Why do power drills have R and L?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Perhaps you need to import them from the EU in future. ;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Rolls did too. At least up to the 60s. Not sure about the Shadow.

It made sense with a centre lock fixing. Not sure it ever did with studs or bolts.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yes. the question on motorbike is how to initiate the lean when you probably weigh less than the bike. I can see how that technique would work, in the same way that rally drivers used to steer out of the turn first in order to rapidly go into the turn and break the tail out.

[NY]

What was the main reason that all manufacturers changed over from studs on the hub and wheel nuts, to threaded holes on the hub and wheel bolts? I've always wondered. It seemed to happen some time in the late 70s or early 80s. I think my first car, a 1981 Renault 5 (Mark 1), had bolts, and all subsequent cars have had them, and yet my dad's cars (an Austin Cambridge, a Ford Corsair and several Hillman Hunters) in the 60s and 70s all had wheel nuts, as had Mum's Morris Minor. I'm trying to remember whether her Renault

6s had bolts.

I much prefer bolts, because you can "hang" the wheel on the protrusion on the hub and rotate it easily (with the weight being taken by the hub protrusion) until the wheel holes line up with the hub holes, and then insert a bolt to locate it permanently. With nuts, you have to locate two holes over two adjacent studs while taking the full weight of the wheel.

Either way, I always squat down at right angles to the car (facing the hub) with my legs apart and my arms resting on the inside of my thighs at about 4 and 8 o'clock taking the weight of the wheel as I offer it up to the hub. I've seen people trying to do it while bending down (ie with knees straight) and it's a lot more difficult to get the fine control to position the wheel onto the hub protrusion or the wheel holes onto the studs.

After I'd passed my test I went on a car maintenance night school course and that was one of the tips I learned. The other is always to loosen the wheel nuts/bolts 1/2 turn with the flat tyre still on the ground. Many people raise the flat wheel and then try to loosen the bolts - and of course the wheel rotates freely if it's the front wheel of a rear-wheel drive car, unless you've got a helper to apply the footbrake... or unless you've got a Citroen where the handbrake acts on the front rather than rear wheels. Even if it's the rear wheel of a front-wheel drive car, the handbrake isn't always enough to prevent the wheel rotating when you apply serious force (eg standing on the crank of the wheelbrace) to loosen the nuts. And always apply handbrake and put the car in 1st to provide extra braking to prevent the car rolling or skipping when you jack up one of the handbraked wheels if you've hand to stop on a gradient.

[rbowman]

She's good. Backing the dolly up can be interesting. As far as backing up the entire set I could make it about ten feet before everything went to hell. Some people who always pulled double were much better.

[rbowman]

One of the programmers brought in a wall clock that have Roman numerals. It hung on the wall for six months before anybody noticed it had two XI's.

Our bug tracing system has numbers like CE-29543 that I can remember for about 2 seconds. I'd worry but the people in their 30's and 40's don't do any better.

[rbowman]

I've seen a gimmick at fairs which is a bicycle with the handlebars geared to reverse the relationship. You get a prize if you can ride it

25 feet. They don't give out many prizes even after the carnie demonstrates how easy it is.

[rbowman]

Even on a fairly heavy bike it seems like you're shifting your weight at anything above parking lot speeds. As I said initially it's better to not overthink exactly what you're doing.

[rbowman]

Until recently cars were massively over-engineered and many things were done because it always was done that way going back to horse drawn wagons.

[rbowman]

I vaguely remember one car that had bolts, all the rest had studs and nuts, including the new Toyota I bought a few weeks ago. I wish I could remember which had bolts, maybe the Audi?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

With heavy wheels, they're all a PITA.

My last car, with bolts, had a tool in the kit which screwed into a bolt hole. A sort of longer bolt with no head. That made fitting the wheel a bit easier.

[Andrew]

As was the original versions of the rear-engined Porsche 911.

Hillman imp wasn't much better either.

[Jim Joyce]

Shifting your weight will, at best, get you a very gentle sweeping turn, totally inadequate for navigation. OTOH, I doubt that you were serious.

[charles]

The one with a Lotus/Ford 1500 engine in the back seat was quite a fun variant, though

[Jim Joyce]

No. If you want to turn right, you push the right handlebar.

I've ridden motorcycles and driven in cars with people who do as you described, but there's no reason to turn in the opposite direction before making your actual turn. I'd make an exception if you're pulling a trailer and you want to make sure it doesn't clip the curb.

[Jim Joyce]

<by countersteering!>

Depending on tire profile and other conditions, the bike may want to continue to fall into the turn or it may want to stand up. In either case, it's up to the rider to maintain the proper line.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

Does pushing on the left side of the lever work OK?

[snip]

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

Not for my 1998 Chevrolet. The first tire I changed was on the left side. When a tire on the right needed changing, then I discovered the reverse threads.

However, I'll apologize for assuming it's universal.

[snip]

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

Was 4 IV or IIII?

[snip]

[The Natural Philosopher]

I see you haven't a clue