Rusty hubs

"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly) 03/25/2017 at 16:10 • Filed to: GTI, Wheels

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When swapping wheels I found a ring of rust on three of four hubs (and the wheels, of course). I wiped it off, but was surprised to see it on a southern car about a year from manufacture and just under 15,000 miles. Is this any cause for concern?

When I put the original wheels back on should I put some grease there or something similar?

NostalgicCarLife > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:13

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Have you ever seen brake disks after a couple of days of rain and no driving?

bob and john > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:13

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I mean, a touch of grease probably wouldnt hurt.

also, southern car yes, but keep in mind where it was built and how it came over here. food for thought.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:14

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I would be surprised if there wasn’t any rust.

RacinBob > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:14

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Lucky for us, elemental Iron rusts; otherwise our blood wouldn’t work very well....

WRXforScience > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:14

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No reason to worry. The issue is that you have aluminum and steel in contact which leads to some surface corrosion (it’s a chemistry thing).

facw > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:27

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You’re likely looking at Galvanic Corrosion from the aluminum being in contact with the iron. Nothing to worry about, though it can make removing wheels a pain. A little grease should keep them from getting corroded together.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > bob and john 03/25/2017 at 16:36

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Mexican car.

Shoop > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:39

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Nope.

bob and john > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 16:43

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I thought Gtis were all built in germany?

EDIT: right, mk 7 they started to build them in mexico.

Shoop > Shoop 03/25/2017 at 16:45

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No seriously you’re fine.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 17:09

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I use a touch of anti-seize on the hub mating surface, sometimes even a thin thin film of it on the wheel where it touches the flat of the hub as well. Just don’t go nutty with the stuff, you don’t want it on the rotor or pad surfaces via slinging it on there.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc 03/25/2017 at 17:10

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Yeah, that’s causing me to lean towards no grease.

Orange Exige > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 17:44

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Ha! Must be nice that that amount of rust is questionable... Anybody from the northeast world be quite happy with that.

In all honesty though I’m being it’s really no big deal at all. Salty air maybe? Live by the shore?

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Orange Exige 03/25/2017 at 18:10

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Nope, Charlotte area. Yes, I know I have it easy with rust.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/25/2017 at 20:08

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If you’re swapping wheels each year for the seasons, you shouldn’t have any issues, it’s when you leave them on for years at a time that you have issues.

Clown Shoe Pilot > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc 03/25/2017 at 21:55

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Putting grease on the flat of the hub is a bad idea. Here’s copypasta from a forum that I used to frequent. The author has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Clown Shoe Pilot 03/25/2017 at 23:43

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Interesting information. I wonder if the effect is still the same with the newer geomet coated rotors or coated aluminum hat rotors. Essentially it would be a non bonding interface as there would be no oxidation between the wheels and the rotors/flanges. I guess that’s why OEMs don’t install anti seize on the there from the factory.

DarrenMR > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/26/2017 at 21:19

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The first time I tried to take my wheels off they were so solidly rusted to the hubs it was insane. I tried everything I could think of including stuff that is stupid and dangerous.