thread reboot!
do any of you reduce the wheel nut torque specs down by 20-30% or so to account for applying some kind of anti-seize on the thread?
just been doing my google rounds and without having any kind of first-principles engineering background, this is what 'some people' who 'seem knowledgable' are saying is standard practice.
so therefore the 350nm it specifies in the manual becomes 280nm.
is this common practice in the pitlane by the pro's or do you guys always just torque to spec regardless?
Although I understand your comment and reasoning, it seems as though people do just the opposite. I was told my my local Radical race team, even using dry graphite lub on nut and wheel surface, they always torgue to 290 ft-lbs (10% higher than specified). They said this was based on real experience with nut loosening.
I've seen mine loosen occasionally when torqued to 260 ft-lbs. I think it has more to do with the temperature of the system when the torque is applied. When I torque in the shop and everything is cold, it works okay. When I re-torque at the track because of a wheel change, that's when I check frequently to make sure everything is still tight. They are also much harder to get off back in the shop when I've had to re-torque while the car is warm.
Right -- I was taught to avoid tightening wheel nuts when hot -- that specs were usually designed for room temperatures, and that torquing while hot will over-tighten.
All that being said, I just use a Ridgid 18v impact gun, mark the nuts and check after each session. I've had a nut loosen a few degrees (after cleaning the threads with compressed air), but never more than that.
