Centerline Wheels Make Clicking Noise

My new (used) T-bucket has 15x15 Centerline Warriors on the rear. They make a constant clicking sound at low speed. I'm pretty sure this isn't wheel bearings, and unlike some of the online posts that describe this problem, my wheels have no center caps attached. Has anyone heard of this problem?

Jack

 

Do you have a locker in the rear end ? they click ! Gary

 

No, I don't think it's posi. Also, the noise goes away if the rear end is lifted up and the tires spun by hand. I even started the car like that at a shop and ran the tire speed up to 25-30 mph. No noise.

 

Rock in the tire tread? (don't laugh), Bad/cracked wheel?

 

I had this problem one time on a set of mags. The shank on the lug nut was a hair too long. The nut bottomed out before the wheel tightened...

 

check the lug nut torque as they will loosen up and move around on the hubs ( and make sure the lugs are not bottoming out before clamping force is reached ) , and if they have a 2 pc construction with a filler plate between, if its not compressed all the way it will rattle , welds do this on certain models . and when torquing DO NOT use a impact use a hand applied torque wrench

 

Great ideas, but I'm sorry to say, it must be something else. I pulled both rear wheels last weekend to work on the brakes. While they were off, I checked the lugs for proper fit, inspected the wheels, etc. Both wheels were torqued by hand when I reinstalled them. (The clicking was there before this work.) Being as these are two piece wheels, is it possible the rivets are making noise? The wheels look to be in perfect condition, but that's the only other thing I can think of.

 

Question relative to the remedies posed here:
Can shanks on the lugs be too short and break/(strip the threads on) the studs while driving?

 

yes they can , as those rims are not made for the street . they are a Drag racing only rim . if they are clicking because of loose rivets the rim should be sent back to the manufacturer be sure they are safe . you Should see fretting around the rivet holes and aluminum dust .

 

Install a different set of rear wheels/tires and test drive it. That will tell you if the noise is from the rear end, brakes, U-joint, etc. or the rear wheels...

 

Oddly enough if there is cracked paint,or corrosion between the wheel and mounting surface you will get a clicking noise from that.

 

drive em....lug nuts are something special to that wheel and convo's....want to say 4.9 shank or something... or put a thin spacer between wheel and drum...but definently check em...breakin' studs is no fun....especially at highway speeds....

 

Howabout some pictures??
You said you did the brakes..
Not knowing what type of rear end or drum (assumed) brakes you are using--could the brake shoe retaining spring keepers (or other item-) be hitting your lug studs? (yes--I had this problem until the studs won the fight and the retainers let loose..

I can't imagine that Centerline sent out a set of wheels with loose rivets..

 

When you had the wheels off did you stick the lug nuts through the wheel to make positively sure that they (or some of them) didn't extend past the mounting surface of the wheel. Even a couple of thousandths of an inch on two or three of them around the bolt circle will cause a problem.

something stuck in the tread of the tire or even a nail or tack in the tread of the tire will do it too.

If you have disks are the pads tight in the calipers? I've seen some in the past where the metal part of the pad was loose enough in the caliper to rock and click.

 

Have you rechecked the lugs after you put some miles on the car? HRP

 

Trio, what rear end do you have in the roadster?

 

This is a very interesting thread,,my steelies have been clicking for 4000 miles now,,I am just hoping it will go away,,I think its something inside the drum...

 

Centerline Warriors are not dragstrip wheels. Centerline says they are for "track & street." Brandon, I don't see anything on the Centerline site that says these use special lug nuts. Do you have more info? Incidentally, this noise isn't just once per rev (like something stuck in the tread). It probably clicks 10-20 times per revolution; I hear it especially when I'm slowing for a light and the sound bounces off vehicles next to me.

OK guys, I'm gonna pull one of these wheels one more time and double-check everything. These are drum brakes, so any type of interference with the wheels or lug nuts should have been immediately obvious when I inspected the drums. The wheels turn freely by hand, and again, there's no noise when the tire is in the air. I'll report back after a second look...

 

That's pure BS...

I had the same clicking on the drag lights in the 70's. It's annoying but not dangerous. You can solve the problem by cleaning the two wheel mating surfaces with scotchbrite or sandpaper. Get both surfaces squeaky clean and torque the lug nuts to 85 ft/lbs

 

Usually the lugnuts are marked for centerline pro stock or something like that...
http://shop.mcgard.com/chrome-racin...ize-set-of-4-lug-nuts-and-4-washers?sku=60129

 

Well, I just talked to Customer Service at Centerline. The rep said it's not an uncommon problem, and that the rivets have probably worked loose. He also said there's no fix for it. I can either live with it or buy new wheels. Nice.

 

Wow, well you found the answer, not a good one, but an answer.

 

My original Raders click also, they are riveted, they are cool looking but they are a crappy wheel, they leak too, always did from the factory.

 

Is it me? or does that not sound comforting?

 

Not comforting at all.

 

I will remember that the next time I think about buying a set of wheels,I will make certain that they are not Centerlines !!

Spread the word,free advertisement for a well deserved product.

 

That does sound like rivets. When the mating surface gets corrosion it only clicks 1-2 times per revolution.

 

15x15 is a pretty big rim and tire combo. You are probably running real low air pressure. I wonder if the tire is moving around on the rim. Just as a test, try running alot more air pressure to better seal the tire against the bead. If that makes it go away you may have to put some sealer on the beads.

Norm

 

Just learned something, I may have this problem. Either that, or my hubcaps are clicking, hopefully not the bearings.