Resurrecting a long-dead thread. :dead:
For the definitive answer to which direction knock-offs are oriented on GT40s (forget about other cars), take a look at this video:
LeMans1966.flv video by hard11 - Photobucket
The timer counts off backwards; when the video gets to exactly 2:00 remaining, a pit stop is shown. It can clearly be seen that the crewmembers strike the spinners in the forward direction to loosen them, and towards the rear of the car to tighten.
You put the wheels BACK ON, that's how to remember it easily.
The wheel-whacker tool pictured in Tim's thread above is apparently no longer available (the link is dead), but I found a very reasonably priced alternative:
Speedway Nut Smacker Knock-Off Tool
Unfortunately it's set up for 3" six-sided hex nuts, not tri-eared spinners. My plan is to get a hunk of aluminum (or perhaps delrin?) and have an insert made which will have a six-sided end (mimicking the nut), a round plate and three slots to engage the wheel spinners.
Alternately, I could perhaps make cutouts on three of the six sides of the hex, but I'm not wild about steel engaging the aluminum spinners.
I'll let you know how it goes!
For the definitive answer to which direction knock-offs are oriented on GT40s (forget about other cars), take a look at this video:
LeMans1966.flv video by hard11 - Photobucket
The timer counts off backwards; when the video gets to exactly 2:00 remaining, a pit stop is shown. It can clearly be seen that the crewmembers strike the spinners in the forward direction to loosen them, and towards the rear of the car to tighten.
You put the wheels BACK ON, that's how to remember it easily.

The wheel-whacker tool pictured in Tim's thread above is apparently no longer available (the link is dead), but I found a very reasonably priced alternative:
Speedway Nut Smacker Knock-Off Tool
Unfortunately it's set up for 3" six-sided hex nuts, not tri-eared spinners. My plan is to get a hunk of aluminum (or perhaps delrin?) and have an insert made which will have a six-sided end (mimicking the nut), a round plate and three slots to engage the wheel spinners.
Alternately, I could perhaps make cutouts on three of the six sides of the hex, but I'm not wild about steel engaging the aluminum spinners.
I'll let you know how it goes!
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