1954 - loose wheel cover

onerare39
onerare39 Expert Adviser, Member
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Ok, We're talking 1954, 15" full size stainless steel wheel covers.



I have been fighting with the right front wheel cover for weeks now, it won't stay on! I have tried adjusting the teeth, the tension, and the air pressure in the tire and can't get a wheel cover to stay on the right front. I have removed and inspected the wheel and the brake drum twice, adjusted the air pressure in the tire from 26 and 40 pounds, and still the thing will walk off the wheel by the time I get to the end of my 850’ driveway going 7 mph. I was able to get about 100 miles out of one by adjusting the tension really tight, but then I noticed that it was rotating clockwise on the wheel and had almost torn the valve stem off. I pulled it off and shifted it a little bit counter-clockwise, got on the freeway and by the time it hit 70 MPH it was a memory in my rear view mirror and something for the DOT to pick up. The other three are fine, no problems, just the right front.



I have several thoughts on this matter!



1) A cracked wheel



2) Hudson engineers did this to enhance revenue for the parts department?



3) A harmonic imbalance?



4) The wheel cover is possessed



5) The Coriolis effect (a distinct possibility)?



Anybody else have any ideas?



Thanks,



John Forkner

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    You are using radial tires, Correct? If so that is your problem. Radial tires make the wheel flex more that a bias tire. May need to change rims. Only a susgestion. Rich Smithen









    onerare39 wrote:
    Ok, We're talking 1954, 15" full size stainless steel wheel covers.



    I have been fighting with the right front wheel cover for weeks now, it won't stay on! I have tried adjusting the teeth, the tension, and the air pressure in the tire and can't get a wheel cover to stay on the right front. I have removed and inspected the wheel and the brake drum twice, adjusted the air pressure in the tire from 26 and 40 pounds, and still the thing will walk off the wheel by the time I get to the end of my 850’ driveway going 7 mph. I was able to get about 100 miles out of one by adjusting the tension really tight, but then I noticed that it was rotating clockwise on the wheel and had almost torn the valve stem off. I pulled it off and shifted it a little bit counter-clockwise, got on the freeway and by the time it hit 70 MPH it was a memory in my rear view mirror and something for the DOT to pick up. The other three are fine, no problems, just the right front.



    I have several thoughts on this matter!



    1) A cracked wheel



    2) Hudson engineers did this to enhance revenue for the parts department?



    3) A harmonic imbalance?



    4) The wheel cover is possessed



    5) The Coriolis effect (a distinct possibility)?



    Anybody else have any ideas?



    Thanks,



    John Forkner
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    richs. wrote:
    You are using radial tires, Correct? If so that is your problem. Radial tires make the wheel flex more that a bias tire. May need to change rims. Only a susgestion. Rich Smithen



    I have had some success by wrapping the teeth with a strip of duct tape. If the wheel cover is not bent I agree with Rich that the rim is flexing. Lee
  • barrysweet52
    barrysweet52 Expert Adviser
    If the other 3 are OK, have you considered swapping the spare with the front right and see if you can get lucky. Regards, Barry
  • HornetSpecial
    HornetSpecial Expert Adviser
    I have a 54 , and have been told that Hudson welded a small bead inside rim. When full hubcap began to move the small bead would stop it. So 54 rims are done different than the other step downs. Change rim or go with different style hubcap. Good Luck !!

    Paul
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    what I had to do was repaint the rim itself as the "tangs" need something to dig into. As the inner tube stem determines where the cap is going to be placed onto the rim, there is nothing you can do to change that & eventually the "tangs" chew away the paint. As it doesn't show you don't have to be "pretty" - I remember using touch-up paints with their little brushes to just paint the area where the "tangs" need to dig in to the paint.

    I think I've seen guys also use a thin soft tape, like elec. tape, on the rims so that "tangs" would dig into the soft tape & stay. You'd perhaps have to sand some paint off the rim to make sure tape adheres.

    I can't remember anymore but as I recall the full cover hubcaps were optional so if becomes too much of a "pain", revert to the smaller, but less attractive, small hubcaps.
  • russmaas
    russmaas Senior Contributor
    Dont know for sure, but heard that the 54 hubcaps for jets were different. May have gotten one on there for a jet. I also had this problem on my 54 sedan with radial tires. I ended up using a brass stem and it held the hub in place
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The 1954 Hudson with full wheel covers has a metal block welded to the wheels to prevent the disc from turning. These caps will spin off and in some cases will cut off the valve stem in the process. :( :mad:
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    I think the real fix is stronger rims, but I would bet the farm that a dolop of RTV silicone in three or four places around the rim would keep that cap on until you take it off.
  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    This is a problem that Hudson Dealers enjoyed from the inception of the full wheel disc in 1951. The factory tried several "fixes". First they supplied rather flimsy brackets that locked into the slots of the wheel, which supposedly kept the disc from turning within the rim. The final fix for the 1954 Hornets (for which the full disc was standard equipment) was the small recectangular block welded to the rim on either side of the valve stem which then kept the dic from turning. Please note, Hornet Specials used the full 13" dog dish hub cap, but the top of the line Hornet was standard with the wheel disc.



    Jerry

    53jetman
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    On Jay Leno's site he discusses using velco to hold the hub caps on. Glued to inside of hubcap and rim of wheel. He says it works well and come on would Jay lie.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Had the problem with my 54 Jet liner. Had a Hornet cover on a couple of wheels. Check for a small lug on each side of valve stem and also in the cover. If they dont match up the cover will turn against the stem and work itself off. Looking at a few wheel covers I have found one that had the lugs for the Jet and Hornet both.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    the last post will solve your problem. l IF YOU CHECK YOUR WHEEL WHICH IS LOSING THE CAP YOU WILL FIND NO WELD TITS ON EITHER SIDE OF VALVE STEM HOLE. THESE WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE ON YOUR OTHER WHEELS, JUST TAKE A WIRE WELDER AND PUT THE BEADS ON YOUR WHEEL, OR FIND ANOTHER 54 WHEEL WITH THE TWO BEADS. PROBLEM SOLVED, BILL ALBRIGHT
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Found this while looking through my Hudson Merchandisers. Probably make these pretty easy.



    wheelclip.jpg
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    I overheard a discussion about that here at the National in Pontiac. One guy solved it with Gorilla tape around the rim. I'd tack Bill Albrights 'projections' (lol) on for good measure. He used the correct industry term however.
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