MarkV Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 So, on my 1941 Dodge the hubcaps like to move. I have bent the clips out to where they seem tight and they still like to move. I have to re adjust them all the time as the move and nearly pull out the valve stem. Anyway, I was wondering what I should do about this? Should I have the stems replaced with metal tipped ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) Age old problem with some hubcaps. You're lucky the ones walking the wheel haven't taken to rolling in the ditch. I think it is a metal fatigue issue that keeps repeating itself though you/we think you/we are getting the tangs to where they will hold. I've even thought about using a bit of RTV where the hubcaps make contact with the wheel, but haven't tried it. I suspect three or four dabs along the backside of the hubcap outer edge would take care of the problem, as long as the contact surfaces were clean, and would probably help hold the hubcap in place without becoming a big pain in the rear to remove the hubcap if you have a flat. Edited January 16, 2012 by Jim_Edwards (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Some silicone might be the easiest fix.Just curious, do you have Bias Ply Tires on the car or Radials? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lebowski Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I have the same problem but only on the right front wheel of my '61 Merc. It bends the valve stem so far that it causes the tire to slowly deflate. I swapped a couple of the wheel covers but it still happens on only that wheel. I had never heard of that problem before so I'll be following this thread to see if someone has a solution.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I have seen a few guys put duct tape on the tabs to grip the wheel lip better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkV Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 I have radials. I am going to see about getting the steel stems, the America's tire company where I bought the tires wanted to charge me $44! But, the one closest to me will do it for free (just pay for the stems) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I suspect that there are two contributing factors. One, would be the effects of metal fatigue on the hubcap parts themselves. Two, would be flexing of the rims. I suspect that the rims probably flex more with Radials than they would with original bias ply tires. Some silicone rubber applied to help hold the hubcaps in place would be the quickest, easiest and cheapest fix that I would try first if it was my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I have radials. I am going to see about getting the steel stems, the America's tire company where I bought the tires wanted to charge me $44! But, the one closest to me will do it for free (just pay for the stems)In all candor it seems a bit presumptuous to think the problem is going to be solved with a different valve stems when the problem lies with the hubcaps. It's likely the only thing that has kept the hubcaps from flipping off the wheels has been the flexible nature of the rubber valve stems. Make the valve stems rigid and they will create a fulcrum effect that will flip the hubcaps right off the wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coley Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Having a softer sidewall, why would radials flex a wheel any more than a bias tire??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Green Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have seen a few guys put duct tape on the tabs to grip the wheel lip better.A quality masking tape placed on the rims will also work. In either case depending how much you wash the vehicle change the tape annually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 With what Lebowski said that he has the problem only on the right front wheel and he has tried different wheel covers on that wheel, it would appear to be an issue of the rim/wheel flexing.. Just my opinion from the items tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Having a softer sidewall, why would radials flex a wheel any more than a bias tire???The alleged phenomenon of a wheel flexing with radial tires would be a matter of physics and could only occur in rather sharp turns above some undefined or unknown speed. There may be an argument regarding the metal gauge used in the manufacture of wheels being of a lesser gauge than those following the advent of radial tires being common in this country or there being something different in the wheel design to eliminate the possibility of flexing under certain operating conditions. The problem with the gauge question would be not knowing the wheel specification from each car manufacturer for each year of production. The only single source that might have had that sort of information from the bias ply tire era would have been Kelsey-Hayes and they've been out of the wheel business for many years. Of course it might make for an interesting study to measure the thickness of the metal used in wheels for several different years of production across at least the "Big 3" automakers of the time. However even that would not verify the flexing claim and it would only indicate a greater likelihood of some wheels of some years verses other years flexing under certain specific operational conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Are the hubcaps on your '41 Dodge aftermarket? I could be wrong, but I don't recall that car originally having full wheel covers, which yours obviously are. With aftermarket caps, sold just by the wheel size, you takes your chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkV Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share Posted January 18, 2012 they are from a 1947 or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest De Soto Frank Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 It's probably the radial tires. Been through this on a number of older cars that got "upgraded" to radial tires. With the radials, the wheel covers tend to "walk", flexing the stems.Also, stock pre-'49 Dodge has a center-cap that mounts to the clips between the lugsDodge began offering full wheel-covers in '49. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest my3buicks Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I always found bending the teeth on the wheelcover out a bit helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I had a problem with full wheel covers clicking on my '64 Comet Caliente. By putting ordinary masking tape on the contact surfaces of the cap, the problem was solved. You might try double faced tape on yours.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I put the mteal valve stems on my '59 and it helped....they just don't seem to bend as easily as the rubber ones.I also bent out the tabs on the hubcaps themselves.Taking turns like I'm at Indy doesn't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 When our '66 Chrysler was newer, I noticed this phenomena. It happened ONLY on the right front wheel. I don't recall if the wheel cover turned ccw or cw, but it would certainly bend the valve stem. It was no problem to pop the wheel cover off and reposition the cover on the wheel. There were also tabs on the wheels, about 1.5" from the valve stem, on each side of it, which were supposed to be contacted by similar tabs on the wheel cover itself.I tried getting a wide blade screwdriver and bending the wheel cover's tabs out toward the edge of the cover, but this didn't seem to work. These covers are formed stainless steel, so there's plenty of strength in BOTH the retention clips (which I also tried to tweak a little with a pair of pliers) and the tabs I bent. No problem with the covers trying to wiggle off the wheel, either.As the wheels had the medium-length rubber valve stems (which needed the valve stem extensions on them), the "fix" was to use shorter rubber valve stems which would fit under the cover and not cause problems. Then I'd position the cover so the valve stem hole was NOT over the valve stem and carefully put it back onto the wheel.A few years after we had the car, the right hand front center emblem on the Newport cover disappeared. It was made into the cover, although it was a separate plastic piece, with no way to replace it. So, I opted for a set of same year New Yorker wheel covers, which had replaceable center emblems. Looked much better, but they still rotated in the wheel . . . ONLY on the right hand front.The wheels were the factory Chrysler 14x5.5" steel wheels. The tires were the original Goodyear Power Cushion 8.55x14 whitewalls, then Golden Sonic bias plies in the same size, and then BFG Silvertown bias-belted (polyester/fiberglass) whitewalls. Cold inflation pressure, for the front tires, was usually 30psi.My determination is that it's a wheel flex issue and not a wheel cover issue. Right hand front only??? It was not too uncommon for the rh frt tire to have greater cornering wear on it, compared to the lh frt, back then. LH turns are usually taken with a little extra "verve", but not RH turns as that's the side of the car the driver's on (the LH side, when turning right).I also have a '67 Chrysler which began life with similar 14x5.5" wheels, but I don't recall the wheel cover issue on it. It's now got Chrysler C-body station wagon wheels (14x6.5") from a '66 Newport SW on it. There might still be a little wheel cover turn, but nearly as much as the '66 Newport did.BEST fix??? A set of repro full chrome Magnum 500s (or similar)! Shortie rubber valve stems, of course.Enjoy!NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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