When I first started working on my own vehicles I could never remember which direction would loosen a bolt or tighten it. I only had two options, clockwise or counter-clockwise, so it should have been simple.
Choosing the correct direction was a coin toss and I would always come out on the loosing side. I looked like a fool, grunting, cussing, and getting increasingly frustrated at an inanimate object that was somehow besting me at every turn.
I don’t remember where I learned it or who told it to me but the easiest way I know to remember which direction is loosens and which direction is tightens is:
“Righty tighty, Lefty loosey”
To use it effectively simply follow the logic below:
– Make your wrench, screw driver, or whatever you are using looks like the picture below
Wrench and Nut
– If you move the top of the wrench to the left you will loosen the nut
– If you move the top the wrench to the right will you tighten the nut
This works equally as well for a screw driver. If the center of the handle is the nut in the previous example then the top is as shown. Apply the same “Righty tighty, Lefty loosey” logic as before!
Screwdriver
– If you move the top of the screwdriver to the left you will loosen the screw
– If you move the top the screwdriver to the right will you tighten the screw
