Technical welding on wheels

I have a set of wheels that I am thinking of using on one of my projects, but they have no nubs, or clips for attaching any type of hub cap. Do you think there would be a problem welding something on the wheels to attach hub caps ? has anyone done this with any success? the wheels in question are 86 Ford Crown Victoria police car wheels. I will try and attach a picture. these are 16x7" wheels

 

In my opinion, welding on the wheels in the area where 'nubs' are needed shouldn't cause any problems. If the area immediately around the lugs were the question, the answer would be different.

Ray

 

No problem.
I had to do that recently to a set of wheels where the caps kept falling off. They were full covers, so I was welding on the actual rim, not the wheel center. But wheel center would be fine too.

 

Steel wheel is pretty durable , welding on it to add attaching nubs is not going to have any questionable effects

 

Would not effect the wheel .
Go for it
Vic

 

Please post pics of what you come up with. Ive considered the same thing, but havent messed with it yet.

 

Can't help you on the welding...but just for reference, those are '98 and newer crown vic wheels.

 

You could always drill,tap and screw in some button head machine screws.


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Welding a nub that will do the job right isn't easy even if you Tig weld it. You will end up trying to grind it to perfection so it works. I have done just what Terrible80 mentioned and that lets you do some exact layout for the holes and get the button in the exact 3 or 4 spots. For me after tapping the holes I installed and tightened the Button heads using Locktight then with a fly cutter faced off the inside of the head just a bit to give a crisp edge for the Cap to snap over. By the time I was done with 4 wheels I was thinking there must have been a better way. Maybe next time put the screw through from the back side so it's just a nub. It don't take much.
The Wizzard

 

I did this( welded small tabs on)(3/8” long bits of 1/4”round rod) to 150/210 Chev wheels to fit Belair caps to my wife’s 56 when I couldn’t get originals.
No worries at all,just copied the way the original 2 rims I had were.Slight lick with a grinder and a snug fit was had.
Definitely didn’t hurt the wheels

 

I have done more than my share of welding on wheels, welding in the area in question should not be a problem at all, I am with @Hnstray on this one. Or if you are using clips and don't want to weld most of them are riveted on from the factory and that is also an option.

 

I've thought of this too on the wheels you have. To me it looks like the clips used on the 55-56 Olds would work. Using them you would not need to weld but cut a slot for the clip to fit. Not sure on the availablity of the clips but WheelSmith wheels have many inside clip caps available which don't fit the original wheels but the centers they use. I like your idea. Please share what you come up with...

 

curious.... how do the police caps attach to those wheels? i've seen 100's of cars with them on

 

They poke inside the center like a GM Rally wheel. You can actually get smooth caps like a baby moon looking cap for that style of wheel.

 

yeah, i know.....it seams that not long ago EVERY police or highway patrol car was a Crown Vic with those wheels and small caps. BUT...what holds the police caps on? since know one knows i'll just check out the next ex-police car i see. there are still ton's of them around

 

The hub caps on the police cars have clips on the back side that fit over the lug nuts to hold them on

 

I thought that they were newer than 86,but they were marked 86, thought they were 98 wheels. There are some that have a similar look. some have round holes and there are 2 different types of them and then there is the one I have that the holes are more of a rectangle. I used to work on the State Trooper cars for the state of Alaska up until 1996, when I transferred to the heavy equipment section, and worked on loaders, graders, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment until I retired in 2011.

 

Jim: It would be a bit tedious to remove , BUT could you tig weld 3
threaded studs or bolts to the hub cap and then literally bolt it to the rim from the back side of the rim?
Requires drilling small hole in rim center for stud to pass through.
On a fenderless car removal would be easy with a nut driver or small socket with an extension.

 

Agree also.....hell u can weld on steel and aluminum wheels to repair curb rash w no issue...u wont have a prob

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Maybe someone was reading 98 upside down?


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I thought of that but they are marked "86---crown vic"

 

There are little nubs if you look just inside the center. The cap sticks inside the center and rides on the nubs.



Basically friction holds them on.

 

I tried to steal a picture from e-pay, but could not. for those who want to know how the hub cap is affixed to this wheel look at the pictures on this----https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-4-Ford-CROWN-VICTORIA-P71-Wheel-Center-5-Lug-Nut-Bolt-Rim-Covers-Hub-Caps/380366169262?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D846bce86b07944c9987b2d381b92e5ef%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D8%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D142631453986&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042

 

It may be awhile, I have not completely decided on the style of cap just yet. I will let you know when I do

 

so now that we know how the police cap attaches to that wheel , couldn't an old police cap be modified by removing it's outer face and attaching the cap you want to it?

 

That may be a possibility , but they are made of some sort of Plastic. I do not have any, and they are any where from $25 -$50. each depending on where you get them, and most are ugly.