Rust colored ring runs the inner circumference of brake rotor

[brettS4]

I wouldn't bother painting a ring that small since the outer edge of the rotor shows just as much rust, at least on my car. But of the two color choices, I'd go black. I once painted my brake calipers silver and they were a distraction from the wheels. I since repainted them black and they disappeared, making my wheels look a lot better.

 

[BillyJack]

I've been in the automotive business all my adult life and I have to agree with Setec. I've never seen a wheel come loose because of any anti-sieze in the hub, but I've seen way too many alloy wheels that required a scary amount of force to break loose the bond caused by dissimilar metals, moisture and ice-melting chemicals. all my wheels get a very thin film of anti-sieze on all the contact points with the hub, the lug threads and the conical area of the lug nut.
Once again, thin, thin, thin is the operative word. This isn't a deal where a little bit is good and a lot more is better.

Bill

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I understand what your saying, but years of investigating all wheel offs it was determined that the biggest problem was something between those two surfaces...

Our backgrounds are different, I'm not discounting anything you're saying, just to me the more critical interface would be between the threads on the stud and the lug nut, and the area in contact between the lug nut and the wheel. But now thinking about it I guess if you reduce the friction between the wheel and the hub you could introduce some movement there which over time could loosen the lugs. Interesting.

Actually, oddly enough, years ago, I was sitting in the waiting room of my tire place, which is on a two lane divided highway with a grass median. Suddenly my attention was caught by a rooster-tail of dirt being thrown up as two cars from my side of the road slid across the median, just as a wheel bouncing way up in the air lands in the parking lot.

Fortunately no one was hurt, but I wandered outside to look at the wheel. This was back in the day when most cars had steelies, and on this one the center portion with the lug holes was broken out. Eventually the driver came in to use the phone and said he had just picked up the car from the body shop. I guess the wheel must have been cracked and nobody checked it. Anyway, I understand your concerns.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I've been in the automotive business all my adult life and I have to agree with Setec. I've never seen a wheel come loose because of any anti-sieze in the hub, but I've seen way too many alloy wheels that required a scary amount of force to break loose the bond caused by dissimilar metals, moisture and ice-melting chemicals. all my wheels get a very thin film of anti-sieze on all the contact points with the hub, the lug threads and the conical area of the lug nut.

I'm always leery about lubing threads and the conical contact. I guess it's from the old days when a GM manual I had specifically said that the torque values in the manual were based on no lube, and that lubing threads would be trouble (I think the fear would be overtorquing). Obviously it depends what the fastener is, I mean if it's a license plate screw, lube away.

 

[DaveT435]

i'm just giving my opinion from my 28 years with the largest independent tire company in North America...hell possibly the world now. A lot of what I said comes from their years of investigating wheels coming loose, ones installed by them as well as others. As far as wheels locking in hubs...yeah, that's a hub enteric wheel and one your least likely to have a problem with. About 35% of the wheels

I used to get the biggest kick out of customers coming in and when you tell them something they would come back with "well I'm a mechanic" It's like ok...1/2 to 3% of what you do has anything to do with tires. ALL I've done my whole life is tires. Being responsible for or personally removing and installing hundreds a day.

I was just trying to offer some sound advise. If you don't believe me I really don't care. If your ever going down the highway and see your wheel passing you I'm sure this conversation will come to mind. No need to respond..,I'm out.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I was just trying to offer some sound advise. If you don't believe me I really don't care. If your ever going down the highway and see your wheel passing you I'm sure this conversation will come to mind. No need to respond..,I'm out.

Jeeze Dave, I think you took me the wrong way, I'm interested in the knowledge you have on this topic, for precisely the reason you state, your overwhelming experience in this area.

I was only suggesting that intuitively it would be the threads and the conical contact area that decreased friction might result in loosening. I never considered the effect of lube in other locations and it's certainly an interesting idea. I'm going to ask the guy in my tire shop (if I remember) next time I'm in there...I know you and he have disagreed on other things (what I can't remember right now). I'm always open to more information.