GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hey, does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to keep the oxidation between the aluminum wheels and the steel hub from happening, or at least minimize it? I have to use a big rubber mallet to knock these things off when I rotate the tires or switch out for winter/summer tires.

I have the steel wheels, and the fronts rust weld themselves to the hub/rotor. People have posted about how hard it is to get the front rotors off, but on mine, by the time I bust the wheels loose, the rotor is loose also. Last time I had to smack the tire repeatedly with a cinder block to bust it looseI have thought about giving the spot where the hub touches the wheel a light shot of WD-40, a thin coat of paint, or even a piece of paper between the two, but so far I haven't tried anything. Welcome to genvibe

Cinder block?! Man that thing was stuck! I've tried antiseize, it helped a little but, it seems to me that WD-40 would evaporate. I'm thinking there has to be some kind of product out there for this purpose but I don't seem to be able to find anything on line about it.Oh, by the the way I was worng, this is called galvanic action, an electrolytic reaction between two disimalar metals with a little water thrown in. See, I can be tought!

Would a polycarbonate (plastic) hub ring and aftermarket wheels help? I just had new wheels put on, and they seemed out of balance. Anyway, I took it back to the tire shop and they apparently forgot to/neglected to install the hub rings. Vibration problem solved. Anyway, I did some research on hub centric vs lug centric wheels and discovered that although some people think the aluminum hub rings are better, the fact is that the plastic hub rings slow, or eliminate the problem of the aluminum wheel bonding to the steel hubs. Just a thought...I know $500 wheels do not seem like a solution, but the plastic hub rings will not wear off like nevercease.

Motorcycle chain lube in an aerosol can works great. I prefer the stuff called "Chain Wax". When it dries, it really feels like wax.

Some brake grease, around the centering ring and on the general seating surface of the wheel to the rotor... It's a hi-temp grease, so it doesn't get cooked off and it's silicone in compositiion so it doesn't get washed away... Just don't put it on you lugs or studs, it will drasticly change the torque figures on the lug/stud that can cause damage... You use a torque wrench on your lugs right??

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »You use a torque wrench on your lugs right?? I never have.

I'm a little embarised to admit that I just use an impact wrench.Would you happen to know what the torq spacs are?

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »I never have.You should be....!!

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »I'm a little embarised to admit that I just use an impact wrench.Would you happen to know what the torq spacs are?No need to be embarresed about it, not to many people know. As far as the spec for the Vibe lugs, i'm not sure yet, i don't even own one for a few more weeks.... On my Subaru it's a suprisingly low 75ft/lbsThe reasion it is such a good idea to use the torque wrench is so that the force on each lug and stud is equial to within a few ft/lbs. This can also save brake rotors, cause as they tend to get hot, having un-even torque on the lugs can lead to warping rotors (more of a concern if you drive like i do, fast and hard) cause say one lug got much tighter than another... It could literly "pull" a rotor into warping... I know this first hand... It's also a good idea to re-torque after 100mi and 500mi if your running aluminum wheels.... (re-check at 100mi on steel wheels)

The Vibe is 76 ft./lbs.

That might have something to do with it. I go through a set of front rotors every year warping them out. And yes I do drive like you. Well, maybe more like Tony Stewart. Led footin' the GT, Ooo Raa!!!I'm looking at some of these cross drilled and slotted one on Ebay. My wife works for a company that gets the aftermarket ones (like what you get from Auto Zone) from China, so I've been getting new ones for the same price as machining the old ones.I just got my 17s back form the insurance compay (Totaled the '04 GT) and GM didn't offer the 17s on the '06 GT, mater of fact they didn't offer the GT for '07 so I had to go all the way to Chicago to find a new '06 GT still on a dealer lot. Anyway, I don't want to have to use a cinder block like jotman to get them off.

Well, you gotta cheap torque wrench? I use a 20$ one from harbor freight, workd great for lugs, cause there "not" that critical, it works wonders as a breaker bar to...lolYou just migh be surprised that if you do torqure the lugs, you might not have that problem with the rotors.I have a pair of KVR crossdrilled on my Subaru, been there for over 5yrs now... A prober rotor seasioning and pad bedding can help a LOT to .... I have a post in here reguarding that as well, you should have a look...

Quote, originally posted by guilty »The Vibe is 76 ft./lbs. Thanks!!!!!

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »I have a pair of KVR crossdrilled on my Subaru, been there for over 5yrs now...Where did you get them and would you recommend them?

I got them in a group buy on my Subaru site, KVR is actually canidan i believe... Your going to have to do some searching to find out if they have them for the Vibe, which i doubt... Any of the other manufactures sell good products, i would personaly go with http://www.frozenrotors.com/se...ex=14That's just me though, when i get the chance these will be what i'm getting... cryotreating is the ish... But seriously, if you properly torque your lugs, properly seasion your rotors and bed the pad, your brakes should never warp.... Like i said about my Subarus brakes 5-6yrs old, not a single wobble, driven HARD (i used to live in Vermont and would chase friends through the MOUNTAINS, never a problem)

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »But seriously, if you properly torque your lugs, properly seasion your rotors and bed the pad, your brakes should never warp.... You said somthing about this early, this is a new one on me. I tryed to do a search for threads that talk about this and couldn't find any thing. Could you post a link? I'm going to pick up a torq wrench after work today.

Put a little bit of anti-seize lube on the hub and your wheel will come right off once the lug nuts are off.

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »You said somthing about this early, this is a new one on me. I tryed to do a search for threads that talk about this and couldn't find any thing. Could you post a link? I'm going to pick up a torq wrench after work today.About lug torquing...http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28517About brake seasioning/bedding...http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28516Enjoy...!!

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »But seriously, if you properly torque your lugs, properly seasion your rotors and bed the pad, your brakes should never warp.... Well go figure, I've never had this happen before! All this talk about properly torqing the lugs nuts, which I hadn't at the time of this post but will, I lost a lug nut! Just yesterday I was looking at the passenger side my car from the dinningroom window and somthing didn't look right, so I ran out side and sure enough I was missing a lug nut! I've never lost one betore in my life! I have a torq wrench now and at lunch time today I'm going to the dealer and get a new set of nuts and do this right.

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ » I'm going to the dealer and get a new set of nuts and do this right.I hope it works out. Disappearing nuts are never good.Oh come on... someone had to say it.

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »Well go figure, I've never had this happen before! All this talk about properly torqing the lugs nuts, which I hadn't at the time of this post but will, I lost a lug nut! Just yesterday I was looking at the passenger side my car from the dinningroom window and somthing didn't look right, so I ran out side and sure enough I was missing a lug nut! I've never lost one betore in my life! I have a torq wrench now and at lunch time today I'm going to the dealer and get a new set of nuts and do this right.right on man.. Just make sure you check them again after 100 and 500mi to see if they losened up at all (your on aluminum wheels right?)

Quote, originally posted by VibeVixen »I hope it works out. Disappearing nuts are never good.Oh come on... someone had to say it. You must be new here... hello 2 you... VibeVixen, sounds like girl....

Quote, originally posted by VibeVixen »I hope it works out. Disappearing nuts are never good.Oh come on... someone had to say it. LOL... Yeah, I kind of had that one coming. Expected it from Sublimewind though. LOL

I was being rather sneaky, and apologize, but I am actually LedFootin's wife... and the reason we became Vibe owners originally in 2004. You all have a fantastic group here! We're learning so much.

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »right on man.. Just make sure you check them again after 100 and 500mi to see if they losened up at all (your on aluminum wheels right?)Yeup aluminum. The winter ones too. I will be checking emGood one Vixen. Good thing you didn't flirt around, I'd have had to shut you downl

Quote, originally posted by VibeVixen »I was being rather sneaky, and apologize, but I am actually LedFootin's wife... and the reason we became Vibe owners originally in 2004. You all have a fantastic group here! We're learning so much.and we pay attention to things, like how you and he live in close, but different towns.

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Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »LOL... Yeah, I kind of had that one coming. Expected it from Sublimewind though. LOLSo that means, i'm ALREADY making a name for myself.... oohh... I hope that's a good thing... lol

I should've known better than to put one over on a group of people so intelligent that they own and gleefully operate Vibes. We do actually live together though LOL! I was using my office address, just to give my hubby a moment's pause.It was great to see this forum cited in the latest issue of "Pontiac Performance".

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »Yeup aluminum. The winter ones too. I will be checking emGood one Vixen. Good thing you didn't flirt around, I'd have had to shut you downlHay now, what's a lil flirtin among friends...

Hey Sublimewind are you going over to that Super Vibe Rally at stony Creek this weekend?

I donno anything about it... Teach me somethin..!

Here is the link to the thread. let me know what you think.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28544

Opps wrong one

There. I think I've got it.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28543Yeah, that's it. I guess it's called the Super Meet

Thanks, i found it...

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »Hay now, what's a lil flirtin among friends... Hey, SW... have I told you that you're kind of cute?Heh heh...Okay, with apologies for hijacking a previously respectable thread, we now resume your regular programming.

Quote, originally posted by VibeVixen »Hey, SW... have I told you that you're kind of cute?Now you're my kinda girl.... [/Thread Hijack off]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »right on man.. Just make sure you check them again after 100 and 500mi to see if they losened up at all (your on aluminum wheels right?)Okay! I,ve got it all done, everything torqed to specs. It sure dosen't seem very tight though. I guess I've been doing them too tight for twenty-seven years. I'll be checking them as you say for sure. Thanks for that torq spec Guilty. I did find it in the owners manual now that the dealership finaly got one to me.

Quote, originally posted by LedFootin’ »Okay! I,ve got it all done, everything torqed to specs. It sure dosen't seem very tight though. I guess I've been doing them too tight for twenty-seven years. I'll be checking them as you say for sure. Thanks for that torq spec Guilty. I did find it in the owners manual now that the dealership finaly got one to me.That is just what i thought after i figured out the deal, i was like "huh, i guess kicking the lug wrench tight, just wasn't the best idea" I didn't leanr till i was...hmmm 25ish i think...... lol I actualy destroied a Snap-on 3/8" drive socket wrench doing lugs (i know there not for lugs) with the "kick the wrench" method.

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind » I didn't leanr till i was...hmmm 25ish i think...... lol Well that better than learnig at say... hmmm 43ish. I've always used 1/2 drives and actuly twisted a lug off once. Hey did you talk to you girl about the Super Meet yet? From what you said you must be in the Midland area, maybe Mount Pleasent.

Yeah, i think i'm going to come down with her brother, insted of her taking off work... We'll probly bring his 04' Tiboron.. My Subaru looks like dog poo these days, i need to sell her badly...