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Posted by: patssle Apr 14 2012, 04:01 PM

So my lug bolts are ugly. I've cleaned them with a wirebrush to remove all coatings - then they rust. I've painted them with high-temp spray paint - they look great - but everytime I remove a wheel - they get scraped up and paint flakes off - then that part rusts.

Any solutions? Powder coating would flake off too as well - yes?

Posted by: jmill Apr 14 2012, 04:32 PM

Chrome them.

Posted by: Jon Fernandes Apr 14 2012, 04:42 PM

Polish them

Posted by: patssle Apr 14 2012, 04:49 PM

Chrome or polish with what? If chrome paint, does it stand up to lug wrenches - not getting flaked off?

Posted by: jmill Apr 14 2012, 04:57 PM

Take them to a chrome shop and have the ends chromed. You could even silver zinc plate them. They'll stand up for a while. Even longer if you use a good tight fitting socket. If they rust I can't see how polishing them wil help unless you clearcoat or wax the hell out of them.

Posted by: SirAndy Apr 14 2012, 05:14 PM

If i'm not mistaken, the factory had covers that one could slide over them ...

Posted by: mrgreenjeans Apr 14 2012, 05:29 PM

Thats correct Andy !

On my 4-bar- star style mag steelies that were standard on my 74 - 2.0 litre, the old ones were all smurfed up from the tire shops apparently trying to fit a proper socket over the plastic black cover ! Ripped and rounded into oblivion. I cleaned up the old bolts, had them dipped and bought new plastic black covers to fit over the ends.

Looks great and cost hardly anything at the time. Don't know if they are still available at the Porsche parts counter or not, but am sure there are vendors out there selling them.

Just don't forget they are on there and let someone with a carefree torque wrench near them again......

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 14 2012, 05:29 PM

I agree with andy.

They also make"soft sockets"

Posted by: tod914 Apr 14 2012, 06:29 PM

The original finish was anodized. You could have them redone. Abit more durable than paint, but you'll likely want to use a soft socket like the others suggested to preserve them.

Posted by: Grelber Apr 14 2012, 07:05 PM

I got plastic/chrome covers for mine that looked great. Got them at the local Volvo dealership for under $15.00 for a full set.

Posted by: patssle Apr 14 2012, 07:07 PM

Interesting - didn't know about soft sockets. I'll look into those - maybe the paint I used will withstand that - which would be great because the color perfectly matches the Mahles.

Posted by: bperry Apr 14 2012, 07:07 PM

These work great:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-PORSCHE-BLACK-19mm-LUG-NUT-BOLT-COVER-CAPS-SET-OF-20-/120889592943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_100&hash=item1c2594cc6f&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-PORSCHE-CHROME-19mm-LUG-NUT-BOLT-COVERS-SET-20-/400275139691?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_100&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d3241ec6b

--- bill

Posted by: patssle Apr 14 2012, 07:50 PM

Or could just paint those lug nut covers. Do they stay on pretty good, no losing one every couple months or so because they fall off?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Apr 14 2012, 10:12 PM

Original lug bolts for the alloy wheels are made of steel and silver cadmium plated. Anodizing is a process for aluminum not steel...so the lug bolts are not anodized... sorry Tod.

This pic below is Steve G's original bolts.

Those black plastic covers keep water in them, next to the bolt surface...and rust will collect under the cover.

I tried the soft socket...it was expensive at something like $25 bucks about 10 years ago. Its a plastic lined socket is all. It lasted awhile, but after torquing the bolts to 90-something ft lbs...the plastic liner eventually fractured in short order.

Craig Laughlin posted about the time my soft socket broke, of the old school hot rodders trick...just use a baggy covering the lug bolt, under a conventional socket...and it does a great job of protecting the lug bolt finish. Then toss the baggy. I have used this approach for many years and can attest that it works well. I won't be buying another soft socket.

Also, I think any sort of paint for a bearing surface such as a lug bolt, will only have a very limited lifespan. Get them plated for best results.


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Posted by: rwilner Apr 15 2012, 06:24 AM

Also
Getting the covers off is a real PITA. The PO thought so too...I have gouges in my wheels where he was levering a screwdriver against them to remove the caps.

Posted by: patssle Apr 15 2012, 09:19 AM

Great points about the covers - can definitely see how it will trap water/moisture.

Interesting tip about the baggy, I'll do another paint job on one of them and give it try. If it doesn't hold up, I'll find a plater (silver cadmium or zinc).

Thanks!

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 15 2012, 09:38 AM

When I worked in a motorcycle shop in the 60' (before baggies), we just used a red shop towel. Never scratched a chrome bolt.

Posted by: pete-stevers Apr 15 2012, 10:11 AM

be careful with the soft sockets...they crack if you are not careful

Posted by: PBC914 Apr 15 2012, 03:11 PM

A member on here posed the same question about 2 mos. ago. I suggested what I used. My lug bolts looked the same.
I used a bench buffer on each one and they came out looking like chrome.
For $60 + the price of the polish stick it was worth it, it just takes some time, and I did them one by one as time allowed. A year later they still look new/polished.


Good luck.

Posted by: larryM Apr 15 2012, 03:31 PM

new covers are available at midamerica motorworks - back of catAlog, about $20 for set of 16

also a variety of new chrome bolts ,

Posted by: Jeffs9146 Apr 15 2012, 05:05 PM

I just went down to my garage and zinked this lug bolt!!




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Posted by: McMark Apr 15 2012, 07:20 PM

Yeah, that's the way to do it Jeff!

Posted by: rwilner Apr 16 2012, 06:07 AM

Jeff that looks great. How did you "zinc it?" Is that paint or a chemical process?

Posted by: Jeffs9146 Apr 16 2012, 01:41 PM

It is a chemical process!

You apply a low voltage charge to a piece of zinc and a neg charge to the item to be zinced and place in a solution of chemicals and let the magic happen!