Rear beam/axle nuts

 Hi guys, thinking of taking rear axle off in near future to have it powder coated. Anyway thought I would do a bit of prep work and see if I could get the axle to body nuts undone. After lots of struggling with rounded nuts, rust and crud I managed to get them undone without snapping anything. I have put new nuts back on. My question is has anyone tried to protect the nut and thread with them plastic nut cover things you can get or do you think it would hold water or moisture and make matters worse. cheers Steve.

No, you coat the threads and the nut with Never-seize, then re-tighten, you will be able to get them off in 1,2,10-15 years with no issues.

Consider yourself really really lucky.  The VAG gods were smiling on you,  I have hear horror stories on those bolts with folks using Sockets and a Ratchet and Searing them in twain.

I usually suggest soaking in a penetrant for days then only using a air impact to remove them.

But going back Never-seize……Shoot I bought a 1 pound can and it lasted me about 12 years, I am on the 2nd can as I type.

ps.  You can coat them with Never-sieze, wrap the threads with Teflon tape then never-sieze again….

When I don't use never-seize I use either Yellow or White Teflon tape.

If you want to coat them after never-seizing wipe the bolt and nut devoid of never-seize and use that plasti-dip spray.  Just mask off what you don't want covered.

Did you see I said Never-seize…really good stuff to prevent the nuts in the future from happening to rust…

Hi Briano, totally agree with you about the never seize. Over here it's called copper grease which I think is the same thing. What do you think about the plastic caps as well as. Do you think it would offer extra protection and help to hold the grease in.

Those will work…. for a while I spect, but in all my years/decades of never-seize use… I never needed any other cover. That stuff will stay on for decades.

Over here we have Copper or Silver Never-seize, some call it anti-seize…I call it magical, kind of like a Thermos Bottle keeps cold things cold and Hot things hot…how do it know which is which,,,,it's magic

When I use it on suspension parts or frame parts, I am not easy with the stuff, I slather on a generous coat to fully coat every thread…..  I had an alignment guy say once, I wish every shade tree mech used that stuff, but you could go easy on it…. I said naw, I gots a whole bottle and I ain't cheap.

Copper grease and waxoyl over everything (you do need to reapply every few years) has worked on both my cars for years, both my cars get used in rain, snow, mud etc all year round so they are not fine weather cars… 

Could try a stainless steel nut?

Stainless steel nuts and bolts should not be used on suspension etc as they shear at lower torque and meaning the stud is steel you can have problems with bimetallic corrosion using stainless steel nuts.

Hi guys, I replaced the nuts with 10.9 high tensile nuts and copper grease. I have decided it's best just take them off and grease them up every couple of years to prevent them seizing up.