Does anybody know bout iron wagon wheel axles

[FarmboyBill]

Im need ing to know if the left hand side was left hand thread on all of them or not. I got an iron wheeled axle also outa iron that is loose as a goose. Im going to try to heat up my nuts, er the wagons nuts and see if I can tighten them up. I figure its from 1900 onward. When I was a kid I broke the hub on dads wagon cause it was left hand thread and I tried to take it off to grease it thinking it was R hand thread. Doubt if Im going to do that with this one, but id rather know which way to be turning and grunting. I aint got a wagon wrench, so ill slip 2 pieces of metal on either side of the nut, put a block of wood the same size as the nut between them, put a clamp on the block of wood, insert a bar between the two, and twist. Wish me luck. The wheels have at least a 3in sway in them. Im needing to be picking corn and the origional axle under my wagon, which was wood was completly rotten in the hub and broke off. The opposite side was perfect and gives me a pattern to make a new axle as soon as I find sombody selling 4 X 4 X 6ft hardwood. Im going to try sawmills now, ive tried all the local lumber yards.

[Jim&Chele]

I live in Fredonia Ks and a active member of the "Wilson County Old Iron Club".We have a show the last weekend of Sept.(28th & 29th) and low and behold we demonstrate a old saw mill,bet we can find ya a 4"x4"x6' hard wood timber somewhereand wouold be willing to bet it may be cheaper here then anywhere else.If there isn't someone willing to let go of one at the show my buddy may have just what you need already dried,may be a hair bigger or smaller then 4x4.

[Jim&Chele]

OOPs it would be Sept 30th and Oct 1st for the dates,look ate www.oldironclub.org

[FarmboyBill]

I went to a sawmill 20 miles the other side of Tulsa dn got a 8 footer for $5.67 Dont think I could get to Kansas for that. Still wantin to know about the direction of the Left hand side nuts tho

[Jim&Chele]

That is a good deal,as far as the thread parts goes:Rule of thumb=right tighty,lefty loosey,meaning turn the nut to the right to make it tight but that is just the opposite for left handed thread,for example the old dodge products the lug nut on the right side of the auto were righty tighty,but the left side you hand to turn the nut to the right to take it off,should be the same on your wagon.So on your wagon to take it off turn it to your right,to put it on turn it to your left.Hope I helped and not confused you.

[Jim&Chele]

Can you see the threads out past the nut?If so see which way would tighten the nut and goes the other way to take it off.I am not a wagon expect but a shade tree mechanic.So now you don't have to come up for the timber,you canjust come up and have a good time.

[uncle Will in In.]

The nuts are threaded so the turning of the wheels forward tightens them. Otherwise without any way to lock the nuts the wheels would keep falling off on the left side of the wagon. To remove the nuts turn them toward the rear of the wagon. The left side are left handed threads.

[uncle Will in In.]

The old wooden spoked wagons had square heads on the lug nuts. New wagons came with a U shaped strap that was welded to a 3/4 inch pin. The U shape fit the nuts and the pin was the handle to turn them. The rest of the time the pin part was stuck down through the double trees to hold them to the tongue. If you could find a piece of channel iron the right width, you could cut off a short piece and weld a pin to it for a handle. You would then have a brand new antique.