Left Hand Wheel Bolt Needed

[matthewijenkins]

Hi All,

I have an old Fleetwood trailer from the 70's and on the left side, the wheel bolts screw in, but they are all left handed, so they screw in by turning left instead of right. Well, when I went to get my tires replaced at Goodyear, it either broke unexpectedly like they said, or as I suspect, they didn't know this and tried to loosen it the wrong way and broke it. Well, what's done is done, but I'm having a terrible time trying to replace it. It's a 1/2 inch, course thread. Does anyone have knowledge about this and if so, where can I find what I need?

Thx!
Matt

[Gdetrailer]

matthewijenkins wrote:
Maybe I could put a tapered, LH nut under the previously mentioned Fastenal hex head to get the torque I need? Yes it is just one of four. Right now I'm riding around with three 😕 And yes, those Dextar rims are exactly what I have.

Down the road if you wanted to change to modern 5 bolt pattern rims you can write down the casting numbers on the drum and call Dexter (provided the drums are original Dexter).

ASK for Technical Support at Dexter, they were able to cross my current trailer Star drums over to 3500 lb axles by using the drum casting numbers..

When I bought my current trailer the seller didn't have a spare for it 😞

I bought my drums at Tractor Supply for $125 per pair and they fit perfectly!

That allowed me to buy new painted steel rims for $35 each..

You do need to check the back spacing, the star rims are a bit deeper back spacing (at least the ones I had).

[Monster9903]

I remember my old 62 Dodge pick up had left hand thread bolts on the wheels. Check with antique car parts shops and rehabbers.Try an auto swap meet. I bet there are still some out there

[CavemanCharlie]

BurbMan wrote:
Had a 1970 Plymouth Fury that had left hand thread on the drivers side wheels. The theory was that the rotation of the wheel would work to tighten the nuts and keep them from coming off. I think the engineers figured out that it was more trouble than it was worth.

It goes back to the days of wagon wheels when there was just one big nut in the middle holding the wheel on. If you didn't use a left handed one on the correct side the nut would turn it's self backwards and the wheel would fall off.

I though it was the passenger side but, it's been a lot of years since I saw one and I may have gotten confused.

[Adam_H]

Google Andy Bernbaum (spelling). The pre 1948 Mopars used right and left handed lug BOLTS and they should be 1/2 inch. He sells parts for those vehicles.

[BurbMan]

Had a 1970 Plymouth Fury that had left hand thread on the drivers side wheels. The theory was that the rotation of the wheel would work to tighten the nuts and keep them from coming off. I think the engineers figured out that it was more trouble than it was worth.

[Nvr2loud]

Gdetrailer wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
If there standard style studs, just buy a bunch of new ones. If their the funky stud bolts, you might be screwed.

Many older drums (60's into early 80's) used on trailer axles often did not use "studs". Instead they used screw in BOLTS, the drums had THREADED HOLES to act as "nuts"..

They were a real pain to work with since you had to lift and hold the tire, then line up the rim hole with the drum hole then insert the screw threw BOTH the rim and drum.. Then attempt to turn the bolt without cross threading the hole mess.. Repeat that 4 more times for one tire.

At the same time someone decided to play a trick on unsuspecting owner and mechanics by using a LEFT HANDED thread on the DRIVERS SIDE ONLY to make things even more interesting.

The left handed bolt has a BIG "L" stamped in the top to inform the person it is left handed.. Not everyone realized what that meant.

Finding those left hand bolts now days is most likely impossible..

BUT, perhaps all is not lost..

You might be able to convert that drum to a standard "lug" with a screw in STUD!

See if THIS might work for you..

Alternately the only other option would be to replace the brake drums on both sides which will get you to modern day studs all with right handed thread..

My last Audi was like that (not the left handed threads) and used bolts that threaded into the brake discs instead of studs. It was the BEST system I've ever had, never any broken or stripped studs, very easy to align the rims, and much smaller head on the bolt as opposed to a huge lug nut that likes to crack and need replacement.

[LoneStar1]

Try these:
http://oldpickupparts.com/item.php?INV_ID=24531

http://www.robertsmotorparts.com/store/lug-bolt-left-hand-thread-chrysler-dodge-desoto-plymouth-dodge-truck-plymouth-truck-1940-1941-1942-1945-1946-1947-1948-1949-1950-1951-1952-1953-1954-1955-1956-1957-1959-1959-1960-most-1-1-1

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=3708

and

http://www.trailer-wheels.com/TRAILER-WHEEL-STUD-12-X-20-_p_896.html#.VUtsGaM085Y needed to convert hub to a studded type hub

[matthewijenkins]

Maybe I could put a tapered, LH nut under the previously mentioned Fastenal hex head to get the torque I need? Yes it is just one of four. Right now I'm riding around with three 😕 And yes, those Dextar rims are exactly what I have.

[LarryJM]

westend wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
What about a Heli-coil. May not be correct spelling but drill out the hole, tape with right hand tap(provided with the kit)insert threaded coil in correct size and use either a stud or wheel bolt. Helicoil is correct, coils only, part number is HECR1185-8. Try auto parts store, used for stripped stud threads.

The issue is if it's like the Dexstar rims I showed in my previous post the tapered seat on the rim is some screwy size IIRC and the bolt has the tapered seat on the head to match so any nut would have to have the same tapered seat as that on the rim.

Larry

You're right, it's an odd taper on the bolt. I have the Fayette/Dexstar rims on my rig (no L-handed bolts, though). I'm dreading the day I lose a bolt or bend a rim. It will be a costly event because I'll throw all of the wheel gear and get into the 21st century. Whether I'll be able to find a hub/axle/bearing match is to be determined. It may mean new axles and I hate to lose the Torflex axles I have. They are the best riding axles I've owned.

About 15 years ago I had one of the Dexstar rims develop a leak in the middle since mine were two halfs welded together and not only was it a bear to find one, but the cost was IIRC over $100 at that time.

Larry

[westend]

LarryJM wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
What about a Heli-coil. May not be correct spelling but drill out the hole, tape with right hand tap(provided with the kit)insert threaded coil in correct size and use either a stud or wheel bolt. Helicoil is correct, coils only, part number is HECR1185-8. Try auto parts store, used for stripped stud threads.

The issue is if it's like the Dexstar rims I showed in my previous post the tapered seat on the rim is some screwy size IIRC and the bolt has the tapered seat on the head to match so any nut would have to have the same tapered seat as that on the rim.

Larry

You're right, it's an odd taper on the bolt. I have the Fayette/Dexstar rims on my rig (no L-handed bolts, though). I'm dreading the day I lose a bolt or bend a rim. It will be a costly event because I'll throw all of the wheel gear and get into the 21st century. Whether I'll be able to find a hub/axle/bearing match is to be determined. It may mean new axles and I hate to lose the Torflex axles I have. They are the best riding axles I've owned.

[LarryJM]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
What about a Heli-coil. May not be correct spelling but drill out the hole, tape with right hand tap(provided with the kit)insert threaded coil in correct size and use either a stud or wheel bolt. Helicoil is correct, coils only, part number is HECR1185-8. Try auto parts store, used for stripped stud threads.

The issue is if it's like the Dexstar rims I showed in my previous post the tapered seat on the rim is some screwy size IIRC and the bolt has the tapered seat on the head to match so any nut would have to have the same tapered seat as that on the rim.

Larry

[D_E_Bishop]

What about a Heli-coil. May not be correct spelling but drill out the hole, tape with right hand tap(provided with the kit)insert threaded coil in correct size and use either a stud or wheel bolt. Helicoil is correct, coils only, part number is HECR1185-8. Try auto parts store, used for stripped stud threads.

[LarryJM]

bg71361 wrote:

SprinklerMan wrote:
Change the hubs and bearings . Not that expensive

May not be that easy sounds like the OP has the old style Fayetteville or Dayton style wheel, which means new rims in addition to hubs and bearings. Dorman Industries used to make/ sell this LEFT HAND threaded lug bolt, but the discontinued it. Dorman part number 610-035.

I also had this style on my 75 Terry I will look around in the morning to see if I have any laying around.
B

My 1981 Prowler used the Dexter "Dexstar" rims with the wheel "bolts" in the Left and Right handed thread bolts and the head of the bolts had a tapered seat to match the tapered seat in the rims.

Dexstar Rim:

[whiteeye42]

mobile homes use those type of lug bolts you might go to a mobile home dealer and ask them