I took wheels off my 997.2 gt3 for the second time 6 years tonight. Last time was about 1-2 years ago, prob 3-4k miles, canyon driving only since then. I followed install, re torque instructions diligently. Today, to remove the nut, the torque required seemed much more so than I recall when I loosened a quarter turn and then retightened last time. Can the nuts tighten with time/use? Perhaps I didn't apply enough Castrol molub and the nut was seized? Or perhaps if the removal nut wasn't completely seated can the spline pop out a bit preventing loosing rotation?

Thanks
TD

 

Yes, that's pretty normal in my experience. Mine will often require a significant amount more force to undo if left for a while.

 

I don’t think they tighten per se, I think the wear and vibration migrates the center lock grease out of the contact patch and increases friction. I take mine off and on prob 10 times a year and how much grease I use and if I clean the old off makes a difference on the breaker bar.

that being said my fronts always take more torque to remove than the rear and I just assumed it was the lateral forces pushing on the Centerlock grease

 

Did you take the car for a drive prior to loosening? This is supposed to warm the grease to temps and will aid the servicing of CLs.

 

I did not, this tip is news to me but it makes sense. Will hopefully recall this next time. Thanks to all

 

Nuts 😬

JB

 

And for anyone who has destroyed their Centerlocks, you can get the newest revised 992 ones for your 997-this guy had no choice but to yank the old ones with the car on the ground as a last resort; many people damage their CLs by getting lazy and "cracking them loose" on the ground 🤦‍♂️
There are many videos of shops doing this, and the insane GT2RS video of the owner who trusted a tire shop where they barely torqued the CLs and the wheels pretty much fell off while driving away, damaging everything including rotors, etc
I thought maybe someone used locktite on those nuts 🤣

JB

 

I debating this vs the original black new ones since we can still get them for a short time… I assume these gen 2 or 3 CL are safer?

btw I did figure out a way to make the anodized black and red center locks look kinda new again…ceramic coat lol

 

Our CLs in the RS cars are all tightened in the same direction, unlike the cup cars and CGT nuts which are tightened in opposite directions based on sides. The CLs can tighten or loosen very very slightly under hard acceleration and braking (on one side vice versa) - this is normal. As long as it’s torqued appropriately to 444ft lbs per Porsche’s procedures everything should be safe. The locking pin will do its job if there’s any movement after everything is torqued to spec.

 

My CL's are red, it is my understanding they are now hard to come by; is that correct?

 

For the most part yes... however this guy on Ebay has a stash of them, so for $2400 you can have a brand new set (minus the internals)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26694847780...3ABFBM3IjJj8Jk

I like them but they arn't OEM spec so I wouldnt pay that... money better spent getting new black 992 CL nuts that will last another 20 years

 

what actually happens is that the grease gets dry and hardens, the aluminum dust bites into the cones more effectively. If the nuts are lubed properly, there should not be enough there for it to move anywhere, that would make the nuts loose.

the solution is to periodically remove the nuts, clean and re-lube. the amount of lube on the cones is vanishingly small, just a thin thin film. the box threads get a generous helping. the nuts should also be partially disassembled and any hardened grease should be removed, thoroughly cleaning the nuts especially the little spacer slots on the cones. Then re-lube and re-install. do it at least annually. IF you track the car (sounds like you do) then you just maintain the nuts as you say. don't over grease the nuts as that creates and excess that can allow the grease to move and now you have a loosened nut.