Technical Is there a trick to getting these repro 41 caps to stay on the damn wheel?

I think your right hand may have found the answer! Did you have different caps that stayed on? If so, do a comparison. I have had two different sets of caps on the Model A and they are a bitch to take off (and put on). That's all I got, Carp.

 

The ring that holds those on gets bent inward easily and then makes them pretty much impossible to put on. You can try bending it back.

 

I have one cap on my 39 that liked to come off randomly. the rest always stay put. I ended up putting a dab of clear silicone on each nub on the inside of the wheel center and snapped the cap on before it cured. Stays on now till I pull it off.​

 

I've got those same wheels and caps on my '40. I always make sure the caps are put on tight and well seated, but still I've lost two on busy highways, always in places where I can't pull over and retrieve them. I'll have to try that silicone trick.

 

Yeah, I've tried bending that lip out, and it didn't help.

It's like they will stay on when you first put them on, but once you pull one off... it will never stay on again.

I lost this one yesterday going around a curve to the right. It rolled under a fence and 50 yards into a cornfield. First step, determine if the fence is electric

 

The silicone trick has worked for me.

 

Not saying yours is different, but Wheelsmith's repo caps only fit their wheels. When you compare the backs of your caps are they all the same? Will one of the other ones fit this wheel and stay on. Could be the wheel and the the nubs could be welded on and reground if they are worn just enough to cause the problem.

 

Just went through that on my V8 A, running 46-48 hubcaps on stock Ford wheels and one came off. I walked back and picked it up and didn't see anything wrong so put it back on and it came off again in less than a block. Took it home and tried to straighten the flange and finally gave up and ordered a replacement.

 

Rich, don't touch the fence, just wizz on it. HRP

 

Is the damn wheel an original FMC or repro (brand)?

 

Back in the 60's I always bought the high dollar set from JC Whitney, seem to remember $8 set of 4 and they stayed on well as we were using OM wheels, but on occasion I would have to glue one on, I cannot remember what type of silicone from back then, worked real good, usually damaged the moon when you took it off and had to spend another $2 LOL Guessing your using repop caps, from my experience the china stuff is rarely made to a correct dimension or aftermarket wheels require specific caps to match. Today we have so many good bonding products that cap will not fall off. Good Luck

 

FMC

 

Rich, try wrapping the inner lip of the hub cap with duct tape, It helped with my problem. HRP

 

Repo metal is much softer than OEM , bends too easy.

 

Those repop caps are all terrible. The lip doesn't have any spring to it, they just bend.

 

That is what worked for me also.

 

Don't laugh, but I also used the duct tape trick and haven't lost a hub cap. I cut about 3 or 4 strips about 2"x1" and placed them on the hub cap where the tabs on the wheels grab it.

 

That’s why I hate hub caps. Give me a aluminum wheel anytime.

The duct tape works, black vinyl electrical tape does, too. I had a set of ET wheels with the push in plastic caps, a couple of them got to where they were coming off. Wrapped them with black tape, never lost one again.

 

The only apparent good thing about repop hub caps is that they resemble the original hub caps....

 

After the cap is seated with both hands twist the cap that works for me, silicone is a good idea


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...I've cut a short piece of vacuum hose, maybe a 1/4 " outside diameter, about 1" long, silcone/glue it to the cap, position it at one nub on the wheel, snap on...seems to work fine,don't need one at every nub...

 

I tried the duct tape, I made it 100 yards farther this morning, before it went rolling....
Rich

 

I talked a kid into doing that one time back in the day. My Dad beat my ass and the kid got a sting on his pecker. I just told him to do it to teach him a valuable lesson

 

Rich, maybe try some friction tape, that stuff is sticky, run a few rounds around the lip of the hub cap, last resort, Krazy Glue. HRP

 

do you have a welding machine?

 

I bought a set of repo 46 caps and one was slightly smaller, it was for a different ford wheel. The other three were good and tight. Check you have the correct caps. JW

 

Yes. Now what?

 

It’s an official Ford Licensed Product...made with CCP steel!

 

I’m not sure I have a solution for you.

I have a set of Wheel Vintiques 14 series gennie wheels and also their 42 Ford caps.

They snap on securely and stay on.

I have heard in the past that the reproduction caps don’t work well on original wheels and it seems that your experience is proving that to be true.

Wheel Vintiques make their caps to fit their wheels in 2 different sizes and they do fit well.