Need help on wheel spacers maint.

When rotating tires and doing maintenance on wheel spacers do I only re-torque them or remove , re-add loctite and torque?

 

Just check the torque

I stopped using loctite because it gummed up the threads. Everytime I wanted to reinstall a wheel or spacer i had to chip crusty loctite off the threads for an hour, it got annoying

 

Id just hit them with the torque wrench and make sure theyre at 80ftlbs or w/e theyre supposed to be at. Id bet they havent moved if you loctited them

 

I assume you are talking Spidertrax style spacers.
My suggestion is to torque spacer to the OE studs to spec with thread locker. Get a tube of Permatex Bolt Mark and add a drop to each stud/nut. This will show if the nuts get loose without you disturbing the thread locker.
For mounting the wheels to the spacers, just torque to spec and check after 50 miles or so.

 

I don't understand the loctite. If those 6 lugnuts were going to back off, the wheel was going to fall off anyway

 

Just set your torque wrench to 5-10 ft lbs less than the original torque and check. I installed mine at 100 ft lbs, so I check with 90 ft lbs and look for any movement.

 

True, the other thing is that I don't believe they can ever actually fall off using something like Spidertrax, because the nuts are still on the treads while they are past the face of the spacer. The nuts are effectively "trapped" in place by the wheel. They could get loose, but I think that would be fairly noticeable.

 

I had never heard of this product. That's a cool idea.

 

It is also usable to ensure paid for services get done. Put a drop on any drain/check bolts. If it is still there when done, they have some explaining to do.

 

Appreciate the response guys!

 

I believe the recommendation is to loctite the nuts holding the adapter to the rotors/drums cause those are out of sight by the wheels. Loctiting the lugnuts is an option I’ve never taken. On the contrary, I use antiseize to fight corrosion, and I do reduce torque, to 75lbs.

 

Wire brush cleans them in seconds.

 

I am not a fan of wheel spacers. I have heard too many horror stories with bud style wheels in commercial transport. I would never personally use them.

If I did though... I would install them as per manufacturer recommended procedure and apply some torque check to the fasteners. When I removed the wheels to rotate I would inspect to make sure that the torque check is still intact and visually inspect for any movement. If the fastener has moved, I would tear everything apart, inspect and repair as required and reinstall. It the torque check is intact then I would finish the tire rotation and move on.

 

I am talking about the 6 nuts that hold the spacer on. If you need loctite to hold a hub-centric spacer on then you need loctite to hold a wheel on. Not necessary IMO

I also have copper antisieze on all my vehicles studs. Never had a problem with anything backing off

 

It depends on the manufacturer. BORA makes no mention of using loctite, only that they are torqued properly by hand. I've had them on for about 10,000 miles and no issues.