Does anti-seize on threads change torque values?

[Smokey Eddy]

and its my opinion that the lug nuts/bolts need to be replaced after a while due to the frictional damage... or over torquing.

OR from tire shop kids buzzing the life out of the lugs with an impact gun.

[jtanguay]

and its my opinion that the lug nuts/bolts need to be replaced after a while due to the frictional damage... or over torquing.

OR from tire shop kids buzzing the life out of the lugs with an impact gun.

precisely! i actually think that they are trained to do this, just to make sure that wheels don't fall off and cause lawsuits.  however, when they start buzzing the life out of the lugs with nice cold alloy rims....   the alloy's don't play fair, and damage usually ensues.

Its not as simple as just lubed or unlubed.  Different lubes have a different torque (oil -25%, moly based -50%!).  Then factor in if the bolt is plated & how.  Zinc or cad plated bolts have different dry torque values.

good point on the coated bolts.  raceware has some special coating that significantly reduces the amount of torque required to achieve the proper clamping force, but i'll be damned if they are suitable for MLS gaskets as they tend to not 'crush' them.  mine busted at around 90-100 ft/lbs and the gasket was still not crushed.

as for what VW says to use for lubing its stretch hardware, just regular 10w30 engine oil - NOT SYNTHETIC

[clbanman]

There are many misconceptions relating to torque, clamping force, friction and lubricating hardware.   When I attended a torque training course, they told us that when you apply rotary force to a fastener with no lubrication, roughly 50% of the force is used to overcome friction under the bolt head, 40% will overcome friction on the threads, and only about 10% actually is utilized to stretch the fastener and results in clamping force.  When you look at those numbers, you can quickly see that if you reduced friction by 10%, you double the torque available to create clamping force.   This is why torque recommendation calculations always utilize the coefficient of friction.  Any lubricant, plating, or liquid threadlocker affects the coefficient of friction.  So yes, any lubricant will reduce the torque required to achieve a specified clamping force for a fastener.    If the torque recommendation was made based on a dry fastener and was done close to the plastic limit of the fastener, just a little lubrication can result in a failed fastener.  Note that the coefficient of friction is different for various lubricants.  Plating is also functions as a lubricant.   We specify a 20% reduction in torque values when going from using oil as a lubricant to using neverseize.

Living in Ontario, I would never consider putting wheel nuts or bolts on without using neverseize, especially during the winter season.