Re: IML: Changing the Left to Right

["Frederick Joslin" <fljoslin@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi Nigel:

Disagreeing is fine.

I know why Chrysler used left hand threads on the driver's side. I was not aware of other makes that did, but most of my knowledge is 60's and 70's American vehicles. I grew up in England in the 60's but do not know much about the cars.

I just think that history has shown that it was not necessary to use left handed thread lug nuts. I would guess that the left hand threads have caused more problems than they "might" have solved.

 If I was an automotive engineer in the position of choosing whether to use left hand threaded lug nuts you would have to really prove to me that the right handed ones did not work. I lived in St Louis for ten years in the "Show Me State" and you would have to show me.   :)

Thanks.

----- Original Message -----
From: PNigelW@xxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Changing the Left to Right
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:16:31 EDT

I hate to disagree but many many different marques have left hand and right hand threads for the wheel attachments, particularly if the car has knock on spinners for wire wheels.

 

In this case I am generally talking about pre war european sporting and luxury cars, having little knowledge of american cars other than Chrysler and Hudson (whose chassis formed the basis of the Railton and the Brough Superior in the UK.

 

The reason that wheels have left and right hand threads is very simple, the rotation of the wheel creates a centrifugal force on the wheel attachment and by having the different threads both have a tightening effect, have the same thread on all wheels and there is a potential to loose a wheel, much less likely with bolt on wheels, but I have seen a race where one car had its half shafts and therefore hubs reversed and as a result lost both rear wheels... they were KO wire wheels where as I said before it is more critical.

 

So Chrysler did it not for the sake of being different but because it was the correct thing to do from an enginering point of view.

 

Regards

 

Nigel Plant

 

1929 L*80 Convertible Coupe  by Locke    

Fred Joslin