Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4105 Location: South Cheshire

Below is a picture of a wheel spinner, it’s for the right hand side of a car, so the wheel will normally be going clockwise, yet it is a left hand thread (note the Undo direction) my MGA is the same and its doesn't seem right, wont the spinner tend to undo its self? can anyone explain or am I just thinking illogically Confused

Dave

Peter_L · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject:

Ah ha.......... the old MG V Lotus spinner chestnut.

I used to have an Elan, and the spinners are opposite to those on an MG.

Contrary to the "bar stool experts" both the Elan and the MG are correct, sounds illogical ? not really, it all depends on the threads on the spinners and whether they are on the outside or the inside.

It is easy to see the logic if you take a nut and bolt and then play, spinner / hub by first pretending the nut is the spinner and then pretending the bolt is the spinner.

Google has it well publicised too.

Nic Jarman · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:50 pm Post subject:

Dave, if you hold the spinner and spin the wheel in its normal direction it will tighten. If anything hits the spinner it will not undo itself.

My Midget
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7119 Location: Edinburgh

...and if you have bad splines and apply the brakes the wheel will unscrew the spinner in just a few yards. Some years ago I had to rebuild a front wheel with a new hub on account of worn splines. My stopping distance was enough to remove the spinner which I had to run back and retrieve from the verge. Unfortunately for me my car's handbrake operates on all four wheels so on my way home any time I needed to use the brakes I had to get out and retighten the spinner.

Peter
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Jim.Walker · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield

Never have quite got my head around this!
To confuse matters more left hand thread spinners are fitted to the right side, but if left hand wheel nuts are used they are always on the left side!
I just go by convention and leave the "whys?" to someone else.
Jim.
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