1950s Unidentified brake drum

[Cadman-iac]

Makes sense Cadman-iac, as your posts routinely do. Yes, I also remember those 1960s finned drums. This oddball drum of mine right now does not require studs. So, I am going to leave it alone for the time being. I also avoid taking my car to an outside source if the wheels need to be removed, for the reason you gave. Good advice you provided. Newbies on this site with LH threads, take note! Clay/Lexi

 I only take my vehicles in for tires, and I'll pull the caps myself to prevent damage. I learned the hard way about letting the tire jockeys remove and install the hubcaps.
 I haven't taken the 56 in for tires yet as it's nowhere near being ready for them, but when it is, I'm probably just going to bring in the wheels and have them mount the tires.

 I remember the first time I encountered lefthanded wherl studs, it was in auto shop in high school. Someone had brought in an old Chrysler and had busted off 3 studs before asking the shop teacher what was going wrong.
 I never realized that Cadillac used them until I bought the 56, and I almost broke one off myself before I took a close look at the studs. That tell-tale "L" stamped in the end was hard to see, but it's there.
 The 55/56/57 Chevys I've owned always had righthand thread on the wheels, so I never expected to see them on the same years of Cadillac.

 Rick

[Lexi]

I only take my vehicles in for tires, and I'll pull the caps myself to prevent damage. I learned the hard way about letting the tire jockeys remove and install the hubcaps.
 Rick

I do the same Rick. When in the shop and the wheels have to come off, the caps are always removed, and I point out the "L" stamp on those left hand studs to the service people. I have a manual tire changer here, but it is a beast to use for installation, though tire removal with it is OK. So I am usually stuck using a tire shop as I hate fighting with the manual changer. Always wanted to buy an old tire changing machine, but little to no room for one. Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

  Got to thinking about the oddity of lefthanded wheel studs, and how Cadillac decided to use them but Chevrolet did not, and as far as I know, neither did any of the other GM lines.

The corporate office let each division do what they wanted within reason it seems.
Like how Oldsmobile used the left front wheel to drive the speedometer for a number of years, (like my 64 Starfire), but again, as far as I know, no other GM line did that. I think they stopped this in 68, but not positive.

So how long did Cadillac use the lefthanded studs? I know that my 69 convertible had righthand studs all the way around. Was it stopped by 1960?

Rick

[Lexi]

So how long did Cadillac use the lefthanded studs? I know that my 69 convertible had righthand studs all the way around. Was it stopped by 1960?

Rick

Not sure. I think they were still there in '59, and possibly to the early '60s. Can anyone provide a precise cut off date? Clay/Lexi

[Roger Zimmermann]

Lefthanded studs were used from 1952 thru 1959.

[Lexi]

Lefthanded studs were used from 1952 thru 1959.

Thank you Roger. Clay/Lexi