Thread: left hand wheel studs

Are they wheel studs, or wheel bolts? If the former, then within reason, you could change them to any thread form you choose.

Do not change rotation of thread its that way for a reason loose wheels for starters, which if happens could destroy your pride and joy and/or someone else.

Most modern cars and trucks have all RH thread wheel studs and they don't back out no matter which side of the vehicle they're fitted. They rely on the seat taper to lock them. If the DeSoto has studs/bolts with flat washers, then that could be a problem - unless you chang the wheel rims to taper seat varieties.

No wonder WW all those various coaches and trucks I worked on I snapped studs cracked nuts.

Blokes

Armmmmm, not all trucks have right hand threads. Those 3 tonners that u see zipping around the streets made by Mitsubishi and Izuzu have left hand thread studs on the left side and right hand threads on the right side. Know that for a fact as I had a Mitsi 3 tonner. They are marked as such on the end of the studs. Chrysler Valiants were the same, pos 1 & 3 wheels were left hand threads, pos 2 & 4 were right hand threads. Beats me why, wheels have never fallen off my landcrusier and they are all right hand threads.

DD

older Mazda Van has LH thread on the left wheel as well. Do you have photo of your wheel/stud hole?

Those 3 tonners that u see zipping around the streets made by Mitsubishi and Izuzu have left hand thread studs

Yeah the one the boss is doing up (think its 8 tonne) has the same setup.

leopardwood
Are they studs, screwed into the flange? or bolts pressed in from the back of the flange?
If bolts like most modern cars, I'd be trying to buy the size you want rather than make them. All the ones I've seen have had rolled threads rather than cut threads. A lot stronger. 5/8" should be easy to get I'd reckon. Try looking at some of the Yank "pickups"
As to RH or LH threads, unless you are going for a concors (how ever you want to spell that.LOL) restoration, then I reckon RH threads will be fine. Theres lots of vehicles out there with RH threads on both sides, with both taper seat and flat seat nuts. Not many lose wheels. I can't see how a RH threaded nut on the left wheel, on a multi nut fitment, could come loose if its tightened correctly. If it was a single nut on the centre line of the axle, like a wire wheel with knock off, then yes it could well be a problem.

bollie7

leopardwood, if you let me know the current thread form and length of your wheel bolts/studs, I can look through my catalogues for a number of suitable press-in replacement studs and let you have the part numbers and respective hole diameters.

You would need to have the holes in the hubs/flanges accurately milled and then have the studs pressed in and not belted in with a hammer or drawn in using the wheel nuts!

I had a roommate (in 1978) that had a Desoto of about that vintage too. Neat car. His had a semiautomatic transmission you started out with the clutch and shifting and once underway it shifted itself. Also had the original Hemi engine (a 350 or something close) in it and it weighed 4000+ pounds. Lots of chrome and tons of room in it (like a foot of headroom in the back seat).

I remember him going to the Chrysler dealer because he needed to do the brakes. Came home with seals, pads, bearings and perhaps even hoses for under $20 because they still had parts for them at the original prices!

Good luck with the restoration.
Pete

I would be looking at the Valiant wheel studs. I would not be too surprised if they were the same item.

Originally Posted by Mini

I would be looking at the Valiant wheel studs. I would not be too surprised if they were the same item.

Aren't Valiant 7/16" UNF?

5/8" UNF isn't that common in passenger cars.

Originally Posted by bollie7

Are they studs, screwed into the flange? or bolts pressed in from the back of the flange?

All the studs I've sold over the years have been press in...

Originally Posted by Yonnee

All the studs I've sold over the years have been press in...

Studs are normally press-in, but there are some aftermarket screw-in studs for replacing the likes of M14 x 1.5 VW wheel bolts etc. They are not a sound investiment!

I was just being a bit pedantic with terminology...

I'm guessing you mean a screw in stud to convert a wheel bolt into a stud and nut arrangement? You'd want to make sure the thread stayed in the hub when you removed the nut!! I think I'd prefer to keep it the way the manufacturer intended. For odd stuff like that, I always refered people to Mr Lugnut.

My parents have had a Ford Spectron from new, which is basically the Mazda Van as a people carrier, and it has left hand thread wheel bolts on the front left, and yet the rears were conventional stud and nuts, R/H thread, both sides.