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What grease for wheel nuts?

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
jamesgarbett
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by jamesgarbett » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:12 pm

Does it matter?
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by flybobbie » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:14 pm

Non.

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by jamesgarbett » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:16 pm

Interesting - I had a slight feeling it might be none

Why is that out of interest?
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Smartbear
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Smartbear » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:35 pm

jamesgarbett wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:16 pm Interesting - I had a slight feeling it might be none

Why is that out of interest?
Grease can turn the recommended tightening torque into a greater force due to the easing of friction on the nut/bolt & they can end up over tightened :thumbsup:
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by jamesgarbett » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:54 pm

:thumbsup:
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by brillomaster » Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:31 pm

You're a month early matey! :poke: :P :lol:

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by pr117 » Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:37 pm

Just a little elbow grease maybe?
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Chris_D » Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:38 pm

I've used a soupson, a whisper, a mere smidge of copper grease for years now on my (clean) wheel bolts after getting caught out with seized bolts previously. Also applies to sparkplugs.

I stopped torquing my wheel bolts in favour of gauging by feel that they're tight enough and checking tightness every other week.
5 bolts was a good idea from BMW and increases failure/loss mitigation if 1 or even 2 bolts become loose.

But this is one of those benefits/disbenefits choices which ultimately won't change how the world turns doing it one way or the other!
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Bmwz4ruby » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:11 am

Have to agree with the above that I for the last 15 plus years have always put a little copper grease on wheel bolts over all my cars in that time. Never had an issue. Also wouldn’t use a torque wrench and would prefer my own engineers hands to gauge the torque.
Each to there own though.

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Pondrew » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:17 am

Copper grease. It's been used since the dawn of time and "IS AS GOOD TODAY AS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN"
It's more pertinent now than ever; all to do with dissimilar metals and contact thereof.
Bolts are steel, wheels are alloy (god knows what these days).

If you use nothing your wheels won't fall off. But the bolts could sheer the next time you try to loosen them (unlikely but you asked). :thumbsup:
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Pondrew » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:23 am

The consensus of opinion is for 120nm of torque on wheel nuts. I did it and found it just "felt" a little light, so went for 140. It just feels more secure! As long as the face of the wheel and disc is also lubed with aforesaid copper grease, otherwise you can't get the f*ckers off! :D Again the dissimilar metals scenario.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Reamesy » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:57 am

Pondrew, Don't forget as the wheel and hub heat up they expand. So I would be cautious about going beyond the recommended torque setting.
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2014 SLK250CDI AMG Sport
2012 E89 SDrive 2.0 M Sport. White
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2013 420D coupe
2002 Z3 2.2 Sport
1996 Z3 1.9

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by Pondrew » Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:29 am

Reamesy wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:57 am Pondrew, Don't forget as the wheel and hub heat up they expand. So I would be cautious about going beyond the recommended torque setting.
Yes, agreed, but when your local quick fit change the tyres they do the bolts up with a pneumatic gun which is set at about 1000nm! :D
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by GuidoK » Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:54 am

Pondrew wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:23 am Again the dissimilar metals scenario.
Actually the dissimilar metals scenario (galvanic corrosion) has nothing to do with bolts seizing up in this case
Aluminium is by far the least noble metal here, so that acts as a sacrificial anode, if any of the metals here would do so (that's why aluminium rims are painted, nobody wants to see them rust)
The zinc plating on most metal parts is 2nd
Bolts seize up just because of plain rust (clearly the effect of the less noble sacrificial metals is not enough).
The bolts are zinc plated. First time use (in the factory), the zinc plating is still in tact, but if they are removed and reused, there will be spots where the zinc plating is damaged from first time used, so a little copper grease is indeed a good defense against seized bolts.
I've had cars from new that were factory fitted with copper grease on bolts and rim/hub contact patch (my volvo for example)

So I always use a bit of copper grease. I don't adjust my torque range. (so in theory I could be over torqing my bolts with about 8-10%).
I think using a torque wrench is important. Not per se on using the correct torque, but more on that all bolts are torqued the same, so that there is no dissimilar tension on the hub and wheel.
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What grease for wheel nuts?

Post by SiJar » Tue Mar 02, 2021 8:26 am

Copper grease for me too, and been using it for 37 years with no issues on all my cars.
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