Did any body have to hog their mouting plates out a little to let the lug nuts seat better. Mine dont want to fit and wont let the lug fully seat on to the rim. I know made in China etc.. I am just wondeirng if the things are all made in the same place? Another tip get a magnet to get the little screw lined up.
I ended up using stainless sheet metal screws to hold the caps onto the mounting plates. Tightening the lugnuts distorted the mounting plates enough to where it was very difficult, if not impossible to get the holes lined up and put the little machine screws in.... Malcolm
The spiders I've used were in no danger of distorting. In fact, I had to put o-rings behind the adapter plate at each lug to get them to quit rattling. I wonder if this is a different setup, maybe over reverse engineered to fix the rattle issue or as I was getting at, could be a difference of stud/lug size or type?
Yeah, I suspect we are running into the difference in stud and lugnut size. I don't even know what size the studs are on my car ('62 Galaxie) and I use either a 3/4" or 13/16" socket to put the lugnuts on.... Shows ya how much I pay attention - glad I don't have to do it too often. Also, the bullets that cover the lugnuts fit over them tight enough on my application, that I don't have the rattling problem.
mine are JAP made also & do not fit tight down to the wheel & did distort when tightened. i have seen many others like this also. i had to loosen each lug nut & hold the mounting base down tight in place & tighten lug nut carefully. i did get the caps closer to wheels & screws did line up. still not as tight as id like though.
yup,i did like you did,i think next time i 'll forget the mounting plate and drill &tap some little holes in the rim and mount them to the rims
MalcomNick, your studs are 1/2"-20, just like mine. And mine swim on the studs. I use a self tapper to attatch the cap on because the holes are nowhere near. After I run the lug on, I try to staighten it as best as possible, hit it with a drill and my screws. In theory, it should work so smoothly as desgined...
These things really are a pain in the ass to install. I'd rather re-do my timing chain job than put these stupid little things on again. They do look good, though:
Whew wasnt just me. I thought these have to be easier to install. I also use a 3/4 to tighten my lugs. What is hapeneing is what some of you ecperienced, when you tightwn the lugs it distorts the mounting plate. I jaked the car up to try to "alighn" everything when I went to put it on. Thanks for all the repsonces
yeah,the frist time i put them on my shoebox it was shaking a little , so i checked the mounting plates they where all fucked up
Yep, pain in the ass. I have had mine on and off at least 4 times in 2 years, My lug nuts have actually carved the hole in the backing plate so they are huge. I'm just really carfull when I put them on so the plate doesn't bend into a pretzel.
I gave up on my new spider caps. The holes are way too big for the lug nuts and they just rattle bad. Would have liked to use them. They sure look nice.
I've got the rattle problem, too. Just living with it at the moment, but plan on doing the o-ring thing Rashy mentioned. It was also suggested on an earlier thread to put a bead of silicone on the back of the backing plates around the holes and let it dry before putting them on, making a silcone "seat" for them.
Hate those chinese crap! That sucks to here about so much problems with those el cheapo parts. Why doesn´t somebody make some real good quality parts. Sainless steel caps or something. Not that cheap chromed shit that don´t fit. I guess there would be a market for good parts even if the price was double. I´d rather spend more money once than to have the troubles with those crap parts...
Well the saga continues. I got the drivers side on, Bent the sh@@ out of the passenger side. Its on with 3 screws, cant get the others to line up. I think I am going to get the drill out and some self tapping machine screws go a little bigger with the wholes and be done with it. I took mt time tryed to line it all up. Any body got a source for just the mounting plates. I tried to straighten it out - not so good, hence the meachine screw option.
I have beet mine back with a hammer a few time so they were straight enough to use again. Takes some time and patience.
Do you think I would have a problem just drilling some holes in the rim and running some screws in their and ditch the mounting plates. I got to put the rears on this weekend and this seems like a easier way to do this. I also only have one of the fronts on with all the little screws at the moment. I spent some time trying to straighten rhe mounting plate out, but its pretty tweaked. These things look killer but reading the threads go on like A@@.
Mine came with screws that were so cheap and shitty that it was silly. After installing them I had to take them off a few weeks later when installing new tires. I had a terrible time getting the little screws out. But, they look killer and I can live with going through hell to get them on and off for the look. The things we do.
I switched my little screws to stainless button head Allen screws with a matching driver...much better. Frank
I'm fixin to put a set on my coupe.... I'm hoping everything works out. Sounds like these things can be a pain in the ass....