wheel removal... um.. yeah...

[Busmark181]

so, I decided that since none of my tires are actually the same size, and 1 still has a tube... yep, a tube... I would remove the wheels tonight and get new "used" tires this weekend as well as all my other planned adventures....
well... jacked the car up, put it on stands, and the passenger side came off without a problem... 10-15 minutes worth of work and we got down to brake drums....
Have to admit... I did struggle with the driver side for a good 2 hours... none of the lugs would give... got a hammer... didn't help... finally thought that maybe if I tighten a lug, and then remove it, it might give... That's when I figured it out....
that's when after 2 split knuckles, I found that the drivers side is reverse threaded.... yep... 2 hours, 2 knuckles, apparently 2 brain cells....

um, is this common? or has my vehicle been frankenstiened? I feel like I just went through a Studebaker right of passage.... I feel like I might be a man now... either that or my car is just screwed up!!!!!
are the Studebaker Gods laughing at me?

what the heck? reverse lug nut threads? when was that a good idea?

[oldguy]

Nope, drivers side is left hand thread, and not that uncommon, back in the day.
We busted 2 studs off before the light came on, which was stupid, since my 41 Pontiac was the same way.

San antonio TX. 53 Champion Coupe, to be brought back from the dead.
"Of course it will fit, I have a torch"

[Busmark181]

san antonio as well... and glad I'm not the only one that didn't know!!!!! LOL Cheers!!!!

[Busmark181]

san antonio as well... and glad I'm not the only one that didn't know!!!!! LOL Cheers!!!!

[rockinhawk]

If you will look on the end of the lug bolt it should be marked either L or R. Some time the drums get switched from one side to the other. NT


Neil Thornton
Hazlehurst, GA
'57 Silver Hawk
'56 Sky Hawk
'51 2R16 dump truck
Many others.

[Busmark181]

I did figure that our later... granted I couldn't "read" a lug end due to all the red paint I asked about earlier... but as the lugs came off... and the paint.... that became more and more apparent... LOL

[Busmark181]

I did figure that our later... granted I couldn't "read" a lug end due to all the red paint I asked about earlier... but as the lugs came off... and the paint.... that became more and more apparent... LOL

[wolfie]

Are mine backwards?The reversed threads are on the passenger side.Seems to make more sense as inertia would tend to tighten them rather than loosen them (maybe warped thinking)Steve

[wolfie]

Are mine backwards?The reversed threads are on the passenger side.Seems to make more sense as inertia would tend to tighten them rather than loosen them (maybe warped thinking)Steve

[rockinhawk]

As best I remember Left goes on Left side. I usually change all mine to right hand thread. NT


Neil Thornton
Hazlehurst, GA
'57 Silver Hawk
'56 Sky Hawk
'51 2R16 dump truck
Many others.

[Flashback]

Left hand thread lugs are always on the left side

Tex E. Grier

[Flashback]

Left hand thread lugs are always on the left side

Tex E. Grier

[rockne10]

Freightliner still makes their medium duty trucks that way.

Back in 1959 my Dad twisted a 4-way lug wrench in to a pretzel on the left side of his '51 Hudson. He was a strong dude.[:0] It was just a question of mind over matter. His mind was saying, "You're coming off!"

Unfortunately, the matter was saying, "Oh no I'm not!"[)]


Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[rockne10]

Freightliner still makes their medium duty trucks that way.

Back in 1959 my Dad twisted a 4-way lug wrench in to a pretzel on the left side of his '51 Hudson. He was a strong dude.[:0] It was just a question of mind over matter. His mind was saying, "You're coming off!"

Unfortunately, the matter was saying, "Oh no I'm not!"[)]


Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[dictator27]

Chrysler was like that, too. Years ago, I watched a mechanic have a major senior moment. He took the wheels off a 61 Chrysler, so he obviously knew about the threads. Then he takes one of the front wheel hub caps, turns it over and puts the wheel nuts for both front wheels in it. Does the same for the rear wheels. Comes the time to put the wheels back on - using his impact wrench, of course - he puts the nut in the socket, bangs it up against the stud and lets fly, starting on the driver's side. Took him a while before he finally figured out why a lot of the nuts wouldn't go on! By that time there were a number of stripped studs and nuts that needed replacing.

Terry Godkin