Hub spinner direction

[Roger King]

I'm asking myself why Cobras always have lockwire when other makes of car dont.

They don't. At least, production Cobras didn't. Lockwire was never used with chrome two-eared spinners supplied for road cars.
Lockwire's only used on the three-eared external alloy-wheel type spinner, and then only in competition use generally. I suspect this is a failsafe more than anything else, probably due to the fact that it's actually pretty difficult to get a decent clear blow with a hammer due to the offset, and there is therefore a slightly higher chance of less-than-optimal tightness of the spinner.
Having said that (about competition wiring), I very much doubt it was used in racing in period as it would seriously slow down any tyre changes.

[James Baxter]

Bingo!

I agree with you Roger, Chrome 2 eared ones don't (have wire), only the alloy wheels with 3 ears. Maybe because the taper goes the other way on alloy/tri-spinners, so its only that configuration which comes slack.

If I was building another car, with Halibrands and tri-spinners I'd build it "FFForward On", like a Lotus.

But I'll keep my Rudge Whitworths FForward OFFFF.

[Paul Blore]

If I was building another car, with Halibrands and tri-spinners I'd build it "FFForward On", like a Lotus.

Why??

Notwithstanding my previous comments, that's completely contrary to any logic.

[James Baxter]

If I was building another car, with Halibrands and tri-spinners I'd build it "FFForward On", like a Lotus.

Why??

Notwithstanding my previous comments, that's completely contrary to any logic.

I'd say that its completely contrary to logic to build any car with female wheel tapers FForward OFFF. My logic applied is as per every Rudge Whitworth application, Colin Chapman's words and every Lotus built. Added to that, the fact that racing Cobras wired Halibrand tr-spinners on. Where's your logic to the contrary?

[Roger King]

GOT IT!
The indisputable answer!!!

http://www.mwsint.com/Shop/Details.asp?Id=XW934C

[Paul Blore]

I'd say that its completely contrary to logic to build any car with female wheel tapers FForward OFFF. My logic applied is as per every Rudge Whitworth application, Colin Chapman's words and every Lotus built. Added to that, the fact that racing Cobras wired Halibrand tr-spinners on. Where's your logic to the contrary?

Hi James,
Using you cap and tape analogy and taking the offside wheel as an example. The wheel is the tape roll and the spinner is the cap. Moving the tape (wheel) in a clockwise motion (not rotating) as it would if the car was moving forward with anything other than perfect concentricity of the hub, the cap (spinner) will rotate anti-clockwise, thereby tightening it i.e. FFForward-OFFF.

QED

Paul

[Paul Blore]

Just so that I'm not totally contradicting my previous standpoint, the above only applies if the wheel isn't perfectly tight.

[Roger King]

Just so that I'm not totally contradicting my previous standpoint, the above only applies if the wheel isn't perfectly tight.

...which it never is, given the constraints of the materials used, coatings, oxidation etc.

Please guys, let's move on! Bolt-ons - the only way to go safely!
Don't tell me - the wheel nuts can work loose

[James Baxter]

Hi James,
Using you cap and tape analogy and taking the offside wheel as an example. The wheel is the tape roll and the spinner is the cap. Moving the tape (wheel) in a clockwise motion (not rotating) as it would if the car was moving forward with anything other than perfect concentricity of the hub, the cap (spinner) will rotate anti-clockwise, thereby tightening it i.e. FFForward-OFFF.
QED
Paul

Roger, we are having a discussion here, if you don't want to join in, that's fine. Its very nitty gritty I'll agree, but no-one is getting harmed. By the way, what does your link tell us? Its a nice advert for a wedding car kit from an expensive wheel building company, but, I don't see any explanations there, or must I click on something?
On your other point, I don't like nuts - our car is a Cobra replica, so we made the wheels attach like Cobra did, ie spinners. There were lots of detail we did vary relative to Cobra for cost and other reasons. You've showed us some great examples of terrific Cobra detail Roger, I wonder why you draw the line here on this aspect. Maybe Cobra got the direction wrong and their wheels fall off?
Paul,
In Colin Chapmans explanation from which I am quoting, he doesn't state near or off-side. I realize your reply does, as an example, but I think that's misleading. He does say to rotate the tape or roll clockwise, but he doesn't say that the actual wheel is rotating clockwise. The contact area between the spinner and wheel actually rotates in the opposite direction to the wheel rotation. This is the key bit. Because one design contacts at the top, and the other the bottom, there is a difference in the spinner tightening direction, relative to the wheel direction. Colin doesn't say near or off-side, but he does, I think you will agree, say that the spinner tightening direction is either the same as the wheel rotating direction, or, it is the opposite direction, depending on whether its Rudge or Lotus.

[Roger King]

My response was, shall we say, a little tongue-in-cheek.
The link shows bolt-on wire wheels - 5 stud, Jag PCD. No danger of those working loose. This entire discussion seems to have been around the houses at least twice - therefore I now bow out of it.