Black Lug Nuts turning Gold - AGAIN...Why?

[jeffrey2]

If I seem frustrated over this, it's because I am.

I first bought a cheap set of lugnuts off eBay; they turned a dirty gold color after 2-3 months (100 miles). Bought another off our provider; beautiful; but circumstances dictated I use my 911 as a daily for a few weeks; after about 400 miles of driving as a daily; or cumulative 2000 miles since the lug swap (2-3 yrs) - some are starting to turn gold again.

Two questions:
1. What am I doing wrong?
2. How do I prevent this from happening?

I can repaint them, but I'd rather not as my mechanical skills are pretty good, but my finesse (woodfinishing, duck tail painting, etc) skills are completely amateur.

Thanks,

Jeff

[ossiblue]

Can you post a picture? My understanding is the lug nuts are aluminum alloy and have no gold tone to them. Could the gold coloring be from brake dust? Does is come off with vigorous scurbbing? Frankly, I've never seen your problem, though I have seen hundreds of scuffed and flaking lug nuts. I suspect they may be staining from residue produced from driving.

[Joe Bob]

The are supposed to be alloy and anodized. Likely you have cheap aluminum with a cheaper coating.

Buy from a good source or just wire brush them and go with a polished look....personally I use open headed nuts due to one too many alloy nuts fracturing and leaving a collar on the wheel that's a beeyotch to remove.....you get used to the look.

BTW, most race scrutineers require open heads to count threads, especially when using spacers.

[jeffrey2]

Originally Posted by mikez

The are supposed to be alloy and anodized. Likely you have cheap aluminum with a cheaper coating.

Buy from a good source or just wire brush them and go with a polished look....personally I use open headed nuts due to one too many alloy nuts fracturing and leaving a collar on the wheel that's a beeyotch to remove.....you get used to the look.

BTW, most race scrutineers require open heads to count threads, especially when using spacers.

Mike - I'd agree with you, but the lugs I purch'd from Pelican -- some are 'golding' on me as well.

Here's the pic...it's the best i can get from sitting in my garage; but the brown/gold tops of the lugs show what i mean. Was going to polish them this AM, but the lug color took the wind out; I'll take the wheels off and polish if I need to replace the lugs.

Not too worried about meeting racing spec as Judy gets no play outside of the one drive to work every other week. The damage has been done, so it couldn't hurt to paint myself...I'm truly surprised to be the only person with this issue? This is my first porsche where I noticed this; however, this is the first porsche that is the cleanest car i've ever seen.

[Joe Bob]

I used to use a black Sharpie....

[khamul02]

When you clean your wheels are you putting any wax on your lugs. I bought mine from Pelican and have yet to have this problem.

[3.2 CAB]

Good luck with your "gold nuts" Tony.

[Wil Ferch]

Maybe some after-affect from the lug nut wrench or socket you're using?....an oil or grease film maybe that is helping to discolor the lug nuts?

[derkpitt]

Maybe it's whatever your using to clean your wheels with, that one looks very stained.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by derkpitt

Maybe it's whatever your using to clean your wheels with, that one looks very stained.

For sure on that! Don't use harsh wheel cleaners on ANY nice wheels. The polish job looks to be ruined on the petals.

[jeffrey2]

Originally Posted by milt

For sure on that! Don't use harsh wheel cleaners on ANY nice wheels. The polish job looks to be ruined on the petals.

It'll polish up, the rocket scientists at the car wash decided to use something to tarnish the wheels. I already polished part of the wheel and it comes clean.

I guess it's just my own woes then, going to send them out to anodize over the week; hopefully that'll be the last time I have this complaint.

[Wil Ferch]

Car wash?...that'll ruin the anodizing on Fuchs in short order..and maybe even the black anodizing on the lug nuts. Hand wash. Be gentle.

[jeffrey2]

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

Car wash?...that'll ruin the anodizing on Fuchs in short order..and maybe even the black anodizing on the lug nuts. Hand wash. Be gentle.

HeHe...as the father of 3 little girls all under 5 years old; the time saved by investing in a car wash...immeasurable.

Took the first wheel off and am going collect them all and send out for anodizing this week. Polished the afore mentioned wheel up too...looks like it did when picked up from AlReed.

JMc

[flatsixnut]

They look to me like the black finish is thinning out and the "gold" effect is just the silver color underneath showing through the black. Perhaps the black coating is just getting worn thin from cleaning or sun/weather?

[euro911sc]

I might venture to say your nuts were dyed and not anodized... Thats what AL looks like in time after you take a hand anodizer to it... for those of you not in the automated machinery industry, that's a sharpie like MikeZ said.

When you talk to the annodizer tell them you want it hard annodized and that these parts will see some harsh environments... they may suggest a different recipie than the standard dip'n'dry.

-Michael

[cab83_750]

Behind the orange curtains lives ........ the Son of Midas! Just kidding.

subscribing.

[oregonmon]

Same problem and wondered what you found.

[Nine9six]

The gold tint you are all refering to could be a chemical prep prior to paint or anodize. The chem prep is sometimes called alodine or irridite, which is an alum aircraft prep used prior to paint, powder coating or anodizing. It can have a gold to yellow tint, to light green tint.
Years ago, I actually met the chemist who developed the stuff. I believe Jack Weir is his name. I recall this because I was auditing the process of producing alodine, and when asking questions of the manufacturing process, the guy (Jack) told me, "Look sonny, I developed this stuff, so I ought to be familiar with the chemical composition and blending of this concoction."
I agreed

[jh225]

Get them stripped and powdercoated. End of problem.

[jeffrey2]

I used the Magic Marker solution; you'd be surprised how well it worked. It has been 6 months...about 500 miles and no discoloration.