A protective lug cap assembly for protection of a lug of a friction brake disc comprises a lug cap, and a load bearing fastening device. The disc has a periphery, with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, separating a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs. The slots are separated by a distance, and disposed for engagement by a spline of a torque device. Each of the slots have two generally radially extending wall portions, wherein each wall portion has a top, a bottom, and opposing sides, and a bottom surface extending between and interconnecting the wall portion bottoms. The lug cap has a lug cap face, wherein the lug cap covers one of the slot wall portions and extends circumferentially away from the slot on the slot wall top and the slot wall opposing sides, covering a portion of the lug. The lug cap face is a portion of the lug cap which covers the slot wall portion. The load bearing fastening device is operative to fasten the lug cap to the lug, such that said lug cap face does not contact the slot wall portion.