Okay, reading the thread I remembered that I do not put the Phillips screws back on the rotors (Honda, Kia, Hyundai and Mazda cars I have had). But I did not consider that a modification, rather an improvement 
Thanks for clarifying . . .
Iāve seen lots of disastrous results of putting anti-seize on lug nuts and studs
Thatās why I made my comment
The most important modifications I made were to me. I learned to change into my work clothes before I started on a task, I learned to get comfortable wearing thin nitrile āexamā gloves for just about every job, I learned to order a pair of glasses in my reading prescription and in my mid-range prescription (I wear tri-focals) so I can work on stuff without breaking my neck trying to see what Iām doing. I learned to bring the entire set of whatever sockets I was using instead of just the one I knew I needed, and every other tool I could imagine and a few that seemed completely unnecessary before I slide under the car. I learned to cover the floor of the garage with big pieces of cardboard. I learned to put away all the tools before I closed the hood, so I didnāt lose one in there (once you slam the hood on a wrench, that bump will remind you for years).
One thing Iāve learned is donāt try to avoid taking off something thatās in the way of what youāre actually working on. I used to try to work around stuff that it would be easier and quicker in the long run just to remove it and get it out of the way.
I can think of one mod I do sometimes to make repairs easier. If a part is held in with an oddball fastener (for a diy guy with limited tools - like a safety torx head bolt), I might replace it with a more common fastener sometimes.
I donāt label stuff except paint containers but I do record all these types of things in my house/car/yard/rolling stock maintenance book. That reminds me though, I need to go around the house and record the circuits outlets are on . . . sometime. That was a winter project but winter is over.
Dang for reminding me of something that never got done after I retired. Every outlet had a number for the circuit on the floor box covers. New carpeting they removed all the covers, and threw them in a box. No rhyme or reason, so I had made a map with each circuit and network connection. Too late now I guess.
Oh man. Best laid plans, etc. Yeah and in 1994 I borrowed a video camera and shot a video of ever wall before sheetrock so Iād know where the pipes and wires etc. were. Yeah the owner over-wrote the cassette. Now I tap on the wall and hope for the best. Thinking about one of those xray cameras.
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I was getting a state inspection for a 56 Studebaker at a Buick dealer and they threw in a free tire rotation. The mechanic threw all the lug nuts into one hubcap that he carried around the car with him. Then the installed new wheel studs in p;ace of the ones he ruined the threads on by mixing up right and left hand lug nuts.
They were also giving away two passes for the Delaware drive in to all their customers that day so I got a lot for my $2.50 that day.
I never heard of reverse threaded lug nuts, is that what I would understand half of them were?
Some cars used to use left hand studs on one side and right hand threads on the other side so that the rotation of the tire would tend to tighten the nuts. They would be stamped with L or R on the end of the stud. That would tend to mess a stud up putting a right hand nut on a left hand thread or vica versa.
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Studebakers of the 50s and earlier had left hand thread om the left side except for the Larks and did Mopars of the 50s or earlier. Donāt know about the other independents.
Studebakers never had timing chain troubles and certainly no timing belts. Every Studie V8 had timing gears. Donāt know about the sixes and of course after they closed their US engine plant and were building cars in Canada, they were using Chevy engines in the mid 60s.
Ford in itās infinite wisdom decided not to put a hatch under the backseat to get to the fuel pumpā¦so in December when mine failed (and I honestly had 0 desire to drop the tank in that coldā¦), I used a dremel to cut an access hatch (sure it took a little while, but with the small blade I made sure I didnāt slice through the fuel line or the electrical line to the pump) so I have access to it if it fails again before I either sell or scrap the car
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Early '60s Mopars did this, I think.
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Yeah I really donāt know which cars but I do recall the L and R studs as a teenager. We had a Lark, Falcon, Merc, Plymouth, VW, Morris, Pontiac, and maybe more during that era so could have been on any of them back in the 60ās. But I was smart enough to know the difference or maybe an adult instructed me. I should make it a point to likewise clue in younger folks as I encounter them.
Soā¦ on which side of the car would the right-hand (normal everyday) threaded nuts go?
And did the R on the studs mean right hand thread, or right side of the car, or both?
If I remember (BIG if), the left threaded studs were on the EDIT - yep, driverās side.
If I remember right left handed was on driverās side & ritehanded was on passenger side.
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1969 was the last year for left hand wheel studs on the left side of the vehicle on Chrysler products.
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This is where Iām at. Iāve purchased two new cars in my life. The first thing I do when I get them home is get them up on the stands and anti-seize all exposed nus and bolts on exhaust, suspension, etc. Doesnāt give rust a chance to even take hold.
Yes R meant right hand thread, righty tighty, lefty loosy, and L meant left hand thread, lefty tighty, righty loosy. Too complicated figuring out which side. Iāll leave that to the engineers.