Leaderboard

Okay. I know this is an old thread but I feel I need to add some clarification. I’m an old hand with wheels/tires/fasteners, and asked this same question at every manufacturer & tire safety training I’ve attended in the last 30 years. So here goes: Lug nut torque values assume clean, DRY threads. There is absolutely NO reason to apply any type of lubricant, anti seize, etc to wheel stud threads. If they are rusty, clean them with a wire brush. If you can’t spin the lug nut on by hand, the threads on either the stud or inside the nut are not clean enough. The only place that oil is permitted by “most” wheel manufacturers to be applied, usually in the form of a single drop of 30w machine oil, is between a nut and its captive washer to facilitate a proper torque reading upon final tightening. NEVER between the washer and the wheel, a tapered nut and the wheel, or on the actual threads of the stud or nut. This is well-known to anyone that has received training on heavy truck tire mounting & installation, but it applies just as well to light automotive. The shop manuals I happen to have in front of me today are for a 1996 Dodge Ram and a 1999 Toyota Camry. In the “Wheel & Tire” section of both manuals, as well as just about any other shop manual you check, it makes this statement in bold type: “Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts.” It states that if surface rust, oil, or grease is present on the studs or nuts, they must be fully cleaned and degreased prior to assembly. As an aside: anti seize on wheel studs really doesn’t serve any purpose...if you’re leaving lug nuts in place long enough to seize to the studs, you’re not properly maintaining the vehicle in question. An extremely thin coating of anti seize can be applied to the hub on hub-centered wheels, or the wheel surface that contacts the rotor, to help prevent corrosion & seizing, but never on the wheel studs themselves. I sincerely hope this helps someone.

I've been getting Consumer Reports magazine for over 35 years. I knew that if any car company could get the first hybrid SUV right, the first time it would be Lexus/Toyota. And right I was. Ours is now 16 years old and still doing great! Side fact: Consumer Reports magazine has recently listed the top three most reliable car companies as: 1. Mazda 2. Toyota 3. Lexus I guess that's why our other two vehicles are Mazdas!👍

Our tires wore out a bit prematurely so when I brought it in, the service advisor gave us new tires at half off and an alignment. If there's a problem they can't fix they should communicate with Toyota/Lexus. I believe this is the Lexus customer service number: 1 (800) 255-3987 Have you called them yet?

Here's an 11 minute story about how Lexus came about by my favorite car nut.