Hell no. I use a breaker bar, and put my foot on it until it feels right. I've got the magic feel.

I'm pretty much in the clutch bolt, and any other critical engine bolt/nut boat. Water pump bolts, oil pump bolts, any bolt or nut on a bearing, everything else I can do to feel no problem.

I use a torque wrench for most "important" stuff, and I use Loctite way too much!

Beats having shit coming loose or falling off though!

I've never used anti seize on lug threads, I dont think you're supposed to?

I do it.

I do. Try working on a 10 year old car here in the rust belt, and you'll know why. I've snapped off lugs trying to get a wheel off. And no, I have never had one loosen on me.

Re: loctite and nev-r seize. A little goes a long way. Most people use way too much.

hmm, looks like I have a new habit to pick up. has anyone used antiseize where the back of the wheel meets the hub? I pulled the wheels off my bmw a few weeks back and it was like frozen to the hub.

I do that, plus anti-seize (a smidge) on the spark plugs. That squeaky noise they make when they come out makes my teeth hurt. Funny story though. I was putting my engine together, and i was trying to be hardcore with torque specs, and let me tell you this. lb/ft torque wrenches aren't accurate down low. So i was converting in/lb into ft/lb and failed epically. So many trips for new bolts. So, lesson to be learned. If it feels tight enough, it usually is.

I do it on any vehicle that does not have the wheels pulled off at least once every 6 months. Hit the hub with the wire wheel and the aluminum rim with a scotch brite pad to get any excess corrosion off.

Sounds good. I'll do hand tight when I get new bolts for the valve cover. what exactly did you bust up?

thats a good idea about the wire wheel, I'll do it next time when I pull the wheels off. it's crazy because I only put them in on March and they were already seized up. it freaks me out to hit the wheels to get them off, even if it's with a rubber mallet.

It's called galvanic corrosion (road salt plus water is the ionic solution that aids the reaction). I use anti-sleaze on anything that usually takes effort to break loose and that I may need to take off at some point in the future (brake disk to wheel interface, lug studs, spark plugs, shock bolts, ball joints, tie rods, etc.)

I change wheels so much, I don't bother with anti-sieze on the lugs...nor do I use a tq. wrench. I use a good 'ole 4-way and I'm usually about 10ft/lb over spec (have measured my "feel" to a tq. wrench).

Don't hit them. Slowly drop the car back down (GENTLY!) and let the weight shear them off. Then clean up the corrosion and put a very light smear of grease or nev-r seize on the mating surface. One large pea sized dab is plenty per wheel. More than that, and you're just gonna make a mess.

I'm not sure how I feel about that since it has wheel bolts.. unless I threw in a couple bolts loosely just to make sure the wheel doesnt fall off

I'm actually lucky enough to have a calibrated elbow that pops at the proper torque.

:bowrofl:

I usually put a few drops of oil on the lug studs to keep the threads from wearing. I pull the wheels constantly, and it makes them last much longer. Anti-sieze would lubricate too, but I never go through the hassle.

I never put spark plugs in without anti-sieze.