swopped out the old bias ply tires on the hot rod for a set of american cl***ic tires from Coker tire. the hub caps, 54 dodge lancer full hub caps now come loose. one of the rears after about 30 miles was almost off and both front caps had turned inside the wheel and bent the valve stems over. any body else have this problem? what can be done to stop this? remedy?
STOCK WHEELS with radials mounted on them, tend to flex. I added late model wheels (rims), end of problem.
can't win for trying sometimes - old & new do not always stick like glue - you are not the first - has been at least one thread on this - details that I do not have - had a friend whose nick name for his Ford 1/2 ton was "the flying hubcap"
Many years ago, I found out about Chevy 1/2T wheels that were "radial rated". That was the first time I heard that, I think it was stamped on the rim, so I asked questions.. Radials add more stress to everything, compared to bias. It's the added force from the better grip on the road.
I had some Cadillac rims do the same- swapped to radials and couldn't stop the wheel covers from flying off. There are various methods- some small tack welds on the inside of the rim, or bending the tags on the caps out a bit so they "bite" better on the rim, or wrapping a layer of tape around the cap where the "teeth" are. I ended up not running caps at all, and I kinda like it better.
Had read once radials on old/pre radial rims not always a good idea. Can't remember details (CRS or something). I can say that if you pick up a bias ply tire and a radial you will feel a weight difference.
hub caps will be in rumble till i find wheels that can handle the american cl***ics. called coker.......they have 3
Are they something special, that can't be found as used OEM radial rated? 15x5.5" or 6" wide with 4-3/4" pattern?
Here's how flatoz solved the problem on his 55 Olds. http://www.ozrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=42381
the search is on. i was just checking all the options. the wheels come new, primed and to the door. i want 15 x 5" to 6" and in good shape. i have a bunch of 50's stuff and i will be looking at "Compounce".
I never had that problem on my '55 running Oldsmobile wheelcovers. And I drove it hard with radial tires squalling all the way. I could never keep a wheelcover on a '59 Ford. I ***umed it was the quality of the wheelcovers. I never realized it could be the tires' effect on the wheels. I guess that makes sense if the bias ply tire is more rigid, and tend to stay more round, it would distribute force more evenly across the whole wheel, while a flexi tire creates more force to localized areas of the wheel.
Radial tires will stress more then your wheels, they bite more than a bias ply. You have to rethink about everything when using them.
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