard to undo, it was the corrosion. They were stiff even once loose, and were stiff putting them back in. I was on the side of the motorway, so didn't have time to get the wire-brush out.

Anyway, I bought some copper grease from halfrauds and one of the recommended uses on the box is wheel bolts, so I'm gonna give them a nice clean and a very thin coat.

 

[1210tech]

jobs a good 'un!

 

[batwad]

Everyone should invest in a telescopic wheel brace. You can get ones that are the same size as the standard kit but extend to twice the length. I've never jumped on a wheel brace since!

 

[Ess_Three]

As a small update to this...

The latest Porsche Club GB mag dropped through the letterbox today, and within is contains an article on the Do's and Don't of lubricants on wheel bolts etc, according to Porsche AG.

Now, I appreciate this isn't Audi..but the basics are the same...and if the wheels are likely to come off an Audi, they will a Porsche, in the same way.

Wheels bolts are all the same size and thread incidentally.

According to Porsche you should use a lubricant - they suggest an 'alloy heavy' lubricating grease along the same lines as Copaslip, but silver in colour, and carrying a Porsche part number (priced accordingly!!)

This should be applied to the hubs to prevent galvanic corrosion.
Also:

The threaded portion of the wheel bolts, to prevent the bolts from corroding solid in the threads...

The non threaded portion of the wheel bolt between the threads and the conical washer under the hex, to prevent corrosion again...

The flat portion at the top of the conical washer directly under the hex, to ensure the hex turns freely and doesn't bind on the washer...



It also states that you should NOT lubricate the seating portion of the conical washer where it seats against the hardened metal seat in the allow wheel.



I see no reason why Audi/VW etc would be any different.

 

[Mcgough]

Quote:
Originally Posted by peteA3tdi
NEVER PUT GREASE OR COOPER SLIP ON WHEEL STUDS OR BOLTS
if you do when they heat up they can snap and your wheel will come off


What?
Give over...

VW, Audi, Honda and Porsche all Coppaslip both wheel bolts and hubs around here...and despite track work I've never had any issues....and I'm damn sure all these dealers wouldn't do it if it wasn't kosher.

I have once had the pleasure of tyring to change a rear wheel on a Golf where the owner (my dad) used only 3 in 1 oil on the threads...it took me 2 hours to change the wheel...the bolts were corroded solid and the alloy wheel to hub was all but welded together.

Coppaslip avoids both.

I agree that there should be consideration given to tightening torques for wheels, dry vs lubricated...but wheels coming off?
Give over...

I see no reason why Audi/VW etc would be any different.

I have to laugh loudly then agree....what a load of ********..!!!

of course you should use copper slip......just out off interest when you next get new pads/disks done at audi when you get your car back i think you will find that they will copper slip the alloy wheel contact area and the bolts..


....oh look ive just had new disks and pads and re-furbed wheels and oh look copper slip...who put that there i wonder......fricken audi... you want me too
take pics and post them up to prove you wrong!!

NEVER PUT GREASE OR COOPER SLIP ON WHEEL STUDS OR BOLTS
if you do when they heat up they can snap and your wheel will come off

he he he he im still laughing...i better go and remove all the copper slip from my racecar in case my wheel snaps off.

 

[Mcgough]

...just checked on back on my GRANVILLE COPPER GREASE.

Copper Grease ensures excellent protection and lubrication for metal parts against heat, seizure, rust, corrosion, water and acid. This product forms a protective coating that will not wash or burn off

Protection against heat...nothing about wheels falling off.

 

[a4sline]

Audi list a paste especially for wheel changing.
Called " Assembly paste for wheel changing" and the part number is G052109A2. We use it all the time roadside and never have the problem again.
HTH

 

[Buzz]

A light greasing of the bolt thread reduces the required torque to achieve the same tension. The tension value is what you're really looking for when tightening a bolt; too loose, and the parts move, but too tight, and the bolt stretches. Designers of bolts usually asssume that a bolt will be greased/oiled when calculating torque application figures.

In addition, a 'dry' bolt will normally require more torque to do up to overcome the running friction of the threads.

A copper based grease is OK for wheel bolts and break parts but can lead to galvanic corrosion in some circumstances. I prefer to use a nickel based grease eg Never Seez (this is probably what Porsche use in Ess_Three's reply).

 

[Caesium]

I as stated before used to be a car mechanic, and I have always greased the wheel bolts/studs and the face of the disc before putting the wheels back on.The main reason for this is to avoid corrosion as stated by some other posters. Alloy wheels and cast iron brake discs can suffer from Galvanic metal corrosion, this is where 2 dissimilar metals are in direct contact (amongst other criteria) the metals have a tendancy to almost weld together. Copper ease will stop this from happening. simple

 

[Ess_Three]

A copper based grease is OK for wheel bolts and break parts but can lead to galvanic corrosion in some circumstances. I prefer to use a nickel based grease eg Never Seez (this is probably what Porsche use in Ess_Three's reply).

The Porsche stuff is Optimoly TA paste, available in 90g tubes from your local OPC for the sum of £12.17 (ouch!)

The OPC I use still use Coppaslip though...