Shelby Hubcaps

[Thanx2cs]

After about thirty years I have decided to shelve my non original 10 spokes and put the original hubcaps back on.  In doing so I noticed that I did not have a nice flush fit.  It appears the balancing weights are in the way.  It's been so long I don't remember having to have the weights installed on the back of the wheel.  If I could get some pictures of yours that would help a lot!  Sure don't want to lose any or all!  While I'm at it, is there one method better than others when it comes to putting them on?

Thanks for any help

[TedS]

Glad you have your original hubcaps and are going to put them back on. For years I lusted for a set of 10 spokes but now  hubcaps are back in style. I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would respond but I guess you have me for now.

I guess if I noticed the clip-on weights keep the cap from seating flush against the wheel but I never paid it much mind.

Installing the hubcaps can be like a masochistic game of whack-a-mole. I think I came up on a good method the very last time I put one on but I need to test it again before I say for sure. I'll try to test it this week.

Ted

[Corey Bowcutt]

I had this very same question a couple years ago on this forum. If I remember correctly Pete Disher told me there was a service bulletin that was put out in 1968 saying the counterweights had to be put on the inside of the tires only for that very reason.

[Rodster-500]

Glad you have your original hubcaps and are going to put them back on. For years I lusted for a set of 10 spokes but now  hubcaps are back in style. I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would respond but I guess you have me for now.

I guess if I noticed the clip-on weights keep the cap from seating flush against the wheel but I never paid it much mind.

Installing the hubcaps can be like a masochistic game of whack-a-mole. I think I came up on a good method the very last time I put one on but I need to test it again before I say for sure. I'll try to test it this week.

Ted

Will be interesting to hear your method.

[shelbymann1970]

Glad you have your original hubcaps and are going to put them back on. For years I lusted for a set of 10 spokes but now  hubcaps are back in style. I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would respond but I guess you have me for now.

I guess if I noticed the clip-on weights keep the cap from seating flush against the wheel but I never paid it much mind.

Installing the hubcaps can be like a masochistic game of whack-a-mole. I think I came up on a good method the very last time I put one on but I need to test it again before I say for sure. I'll try to test it this week.

Ted

Yes, I'd like too hear what you do also. My friend just bought a complete set of NOS hubcaps(now he has a few lol). What I'd like to see him do when we finish restoring his 68 is to have them in the box in the trunk and drive it/show it with them off.

[TLea]

The reason the TSB called for weights on inside was regarding customers that had an out of balance issue. The fix was to balance the assembly on the car with hubcap installed. Because of this weights could only be added to backside. Never had issue installing hubcaps with weights on outside

[Rukiddin]

95% correct. To CORRECTLY balance each wheel assembly on the car it needed to be spun by required motor while manipulating slip rings to simulate weight needed and location. To do it right, wheel cover should be removed to install weight and re-tested. Dynamic balancing was needed to eliminate the lateral shake,not just mass balance
Wrong weights or bent cover can cause difficulty installing covers. The edge is very easy to damage (hard to repair) with hard mallet. Patience is a virtue

[Poor Ron]

Not a show car; but I use a rubber sanding block & a rubber mallet.
Once in a while a real hammer with the rubber sanding block.

[shelbymann1970]

95% correct. To CORRECTLY balance each wheel assembly on the car it needed to be spun by required motor while manipulating slip rings to simulate weight needed and location. To do it right, wheel cover should be removed to install weight and re-tested. Dynamic balancing was needed to eliminate the lateral shake,not just mass balance
Wrong weights or bent cover can cause difficulty installing covers. The edge is very easy to damage (hard to repair) with hard mallet. Patience is a virtue

What some do not know is that back decades ago when I was at one of our facilities where we stamped out steel wheels the discs were stamped with an "offset" in them. The #1 bolt hole when the disc was welded to the rim would line up with the valve stem hole. Tires would come in to the assy plants with round brightly colored stickers on them. When mounting the tires the workers were supposed to line the sticker up with the valve stem hole as the tires were checked at the tire facility and marked with a sticker. The reason was with 5 wheels per car and millions of cars made each year doing this decreased the amount of lead used per car equals a big savings. Unfortunately tires bought in tire stores do not come like they do/did OEM so many times the workers at the tire stores have to break down the tire and spin it to use less weights. If you can get a tire company to "work" trying to get the tire in the most optimum position you may have no weights or very little weights on a rim assuming the tires being made are good tires meeting OEM quality. Almost 15 years serving dies stamping disc and making outer rims from 85-99. Here is an example of the stickers still on the tires.  Gary

[TLea]

To do it right, wheel cover should be removed to install weight and re-tested.

Should LOL. How many did

[Special Ed]

I can see how them 68 wheelcovers can cause a balancing problem since they are so heavy probly weight more than any other ford wheelcover i know of but if they are removed to install a weight they would need to be marked so they go back on in the same location i would think.

[Rukiddin]

I did. I usually got others comebacks and had to solve issues. NVH (noise,vibration,harshness) complaints were common and were addressed under warranty initially. Ford had a spec for tire quality to be used on new vehicles that required manufacturers to supply highest quality in tire runout,weight required,etc. Techs that were on flat rate needed to get jobs "done" quickly and quality suffered at times . To try and improve NVH car manufacturers had to improve wheel runout. Aluminum wheels were MUCH better ,being a machined piece,not multiple parts welded together. Tires came with different color wax dots to show where weight was needed and amount. Replacement tires were usually inferior and required more weights. If you really want more info read the following exerpt. Boring but explains pretty good. Botton line is "you can balance an egg but it won't roll smooth" Here it is:




Spot Check: What are the red and yellow dots on my new tires?

In an earlier post, we talked about how to identify if your tire was manufactured in the U.S. Looking at the DOT number on the sidewall of your tire will give you the information needed to locate its manufacturing facility. While looking at the sidewall, you may have noticed something else you didn't recognize. If your tires are new or recently installed, you may have noticed a couple of red and yellow paint dots.

If you think you're just seeing spots, don't worry – that's completely normal. The spots on the sidewall of your tires were specifically placed by the manufacturer to guide the tire installation process. In fact, these colored dots serve a specific purpose in helping the tire technician correctly balance the tire.

Creating a tire that is perfectly balanced and perfectly round is nearly impossible. Manufacturers make sure to label these inconsistencies with dots, so they can be corrected during the mounting process. Not all tires have these temporary markings and it's also uncommon to see them on used tires because they can get scuffed off easily.

Most people will have their tires installed by a seasoned tire technician to ensure that mounting and balancing are done properly. Tire mounting and balancing requires special tire machines and balancing processes involving weights, lubricants, valve stems, and other things the average person doesn't normally have on hand.

Because the process is so specific, it's important to know whether your tires are being mounted correctly or not. That's where the spots come in. Assuming you have them, there are two methods you can use to determine whether your tires were mounted correctly or not.

Weight Method

First, locate the valve stem on the side of your tire. If it's lined up with one of the colored dots, the person who mounted your tire took heed of the label and installed it correctly. If the valve stem is located at the heaviest point on the tire, it will be lined up with a yellow dot on the sidewall. When a red dot is lined up with the valve stem you can assume that the valve is at the tire's lightest point.
After a tire is mounted, its balance is checked on an automated machine that will locate any lighter weight areas. The machine will notify the tire technician to install tire weights at various points around the rims perimeter to balance the tire.

Uniformity Method

Your steering, traction, braking, and load support capabilities are all dependent on the radial force variation in your tire. Maximum radial force and runout (the difference between the highest and lowest weight points) is marked by a red dot. Radial force, as well as runout, should be minimized to ensure proper installation and guarantee a smooth ride.

The red dot may be aligned with a 'dimple' on the exterior of the rim. This indicates a wheel's low point and should be adhered to in the mounting process. By pairing a dot with either the lightest or heaviest weight area, you will achieve the optimum balance point during installation. If both colored dots are present, the red dot will take priority.

Check the following with your tire technician the next time you have new tires installed:

Proper lubricant is used in the mounting process. If lubricant is not used, the bead areas will not seat and seal properly.
Any dirt between hub and wheel has been cleaned. If the beads of the hub are not properly cleaned or buffed, air will leak from gaps that will inevitably form.
Manufacturers marks have been properly aligned. Red and yellow dots, if present, should be in line with either the weight or uniformity mounting method.
Proper wheel weights have been installed. If the weights placed on your wheel are not properly installed, they have a greater chance of falling off at high speeds. You will know if this has happened if you suddenly experience excessive vibration while driving.
While your tire technician may be surprised to receive those questions, they will appreciate your interest in the methods they use and will inform you of their typical mounting process.

Tires-Easy has been supplying quality, new tires online to United States consumers since 2004. We pride ourselves on having the best selection of quality new tires and an extensive knowledge center to aid our customers in the tire buying process. Our customers can easily find the tires they need at prices that suit their budget. Check out our blog and knowledge center for more useful tire buying info at tires-easy.com.

[Rukiddin]

Special Ed, you may have seen ink stamp on back side of wheel cover "balance checked".
That does not mean it was balanced,only that it was "checked". Tire valve would locate wheel cover to same relative location each time,but if it was out of balance it would cause grief....that is why a "on car balance" could solve problems by balancing the COMPLETE rotating assembly........drum/rotor/wheel/tire,and wheel cover. I spent 43 years at Ford dealers trying to make customers happy

[shelbymann1970]

Special Ed, you may have seen ink stamp on back side of wheel cover "balance checked".
That does not mean it was balanced,only that it was "checked". Tire valve would locate wheel cover to same relative location each time,but if it was out of balance it would cause grief....that is why a "on car balance" could solve problems by balancing the COMPLETE rotating assembly........drum/rotor/wheel/tire,and wheel cover. I spent 43 years at Ford dealers trying to make customers happy

They used to use stickers at least for GM(fluorescent colors) as I showed in the "last Grand National made" that never went through dealer prep. I bought a set of Blizzacks for my Equinox along with wheels for the winter. Yellow paint or ink dots on the tires.

[Special Ed]

Thanks tim interesting as i always wondered why them yellow dots were on them old tires as i used to think it had something to do with the tire inspector markings.