Like the ***le says, I'm struggling a bit on installing a set of spiders on the wagon. The diameter of the holes in the base plate are slightly larger than the diameter of the wheel studs, so there's a bit of "slop". The "knuckles" on the spider cap are just a bit larger than the lug nuts (original style) so there is hardly any slop. After torquing the lug nuts down, it becomes extremely difficult to align the five machine screws through the cap and into the base plate. Am I missing a tip or trick here? It doesn't seem like it should be this frustrating. Also, should there be any concern as to how placing the base plate between the face of wheel and the "bottom" of the lug nut could affect torque. Either initially or during driving? I'm hesitant to really torue the lug nuts down gorilla-style for fear of deflecting the base plate and making the alignment of the machine screws even more difficult. Any hints or advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks, in advance. - RB Roadster
If you have the "el cheapo" spider caps (like mine) there isn't much you can do. If you reef on 'em too hard the caps will come out of the pressed in retainer, so be careful. After careful install on my car they stayed for about a year until the caps started flying off on their own. I eventually got some bullet lugs, and centers to replace them.
My caps are not the tin-type. I got them from Riley Automotive and they are VERY nice. The weight and quality are more than I could have hoped for. I know that there is some step or trick that I am just missing. I definitely can't just take the nuts off, put the base plate on, torque the nuts down, and then install the caps to the base plate. Basically, I am hand-tightening all five lug nuts and then "testing" the machine screw alignment from through the cap into the base plate, but then after I think I have good alignment and final torque the lug nuts, I lose the alignment. Understand that I'm not talking about a lot of movement, but just enough so that I can't start all five machine screws into the base plate. And with the quality of the caps, there is no "forcing" things into place. More comments / suggestions ?????
ya gatta torque down lugs. so, ditch the machined screws and use a self tapping screw on the covers. i did what you've done for a while with no success. i've done several with the self tappers.
it's a bit of work, but i like to drill and tap the wheel itself for the machine screws. i ended up making a drill jig out of thick steel plate, held on with lugnuts/bolts to drill the holes.
I tried installing my caps this weekend and didn't have much luck. When I was tightening the lug nuts down, it bent the **** out of the bracket. I could only get 2 screws to line up. I took it off and tried to bend the bracket back into shape and didn't have much luck. Does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do? I don't really understand how you are supposed to do this without bending the bracket...? I also bought some new screws because the ones that came with it were junk. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
To straighten out your bent bracket, hammer it flat again with a large hammer over a thick piece of flat steel. That should get it flat again. Before installing, try match marking the spyder cap ***embly to the bracket until all five holes in the bracket match those on the cap ***embly. match mark the two and then install the bracket. Index the mark on the spyder cap ***embly to the mark on the bracket and your holes should line up.
Hey guys i have had my Spyders and small beauty rings on my 40 for 22 years. I have never had any problem putting them on.I hand tighten lug nuts by hand then when they all are ready i thighten with a impact wrench. I am still using the org. pan head screws to retain the lug nut covers. After 22 years i have put on Polished Salt Flat Americans. By the way my wheels,tires,beauty rings and Org. Cal custom Spyders are for sale for $500.00. Thanks 40BCOOL
I did try to straighten out the bracket with a hammer, but it isn't supposed to be flat. So I am having a hard time getting it back to the original shape. The main thing I don't understand is how you tighten the lug nuts down without bending the bracket to hell. The lug nuts are bigger than the holes on the bracket. Are there any tricks? Should I try and make the holes slightly bigger? I don't want to screw up the rest of the brackets. Would spacers help prevent it getting bent?
These things are a PIA in my opinion. The only reason I bought them is because there isnt a push through bullet for my 49-56 ford steelies. I have the fronts held on with 3 bolts and gave up on the rears. I am going to pull them off, check for clearance on my drums, drill some pilot holes and run self tappers in there and be done with it. I bent the s##$ out of my mounting plates due to frustration and lack of patience with these things. You guys that got them on perfect, WTF is your secret
Yep. What he said. I had the exact same problem that you guys are talking about when I installed mine. The mounting plate distorts and you can't install the machine screws. I tried rotating the spider cap itself to get the screw holes to line up, but no dice. I just picked up some small stainless phillips head (non-machine thread) screws from the hardware store and they worked like a charm. They're not even the type that have the self-tapping "drill bit" tip on them, although I'm sure those would work, too. Malcolm
The spider caps that I bought from Speedway Motors would fit without modification either. Mine are on my 1962 Thunderbird. I ended up enlarging the holes in the base plate until all the screws lined up. This takes awhile since I had to enlarge and test fit many times. I finally got them to work and then the base plates started to rust since I ground on them. So I ended up painting the base plates this winter the same color as my wheels.
It sounds like they "look" good, but they're NOT. Return em and do bullet lugs and bullet caps from the Lug Nut King ($40 for all 24 pieces). A buck a lugnut, and five bucks a cap. 909 376 8011
Thanks Groucho, but I've been running mine for over a year now. Resorted to using self-tapping stainless. They look and work great. Had 'em off and on a few times now with no problems. As for the quality, they more than "look" good. Vaphead is making a quality product that has held up well to a lot miles and abuse. They are more than the $40 you mentioned above but, then again, if I wanted bullet lugs and caps, that's what I would have gone with. BTW, I LOVE that Poncho in your avatar. - RBR
CRAAP, I didn't know they were made by Vaphead. Now he's gonna hate me. Soon as he makes a prototype set for 5 on 5 bolt pattern for ME to test, I'll appologize
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