Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ???

Posted By: Texican

Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/01/11 02:49 AM

I have completed 99% of the restoration on my 70 Challenger.
Trying to get my Original Dog Dish Hubcaps to stay on the new Steel Rims I bought from Year One. They do not snap in place tight enough to drive without falling off. There is a lip for the hubcaps to snap into like the originals, but it's not tight enough...

Any thoughts?

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/01/11 03:26 AM

I would call up Year One and complain to them since thats where you got it from.

Posted By: cdp

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/01/11 08:10 PM

another thought is your wheels. Are they OEM mopar?

Car looks fantastic...though dog dish hub caps were on body color steel wheels with Goodyear tires.

Posted By: Texican

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/01/11 08:54 PM

The wheels are from Year One (supposedly compatible with 70 E-Body). It could be that the hub caps are just wore out and the lip is not as big as it use to be. I'll take a closer look tonight and see if they appear to be worn on the outer lip where it snaps into place.

I was considering to paint the rims red but thought that it would be too much RED. Leaving the rims Black with dog dish hub caps and the headers are the only non-factory options on this car.
I can always change them back pretty easy.

Thanks, I'll let you know what it was.

Posted By: 1MYTGTX

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/01/11 09:58 PM

Who is the mfgr. of the wheels? Wheel Vintiques?

Posted By: cudaized

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 01:16 AM

Maybe the repro wheels are just a little bit too big in the area that the hub cap snaps onto?

Quote:

I was considering to paint the rims red but thought that it would be too much RED.

Red steel wheels, Red exterior, Red interior.... Not to much Red

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 01:25 AM

Ola, you must be in the red after seeing and having all that red!

Posted By: DAYCLONA

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 01:56 AM

perhaps your original "dog dishes" are just fatiqued?, they're only aluminum, easy enough to "tighen' up the diameter, with some simple metalworking skill,....I'd had original steelies with original "dog dishes" that wouldn't stay affixed either, "see" were the problem is first with retention of the covers on the wheels, then address that area

Posted By: 68 Sat

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 02:14 AM

forget the wheels show us more of that garage.. looks cool

Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 02:18 AM

Most '70 "dog dish" hub caps are stainless steel. I've never seen a non-smashed one that was "worn" to the point of not staying on the wheel.

If it's happening on all 4

my guess - wheel issues

Posted By: AZ_A12_BEE

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/02/11 02:28 AM

Quote:

perhaps your original "dog dishes" are just fatiqued?, they're only aluminum, easy enough to "tighen' up the diameter, with some simple metalworking skill,....I'd had original steelies with original "dog dishes" that wouldn't stay affixed either, "see" were the problem is first with retention of the covers on the wheels, then address that area

Who says the aftermarket wheels were actually built to OEM specs? My $ is on non correct parts.

Posted By: Texican

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 04:35 AM

Ask and ye shall receive...

The garage is a little dirty but I do get around to cleaning it every couple of weeks.
It's an old brick 50's gas station with a 3-bay garage with an in-ground lift. Works perfect.

Cheers

Posted By: kentj340

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 05:29 AM

Who says the aftermarket wheels were actually built to OEM specs?

For what it's worth, steel for wheels is a specific grade with high fatigue resistance. Cornering wheels flex, and repeated flexing can lead to cracks, if the metallurgy isn't right. Flexing is why lost hubcaps mostly congregate at intersections. A wheel maker who wants this steel must buy it in melt lots of around 50 tons. This quantity of raw material shouldn't be a problem for a company in the wheel business, but you have to wonder if an unknown maker's raw materials purchasing standards are up to snuff.

The same grade of steel is also used to make cooling fan hubs. Same repeated flexing in service. Don't stand beside the fan when an engine is reving...

Posted By: Commando1

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 01:57 PM

Quote:

I would call up Year One and complain to them since thats where you got it from.

Waste of time.
They'll just blame the caps...

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 02:21 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I would call up Year One and complain to them since thats where you got it from.

Waste of time.
They'll just blame the caps...

Yes, but doesn't Year One have a no hassle return policy?

Posted By: lewtot184

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 02:44 PM

i've been wanting to go back to steel wheels, red lines, and small hub caps, like my 69 r/t came with, for years. anyhow, i finally got it done yesterday. i used wheel vintique wheels from summit and put the original hub caps back on. the caps snapped in place like original. i'd call the people you got the wheels from and state your problem.

Posted By: superbeedave

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 03:00 PM

Hey Acme Garage, Your garage is awesome! That's the kind of Garage I need, an old 50's Garage with everything in it that you need. Even the old stlye furnice and duct work! Are you renting or is it yours? And the Gulf sign is too much! Do ever get get people that stop off and ask you for an oil change such as old people thinking that Garage is still open like it was in the 50's?

Posted By: Texican

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 04:31 PM

Thanks

It was a Skelly Gas Station during the 50's-60's and a Marathon station before that. 3-bay garage with a lift in the 1st bay.
I bought the property for $35K...de-greased and painted it and have restored 1-2 cars/trucks a year.
I'm an hour North of Dallas (Denison) if you're ever up this way.

Its not for rent or lease but you're welcome to use it if you're passing through and need a place to wrench.

And (YES) people stop all the time and inquire about random services - sometimes I help and they look at me funny when I say no charge -

Posted By: DPelletier

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/03/11 07:08 PM

Quote:

Most '70 "dog dish" hub caps are stainless steel. I've never seen a non-smashed one that was "worn" to the point of not staying on the wheel.

If it's happening on all 4 my guess - wheel issues

maybe I shouldn't complain about my pre-bent wheel vintiques steelies; at least the caps seem to fit!

Dave

Posted By: brianz426

Re: Restoration complete - problem with steel wheels ??? - 08/04/11 01:33 AM

Great looking Challenger and garage. Now to your wheels, unless it's the lighting those wheels do not look at all like factory wheels. From the picture it looks like they have too much offset. I would think we should be able to see more of the lugs and the hub area. They look like they are deeper dish wheel than the factory? I bring this up because back in the '80's my Dad wanted a wider wheels for our '68 GTX so he could put slighty larger radial tires on it. Turns out that the wheels from his '79 Country Squire wagon fit perfectly. After getting a set from the junk yard, cleaning and painting, getting new tires we realized that no Chrysler Corp wheel covers or dog dish caps would stay on these wheels. He ended up putting Ford wheel covers on it, it looked awful in my opinion. A few years later when I got the car the first thing I did was put Mopar wheels on it. It was a shame he threw the originals away. Sorry to be long winded, my bet is on the wrong wheels. Hopefully Year One will cooperate.