Wheel threads

[Leo]

I don't know if this has come up before, but today I decided to tighten up the wheel nuts, which I have not done before and found that on the passenger side they were right hand threaded as normal, but on the driver's side both wheels had left hand threads.
Is this normal or perculiar to my jeep, which is a NEKAF?
Also can the rear wheel bearings be adjusted to take out play, or do they have to be replaced?
Thanks

[Phil4280]

This is not an uncommon thing. More so with older vehicles (e.g MB and GPW jeeps) and still common with larger vehicles.

The purpose of it is to resist loosening due to the rotation of the wheel. If you are ever going to lose a wheel due to wheel nuts (lug nuts) comeing loose it will be on the left hand side. (been there experienced that)

The nut will normaly have some type of identifying feature like a goove or the letter "L" on it. Also atleast on trucks you will notice on the end of the wheel stud (lug) either the letter "L" or "R" to ID the type of thread rotation.

In more modern vehicles I have found LH thread nuts on Australian Army UL1600 Unimogs and some of their Japanese branded CL truck fleet.

I don't know when the practice stoped with jeeps but my guess would of been in the early 60s but may have gone longer on military contracted examples. My FC170 had LH thread on the left hand side.

Phil...

[wesk]

A quick peak in your ORD 9 SNL G-758 would have listed the left hand thread studs and nuts on the left hand wheels. Also page 300 in your TM 9-8014 Operator's Manual explains nut rotation left vs right under wheel removal.

As Phil said it was very common into the 60's on about 70 % of vehicles built.

The M38 I am building I replaced all wheel studs and nuts with new and used right hand threaded on both sides.

[Leo]

Thanks guys, very informative. I didn't notice any L and R markings but will have a better look.

[oilleaker1]

Wes, the Jeep Police will deduct 10 points on your Jeep now that you spilled the beans! John

[wesk]