The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Wheel stud thread direction

Ok, so I've seen on here how some of the trucks have reverse thread on drivers side. Well I've never had my drivers front tire off, when I tried last the nuts were so tight ( I think), and everything seemed good so I've left it.
Truck is a Canadian 1952 Chevy 3 ton. Which I've assumed is built essentially on what would be the chassis of a 52 GMC 3 ton in the US. I know the rear drivers studs are normal thread. Is it possible that only the front is reverse thread? I don't want to break one, and its time to take the tire off for maintenance.

OK so since posted... I now need a new 1/2" breaker bar... took the stud off it trying to loosen nuts. I tried normal with no movement, broke trying reverse. Ugh. Wheel won again - 4 now.

Most of the time, a stud with lefthand threads will have a big "L" stamped on the end of the stud. You should also be able to inspect the end of the thread sticking out of the lug nut and follow the helix in a CCW direction. I don't recall any of the light duty Chevy trucks with LH threads on the driver's side, but Dodge, Studebaker, and a few others definitely were set up that way. Sometimes it's necessary to use a little heat and some penetrating oil like KROIL to loosen up the really stubborn ones.
Jerry

Hy 52vff. I believe your truck should be a Maple Leaf if it is anything larger than a two ton, and it should have Motor wheels on it, the mounting hardware should all be right hand thread. Do all your wheel nuts have a large washer attached to them? What size socket fits the nuts, If memory serves me I think Motor Wheel nuts were 1 3/16", but I can't trust my memory anymore, hope that helps.

Thanks Hotrod, I haven't looked really closely, but haven't noticed an L . I'll check when I go back. I thought I'd read here somewhere that some maybe medium duty ones did lefties. Could be dreaming... I can try some oil, don't want heat as trying to protect paint on nuts and rim...

3B, thanks. I think they dropped the Maple Leaf name by 52, it's only got Chevrolet 1700 tags on the hood, wish it had the maple leaf, that'd be cool. The wheels are 2 piece (solid rim with retaining ring) 5 bolt. Yes all nuts have cone shape washers attached, and yep you got it a 1-3/16" socket fits. You're memory seems great to me!

I'll update when I go trade the front right wheel for the left... putting on the original pinstriping that was on them one at a time. Too cold to do in barn where the truck is.

My '57 two ton has left hand threads on the drivers side, both front and rear, as HRL said-"L" stamped on the end of the stud.

If it had “Budd” wheels/bolt pattern which the US 2 tons from your time frame usually had, then yes left hand studs on left of truck.
You have “motor wheels” bolt pattern, hub centered, with normal nuts.

Update.. definitely Kelsey Canada wheels. Studs are not Left handed thread, just been left alone too long. Managed to get one free before breaking another bar. 5 to go, probably get a 3/4" bar. Don't want to damage paint as much as possible.

So, I can't find it in my maintenance manual. .. torque spec for these rims, single front dually rear?
They are the 1 3/16" nuts with cone shaped washers attached, no extra nut between duals.

More important is the stud size and pitch, what are they?
Then look here, page 36 for many different lug nut torque specs by size and application. Perhaps not your exact application, but find same size and similar mounting details as a guide.
https://www.accuridecorp.com/files/2012/10/Accuride-Wheels-Product-Catalog-Summer-2011.pdf

Also check your maintenance and owners manuals for torque specs, they’re sometimes included.

I use a truck cross bar lug wrench with a jack stand holding up the free end and slid a 3" by 6' long pipe over the wrench as a cheater bar! Just make sure to stuff a rag in the open end of the pipe to muffle the ringing sound that echo's up the pipe right at your ear as the nut cracks loose.

Mike B

Bent my Harbor Freight 3/4 inch breakover bar with a 2ft cheater pipe taking my lug nuts off. Truck was parked too far from the shop to use an impact. Darn Chinese tools!

Get a Ken Tool like this one, just make sure a 30mm socket will fit your 1-3/16" nut. All of my trucks Budd wheels with 1-1/2" nuts and 13/16" square studs.

https://www.zoro.com/ken-tool-4-way-lug-wrench-sae-and-metric-tc95/i/G2248066/

Then put a 6' cheater pipe on that and go for it! It will still require some bouncing action to bust the tough ones...

Harbor Freight stuff is not up for this challenge...find a truck tire shop and see if they will loan or rent you a 4-way lug wrench for the afternoon, don't know if you don't ask!

Mike B

On my 1938 Canadian Chevrolet Master, the driver's side wheel nuts/studs are all lefties. I was shocked when I saw this. I thought only Chrysler did things like that!

OK so I bought a pro-point (Canadian harbour freight upscale line equivalent ) 3/4" drive 40" bar, rated at 1300ft-lbs added a 3' piece of pipe and got the nuts to break free. They eased into submission without the awful sounds of rust, it seems they were mostly paint sealed in. Took me nearly bouncing myself on it. Standard leftie loosy by the way.