Nut and bolt question... turning it right tightens it? or is it left to tighten?

Question

Im putting together some machinery, the bolt isnt catching on the threads. if I turn it right it just spins, if I turn it left it goes tight and wont turn at all.

Am I turning the wrong way? whats going on there

Please let me know :o)

Answer 1

make sure that your putting the nuts and bolts flat on each other, also check the threads (the swirly bits on bolts and nuts) make sure there are no pitting (lumps in swirly bit) or bits of thread missing, but normally it is left loosens, right tightens, but if it is an opposite thread then try it the other way!!

hope this helps

Answer 2

Righty tighty lefty loosy.

Answer 3

Most bolts are right hand thread i.e. turn clockwise to tighten. BUT there are left hand threaded bolts which tighten turned anti/counter clockwise. Only LH threaded bolts I've come across were on the wheels of a Lambretta scooter's wheels.

Answer 4

Clockwise to put it on , the nut must be flat to the thread or it'll cross thread and won't go on at all .

Answer 5

Righty tighty, lefty loosy.

Answer 6

depends on the nut and bolt, some nuts and bolts turn clockwise (like jars and watches) others turn the other way around (counterclockwise). some nuts are broken and don't go in because their thread is broken

Answer 7

most of the time, right tightens them up, however, sometimes, on  items such as saw, the bolt has a left hand thread to keep it from loosing up due to the turning of the blade. did you say you had 2 bolts labeld l, r? try switching them.

Answer 8

Most nuts and bolts work on a clockwise thread and "Righty tighty, Lefty loosey" works for these.

Sometimes, the thread is counterclockwise, especially where motors or spinning axles are used. In those cases, you need to reverse the direction to tighten or loosen.

You should always try to put a nut on a bolt by hand first, it should go on easily. If you try to force it with a wrench or spanner, you could damage the threads and ruin the nut and the bolt.

Answer 9

Lol, All screws and bolts you turn clockwise (Right) to tighten :)

If it just spins when you turn it to the right and doesnt tighten i suppose the bolt is faulty

Answer 10

Righty tighty, lefty lucey

Answer 11

i know it as righty tihgty lefty loosey so right itightens the bolt and left loosens the bolt

Answer 12

turn the bolt clockwise to tighten. however it sound like the thread on the bold may be damaged if it tightens when turning left. try different bolt.

Answer 13

righty tighty, lefty loosy. haha. i use that all the time! or clockwise makes it tight, opposite clockwise makes it loose.

Answer 14

IF what the nut is holding in place does NOT rotate, then...

RIGHT / CLOCKWISE Tightens

LEFT / ANTI CLOCKWISE  Undoes it.

-------------------------

IF what the nut is holding in place DOES rotate, then THINGS could be REVERSED...

SOME nuts on things that spin [one side of a car's wheel nuts, weed eaters, maybe some mowers etc] occasionally have 'left hand threads" so that the spinning object doesn't tend to undo the nuts, due to torque reaction.

In these cases the nut will tighten in the SAME direction as the object spins. If it spins clockwise then the nut will tighten clockwise.  It is done like this so that the spinning tends to tighten rather than undo the nut.  

Object that spin both directions are best secured with methods other than a nut.

Are you certain:

1. your thread [nut and bolt] are clean and not damaged.?

2. are you trying to put a right thread nut on a left thread bolt ?

3. Is it the right thread size or type.  There are several different threads of SIMILAR size, just more "twists" to the inch if you like]  Metric, BSF, Whitworth, AF are some for example.

If you are still stuck, ask someone who is used to working with machines.  It's much easier if you are there and can see it.

I hope this helps you.

Answer 15

generally its righty tighty, but just try both ways, whichever way tightens it is the way your supposed to turn it.

Answer 16

Righty tighty

Lefty loosey.

Answer 17

The rule is righty(clockwise) tighty lefty (counter-clockwise)loosy.  

Some things are backwards though.

Answer 18

Strictly speaking, both are possible. But right to tighten is most common, maybe by a ratio of  1 million to 1.

My vacuum cleaner waste tube is threaded and the tools have to be turned to the left to be fitted. Nowadays thats very unusual, but 40 years ago it was more common.

Answer 19

If turning the nut clockwise tightens it, it is called a right hand thread.  Most threads are this way.  Sometimes you will run across left hand threads where turning counterclockwise tightens it.  You may have one of these.  In either case,  turn the nut which ever way that tightens it.

Answer 20

The bolt with the L has left hand threads, you must turn the nut with the left threads to the left to tighten them.  It is unusual but it happens that some items have left hand threads so the motion of something will tighten the threads not loosen them. '49-'52 Chrysler wheel lug nuts on the driver side were left hand threads, many bicycle peddles have left hand threads on the left peddle.

Answer 21

Sounds like the wrong thread or it's been crossthreaded and is no good any more. Look carefilly at the inside of the nut to see if it has been damaged. Don't confuse standard and metric.

Rule for most nuts and bolts-"lefty loosey-righty tighty".

Answer 22

i think its supposed to be lefty losey righty tighty but it sounds like turning it left works better.

Answer 23

Just remember this:

"Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey"

:)

Answer 24

It sounds like the bolt is stripped.   The general rule of thumb is righty tighty, lefty loosey.  Good luck.

Answer 25

Lefty loosey, righty tighty

Answer 26

You can tighten my nuts any time!

Answer 27

Whereas everyone is answering your specific question, I wanted to just suggest that you look at the threads of the bolt to be sure they are evenly spaced and that none appear shaved away - stripped.  The end of the bolt should be slightly smaller than the rest of it so it catches in the hole.  Similarly, the receiving side should not be stripped either.  Some bolts in machinery are reversed threaded but for the most part, placing the bolt in the hole (or nut) perpendicular to the plane of the hole's surface and turning to the right should allow the bolt to catch and thread.

Answer 28

Examine the nut and the bolt ----if the threads are stripped no mnemonic device will help no matter how cutesy wootsy.

Answer 29

Normally it's right, i.e. clockwise, but some (rarely) are anticlockwise.

You have to make sure you start off carefully because you may end up stripping the thread and then you'll have a problem.

Make sure the bolt is going in straight. If it doesn't catch in the thread properly, turn it back a tiny bit and try again.

Answer 30

I was taught....

Lefty loosey

Righty tighty

It works for me and is easy enough for me (as a woman - hahaha) to remember

Answer 31

Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey.

EDIT:  ^^^^ Lulz, were all clones.