The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Are the bolts on my fan belt pulley left hand or right hand threads??

I'm in the process right now of pulling the old water pump and I've got the radiator, generator and old klaxon horn out of the way, but I'm having a heck of a time breaking the bolts on the fan blade to the pump pulley. I've never pulled this off, as far as I can remember. Had a local shop put in the timing gear last year, so they probably had it off. Fearing breaking a bolt or stripping out threads, I figured I'd better get on here and ask before I do something I regret.

My guess is that it's a regular threaded bolt, but since it's on the fan and is rotational, I started thinking maybe it has left hand threads to keep it from loosening up. Probably over thinking this, but the last thing I want on a relatively easy job is to really muck it up by breaking a bolt or worse. The bottom pump bolt is covered by the pulley, but it has to come off the fan regardless, to put on the new pulley and pump. So, which is it? Lefty loosey or righty loosey?? (Man, these kind of questions make me feel dumb!) Thankfully, I have a forum full of brains. Thanks, Lee

Ooops, sorry- It's a '56 235 in a '51 3100, with the modified pump shaft, if that matters on fan bolts.

showme They are right handed,counterclockwise from out in front.

Ok, got em. Thanks fixite, I appreciate that. After posting this, I went out and finagled the pump bolts out with an open end from behind the pulley, then brought it into the house and put it on the vise. Since the bolts are flush on the inside of the pulley, I couldn't tell which way the threads were running when I checked with a mirror on the truck. I took a deep breath and pounded on my wrench hoping I wouldn't hear a crack of a busted bolt. But it came loose. Now I'm putting it all back together. (I had a worse time getting the old hose connection insert out than I did the fan bolts! Used the vice for it too.) All I know is I didn't want to have to drive 9 miles to Napa in the middle of this job. Thanks again, Lee

Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty

Are there any "wrong way" threads on any bolt in one of our old Stovebolts?

I remember wrong way wheel studs in the '60s on mostly Chrysler products ([but only on one side (left?)].

I haven't found any left hand threads on my 'bolt and it's been completely disassembled.

I had a 68 Dodge that had left hand lugs. They had a big "L" stamped on the end. Trying to idiot-proof them.