Wheels / Tires: Hubcaps 1951 Champion

[JohnMSeymour]

Hi all-

Got new hubcaps and hubcap clips. Noticed I can pull the hubcaps off with my fingers. One wheel in particular comes off very easy. It seams like it would come off by driving over a pothole.

Surely someone else has had this problem. What could I be doing wrong?

John Seymour

[RadioRoy]

Have you got the clips installed wrong?

Did you grease the clips? No grease allowed.

Are the hubcaps distorted or stretched?

Are the hubcaps on all the way so they are touching the wheel?

[JohnMSeymour]

Hi Roy-
I don't know how the clips could be installed wrong and still hold the cap on the wheel. Am I missing something?
No grease.
New hubcaps. New clips.
I tapped the outside edges of the hubcap with a rubber mallet to install. The hubcaps touch the wheels.

John

[RadioRoy]

They probably cannot be installed wrong, but maybe they are not fully seated? Are the clips reproduction? Maybe the steel in the new clips is lighter gauge and not as strong.

If the clips are NOS, then maybe the diameter of the repro hub cap is slightly oversize. Or it could be made of thinner material so that the hubcap diameter is stretched and is now triangular instead of round. Can you remove the loose one, rotate it sixty degrees and reinstall it?

[JohnMSeymour]

Roy-
I assume the clips and caps are reproductions (bought from SI). I installed and removed the hubcap many times from wheel.

[RadioRoy]

If the clips are repops, I would try three original clips on the loose cap and see of they have more springiness in them.

I should have three original ones, if you send me an email with your address, I will send them to you.