Wheel Knockoff position

[Tinkerman]

On my TR3A the knockoffs on the driver side wheels read as follows: LEFT SIDE UNDO (with an arrow circling towards the front) UNDO. To me' if I make a hard stop' that knockoff could continue turning and fall off!
Is this the correct positioning or do I have the hubs reversed? As some of you know I have a problem of over engineering stuff but we're talking safety here. I would rather ask a dumb question than ending upside down in a ditch, or worse.

Thanks, Tinkerman

 

[Geo Hahn]

Yours are correct.

I think it is the forces on the wheel - not the knockoff - that the direction of the threads are dealing with. Given the relative masses involved and the forces (including the road) this makes sense.

 

[alanjohnturner]

Its awfully easy. The knock-offs marked LEFT SIDE go on the left-hand side of the car. Left meaning your left-hand when you are driving it.

Its also true that you undo them by turning towards the front. This means the ones marked RIGHT SIDE actually have what would elsewhere be called a "left-hand thread".

Done this way they actually tighten as you drive but its not obvious to me why they do this.

Al.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Some Knockoffs don't have any script on them. To tighten, always turn the spinner/nut towards the back of the car. Left side, turn spinner right. Right side, turn spinner left.

Marv

 

[Geo Hahn]

...Done this way they actually tighten as you drive but its not obvious to me why they do this...

As I recall it has to do with the flexing of the spokes... apparently a wheel in motion is not truly round.

 

[TR3driver]

Nothing is truly round, if you measure accurately enough.

Probably isn't true any more, but it used to be said that the surface of the earth was smoother than the best bearing ball.

 

[bnw]

Never tow a wire wheel car backwards or they WILL come off!

 

[CJD]

A lot of the older cars even had left hand threaded lug nuts on the right side. It's the rotation that loosens...or tightens...the knock offs, not the wires or wheel design.