Before you install the wheel, clean the surface of the hub and the wheel to ensure there is no debris between the two surfaces. Place a very thin layer of anti-seize on the wheel pilot bore (the center opening of the wheel) and on the wheel hub pilot. That will prevent the wheel from bonding to the hub. This is mainly a problem in areas that get a lot of rain and snow.
When tightening wheel nuts or lug nuts, try to resist the urge to use your impact wrench to torque the bolts down. Instead I recommend using a 1/2″ torque wrench with a long handle that reads up to 200 lb-ft. Most wheel nuts will need to be torqued to 150 lb-ft. Ford recommends re-checking the torque after driving 100 miles.
Tighten the wheel nuts in a star pattern. This is important because if there is unequal tension on the wheel studs, the wheel will not rotate symmetrically which may cause high brake disc runout and vibration. The above illustrations are from the Ford Service Manual.
Tools:
- 1/2″ Torque Wrench Long Handle up to 250 lb.ft
- Nickel Anti-Seize Lubricant
- Impact Wrench (for loosening/removing nuts)
- Impact Wrench Sockets
Source:
- Ford Service Manual
