Okay, Not sure if this should be in the tech section, but the subject car is a 1964, so.. All automotive Sages, Sanseis, and physics nerds feel free to weigh in. I have owned several cars with hubcaps and have never experienced this phenomenon. The caps on the front will rotate on the wheels, eventually obscuring the valve stem. Every week or so, or on longer trips, I have to pop them off and correct their position. I've rotated all 4 caps, only occurs on the front. Car is a '64 Buick Wildcat, stock wheels & hubcaps. They're held by 4 groups of 4 tangs on the inside lip of the wheel. My neighbor, a mechanic with 35 yrs experience thinks it may be a result of forces exerted by turning. I may try to bend the tangs or place a bead of weld to stop the tangs from migrating... What say ye?
Like you mentioned, make a templet. Little tac ball weld one each side of clip in 3 Location on wheel / Rim , Different places even "Y" or clean well try A Good none skid tape in 3-6 places
What they said. Also, doesn't look like it's fully seated in the picture. Edit: Now wearing my gl***'s, I see I was looking at the shadow. Disregard!
Put steel valve stems in your wheels. I had that problem with some adapted Sombreros. I hit the brakes hard and one cap sheared off a valve stem. Instant flat! After installing steel valve stems, I never had any more problems. Be careful with this one.
Thanks to all, for the suggestions. I may spot beads or JB weld on each group of tangs. Or it becomes another valid reason to put American 5 spokes on the car, right?
I vote for the American 5 spokes! The caps and the wheels are both flexing, its been happening for years on several brands of cars. A steel valve stem simply gives the walking hub cap something to stop and rest against. Eventually the hub cap will escape and you get to stop along the road and look for it. Should you be lucky enough to find it, it will probably escape again at some point. Its a mid 60s thing that was fairly common.
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