Hubcap Hell

[Fredo]

I bought my third set of hubcaps yesterday, I paid 80 bucks for the set of four caps, a little pricey but I want caps on this car. I thought they fit nice and snug but about 100 yrds down the road once got spit off and passed me on the left. Of course I stoped and recovered my cap but all I could do was take off the other 3 and place them on the stack I have already.
I can not for the life of me understand why I'm having such a hard time getting the right caps. Wheels are steel 15X5 Ford/Chrysler 5 on 4.5 lug pattern.
Ok I'm done bitching, back to life in the cubicle for a while.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

After 40 years they might need an adjustment.

Alan

 

[steved033]

funny, I took mine 14" ones off, and it was hell.

sjd

 

[70NPORT]

Wow, there was a time if I were caught on the internet at work they have seal team 6 come in, throw a hood over my head and drag me outta there. Yea, they were a bit up tight about it.

Lucky.

 

[Stormer]

That's exactly why I refuse to run wheel covers. I know you want em but you might as well just suck it up & buy some wheels.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

Was the car designed for bias ply tires? If so that might explain it if you have radials on it, especially if loosing while anything different than going straight.

 

[Fredo]

Stormer,
You might be right. I'm not happy about it but you might be right.

 

[bluefury361]

Was the car designed for bias ply tires? If so that might explain it if you have radials on it, especially if loosing while anything different than going straight.

The wheels used with bias tires were a lot lighter and the extra grip radial tires provide can cause them to "flex". Spread the gripper teeth a bit and just keep an eye on your caps. I havent lost one in over two years now.
You can also locate a later model set of wheels designed for use with radial tires.

 

[66SportFury]

I heard of guys doing this before. Take 60 grit sand paper and sand the edge where the hub cap teeth meets the rim. Sand around the wheel not in and out. Don't sand it down to the metal though. You just want to make groves in the paint with the sand paper so the teeth grab more. Try it on the wheel that the hub cap fell off and see if that does it. Also are you filling the tire to max air pressure cold? They could be flexing to much from being under inflated. Just ideas!

 

[commando1]

When hubcaps were the norm for the day, I don't ever remember this being a problem.
I don't know how or why but I do know

 

[Stormer]

Not true that it wasn't a problem back in the day. Hubcaps all over the side of the road & in the ditches. Just buy wheels.

 

[cm23uoc]

I remember them flying away in the movies at least. No big issues with German cars of the day, mostly dog dishes.

 

[commando1]

You're gonna make me pull out my "you weren't there" card, aren't you... lmao

Posted via Topify using Android

 

[Stormer]

I was born in 71 & I've seen more than my share of ditch bound hubcaps. I grew up in rural Minnesota which is in a time warp so I actually was there.

 

[bluefury361]

You're gonna make me pull out my "you weren't there" card, aren't you... lmao

He he ..... Go ahead and play it Stan. Back then almost 100% of the cars had hubcaps .... Thats why there were so many on the side of the road.

Besides ..... There are not many wheels, (aside from the OEM road wheels), that look as good as the original wheel covers on C-bodys. jmhawo.

 

[Fredo]

When hubcaps were the norm for the day, I don't ever remember this being a problem.
I don't know how or why but I do know

I know what you mean, but I've been working on cars since the Army made me a meceneck in 73. Pretty good at getting caps on wheels. I think it's the quality of the caps I'm buying with a combination of using older ford wheels. Either way I've decided no more caps. I'll run bare wheel until I buy a set of Supremes.

 

[Mr C]

Are they deep wheel covers? If so, they may be flying off because the rim has the wrong offset. Happens a lot if you are using Ford rims with different offset than the Mopar rim.

 

[Fredo]

Are they deep wheel covers? If so, they may be flying off because the rim has the wrong offset. Happens a lot if you are using Ford rims with different offset than the Mopar rim.

No, they aren't bottoming out, they are pretty shallow. Same off set and BS as the stock 14" I went to 15" wheels.

 

[thrashingcows]

And this is why I run dog dish caps....

 

[440Sled]

Yep...time for Supremes.