question US & UK WW2 Split Rim Wheel Nut Colour?

[Jessie The Jeep]

I've been looking through a number of books with modern restorations and wartime colour pics. British vehicles ( restorations ) seem to have red split rim nuts, I can't make any out in wartime pics.

 

In all the wartime and present day colour pictures of WW2 US vehicles, all the rim nuts are green.

 

Is there any precident to the colour? Was it a post war thing that people are retro-applying to restorations of wartime vehicles?

[Richard Farrant]

I've been looking through a number of books with modern restorations and wartime colour pics. British vehicles ( restorations ) seem to have red split rim nuts, I can't make any out in wartime pics.

 

In all the wartime and present day colour pictures of WW2 US vehicles, all the rim nuts are green.

 

Is there any precident to the colour? Was it a post war thing that people are retro-applying to restorations of wartime vehicles?

 

Steve,

 

The British ( and Canadians) used a WD divided rim on most vehicles during the war, and after. Regulations said that the outer nuts clamping the rims, were to be painted red as a warning not to remove when dismounting a wheel. As for what the regulations were for the US Army, I do not know.

[deadline]

The only items painted red on a wartime jeep (and its a 'late war' things) is that the zerk/lube fittings were painted red.. well, AROUND them was painted red to allow for quick ID of zerk fittings.

 

This was a divisional thing (like painting TP 35 above the wheels) so not all jeeps had it. US Division Commanders would have the final say.

 

The best place to look would be AR 850-5 that was the 'how to mark stuff' TM. An early version (1942) is free on the net (or at http://www.tm9-801.com/AR850-5/index.php )

 

There were later ones... but the 42 is free... IIRC Portrayal Press may have a 43 or 45 version.