Hubcaps

[Logan]

3 of the wheel covers for my 53K stay on with no problem (I followed the advice of an earlier post and bent the teeth out to "grab" better).  However, my fourth hubcap is a a slightly different style and it will not stay on for love or money.  Here is a picture for comparison.



The one on the right is one of the "original" wheel covers, and it stays on fine.  You can see that it is not quite as "tall" as the one on the left, i.e. when placed on the wheel the teeth do not go quite as far back.

The hubcap on the left is the one that will not stay on.  In addition to being "taller" than the other 3, it has 2 protruding "clips" (see picture) at the valve stem opening.  This fourth hubcap is one I bought from someone advertising in the quarterly.  I bent the teeth out exactly like I had for my own 3 hubcaps, but it just won't stay on.  I've tried it on several different wheels and it's definitely the hubcap because my other ones stay on just fine.

Did Kaiser manufacture two separate kinds of hubcaps for the 52-55 style, or is the one on the left perhaps an aftermarket reproduction?  If so, how would I be ensured of getting the correct type?  And by the way, if anyone out there has the correct (one on the right) type of 52-55 hubcap, I would be very interested in buying it.  I have several '51 style wheel covers to trade (I know they're more common--just saw the post), but I don't really have much use for them.

[joefrazer]

KF did use 2 different caps. The one pictured with the 2 tabs is later production and was introduced as a result of complaints about the cover 'walking' around the rim and pinching the valve stem. The rims also had 2 little bumps added on either side of the valve stem to act as stops for the tabs.
Have you tried putting the cap on a different wheel? If it doesn't come off of the other wheel, then you have a warped rim...not uncommon.

[Logan]

Yes, I've tried it on several different wheels.  In fact, I've rotated all of them around, and without exception the earlier style hubcaps stay on, the later style with the tabs (I actually have two of these) come off.  Thanks, though, that's good information about why there are two different styles.

[stroker70]

It might sound a little crude but I think you can make the odd cover stay on until you find a match by putting a dollop of RTV silicone in three or four places where it wont show. Allow to dry overnight before you drive.

[Gordie]

In the used car business years ago we used to put masking tape on the rim in the area where the wheel cover teeth dig in.  It usually worked.  Also try bending the teeth out even more!

[samos]

hi i think i was the guy that had the same problem with the hucaps on a 53 manhattan.here is what i found.i installed the caps on the regular style 4ply tires and also on radials. every so often one would pop off. i tryed the methods the rest of the members said and they still popped off. well i think i found the problem.i am the guy that did that rally in greece with the manhattan, info on the monthly bulletin. after i bent and worked on the tabs of the rims i also put them on a perfectly flat surface. surprise....i found out they were not totaly flat , some tabs were sticking out more thus were holding the caps on the wheels lapsided so when the rim was stresses on turns or from heat, they poped off. before the race i pulled of all 4 and made sure they were perfectly flat after i bend the edges that seemed to work . 740 miles of hard driving they never popped off....they are still on the car with no problems and i have a mix of the old and new stile .....i hope it works for you . happy driving with no hubcaps going faster then you........samos.

[Logan]

Thanks for the tips.  Now here's a bit of bad news.  Shortly after I made the post I bent the tabs out even more, but of course I did not do what Samos suggested.  I went out for a drive and the hubcap came off, and unfortunately this time instead of rolling harmlessly off to the side, it made its way under my rear wheel, so it's pretty well smashed.  Too bad, it was at least a nice looking hubcap even if it didn't stay on well.  I have another one and will try some of these methods on it.