Wheel Rotation Advice Sought

alternator

Chev Cruze Owner's Manual says "Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts."

Can someone tell me (exactly) what "center of the wheel hub" might mean? Please be very specific.

Mr_Shiftright

What year is this and what trim line?

alternator

Cruze Manual was 2013, but I am looking for a generic answer as to what "center of the wheel hub" means?

Mr_Shiftright

it's badly worded. I don't know whether they mean the center of the rim of the tire or the hub of the axle whether the wheel bearing is.

alternator

I'll pose this next time I'm at Penske's

Mr_Shiftright

About the only thing I can think of is that on occasion a tire rim will "stick" to the hub it is bolted to. It's so rare, though, and this advice they are giving you is so esoteric, that I'm tending to just advise you to disregard it unless it could be shown that for some reason the Cruze has a "problem" with it.

bpeebles

@alternator said:
Can someone tell me (exactly) what "center of the wheel hub" might mean? Please be very specific.

ANSWER: The area where the metal of the wheel touches the metal of the hub. It is a good idea to use wire-brush to clean-up these areas on the wheel and hub before applying THIN layer of antiseaze compound. This procedure really only needs to be done every couple years. The antiseeze compound will stay there for a very long time.

Here is the antiseaze stuff that I use ==> http://www.expeditionexchange.com/blaster/antiseize 006.jpg

This single bottle has lasted me for over 10 years.

bpeebles

@MrShift@Edmunds said:
About the only thing I can think of is that on occasion a tire rim will "stick" to the hub it is bolted to. It's so rare, though, and this advice they are giving you is so esoteric, that I'm tending to just advise you to disregard it unless it could be shown that for some reason the Cruze has a "problem" with it.

Here is Vermont where there is heavy use of chemicals on the road to melt snow/ice - it is not rare at all.

All it takes is ONE winter to make the wheel / hub corrode into an unbreakable bond. Do not forget that all the components of galvanic-action are present... STEEL hub, ALUMINUM wheel, and SALT water in between them.

I have seen cases where one could loosen all the lugnuts and drive the car hitting the brakes HARD to try to break the bond so the snowtires could be removed for the summer.

Mr_Shiftright

Good to know! I have used anti-seize compound on boats for many years, mooring line anchors, etc, and I love the stuff. I have to say though that I've lived in very cold climates (Colorado mountains, Alaska) and never had this happen ....EXCEPT....on cars in a wrecking yard.