which way do you undo nuts and bolts

[fazer6868]

help

i keep trying to undo nuts and bolts the wrong way.

which way should it be? and does this apply whether in front,behind,above,below the bolts etc, e.g. on the ground under car?

many thanks

[bigboots]

Left to loosen (anti clockwise)
right to tighten (clockwise)
and it makes no differance where the nut/bolt is

[Clanad]

Unless some diabolical engineer has been working overtime, my assunption is the threading works the same way in the U.K. as it does here in the U.S.

So, regardless of your or the bolt/nut orientation it loosens to the left or counterclockwise and tightens to the right or clockwise (not unlike politics, come to think of it).

There have been, historically, some few, very few alternatives to this rule. Some American made cars has lug bolts (holding on the wheels and tires to the axle) that operated exactly opposite, the belief being the rotation of the wheel while driving would help assure they were always tight. Additionally, some natural gas and propane fittings worked opposite for some reason. Here in the U.S., small propane tanks used to power barbeques were equipped with 'backward" threads, but most of those have been replaced just in the last few years...

[Hymie]

It can be very confusing when confronted by a nut/bolt in a difficult to access location/orientation � when oriented such that you are looking straight at the nut/bolt face, it will tighten when turned clockwise and loosen when turned anti-clockwise (unless it is a left hand thread).

I find the best solution is to imaging that you are looking straight at the face of nut/bolt that you are trying to tighten or loosen and imaging it to be a clock face.

[Clanad]

Apologies, bigboots... you weren't there when I sent my post...

[ladyalex]

I try to remember it by saying
righty-tighty
lefty-loosey

But what do I know.

[Toureman]

Hi Clanad, We still have what we call left handed threads on our Propane Cylinders. UK.

I have no idea why they are like that.

[markysngc]

ladyalex gave the easy one to remember

righty-tighty
lefty-loosey

Clanad, the threading does work the same here, though from an engineering point of view there are sometimes advantages to have a left hand thread, any anti-clockwise rotating spindle with a thread on it would be better to have a left handed thread as the natural sheer would tighten the nut and not undo it.

As for the propane tanks... can only think it would be for the Georgia rednecks... can see it now " Hey y'all the grill isn't hot enough... what if i losen this off a bit"

a left hand thread would confuse them for long enough for the gas to run out :)

[Brooksy]

As Clanad & Hymie state, one does occasionally come across left hand threads. Examples on push bikes are the nut holding on the left hand pedal & the frame bottom bracket right hand bearing cup. My fruit juicer nozzle undoes clockwise & I recall that sports car wire wheel spinners/nuts on one side do as well.

[sigma]

The reason Propane has a LH thread is to stop regulator etc being fitted to cylinders holding different gases.
On Oxi- Acetelyne one is LH fittings, the other is RH fittings

[david1702198]

all hazardous gas cylinders have left hand thread, propane,butane, acetalyne, as most of them are used in conjunction with oxygen it is a)to make sure the proper regulator is fitted and b) to make sure there is no mix up as to what kind of gas the cylinder is filled with. regarding cars some cars have left hand threaded bolts here and there, for example some fords have left hand thread rear hub nuts.

[bertiemje]

lefty lighty righty tighty