The Ford Barn

artron9 · 05-09-2019, 01:33 PM

Hi! My 52 Vic has original hubcaps. On occasion, one has fallen off. I've carefully bent the prongs close to the original position but I think the metal is getting tired. I want to keep the original caps and do not want to pay for new ones which will probably be in the same condition as mine. I was thinking of putting a clear silicone bead around the perimeter and pressing them back on. Any other ideas? Thanks for your input. Ron

Ford Freak · 05-09-2019, 03:09 PM

I have never used the silicone idea myself, but I have heard of guys whom have had success with it . Give it a shot !! - F F

19Fordy · 05-09-2019, 04:57 PM

Do a search as this has been discussed many times.

Merc Cruzer · 05-09-2019, 05:08 PM

Do you have radial tire on the car?

artron9 · 05-09-2019, 05:59 PM

Yes! But why would that make a difference?

joe 1950 · 05-09-2019, 07:14 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

because radial tires flex and roll ,and those old wheels aren’t strong enough to keep from movements sideways ,common problem ,bias ply tires don’t do that ,but radials are the way to go to get it to ride and handle better,i went to a salvage yard and found a good set of newer wheels with the same size and bolt pattern ,something in the 80s ,even if it a little wider makes it look great good luck

Big Red 51 · 05-09-2019, 09:14 PM

Ron, I had the same problem on my '53 and '54 cars and tried it all. I kept slightly loosening the tabs on the wheel-covers from a firmer position and finally they stayed on,original rims,radials and all. After several years and 13K mi, none have fallen off. Good Luck, Don

Newc · 05-09-2019, 09:58 PM

Just a story; A V8 member was a retired county deputy and he had saved all the 52/53 full hub caps cause the mechanics removed them from the new police cars.. failure to stay on on new cars during hard manuvers. I bought them all in about 2000. Newc

mercman from oz · 05-10-2019, 04:40 AM

Have you tried to add small sections of "grip tape" on the outer edges where the "teeth" of the hubcap bites in? I used this method on my 1969 Falcon and it worked.

artron9 · 05-10-2019, 06:39 AM

Thank you to all of you thoughtful Ford lovers! I will let you know how I solve this problem! sincerely Ron!

RalphG · 05-10-2019, 09:03 AM

My 52 Merc only had one surviving full wheel cover when I put it into service in 2015. Installed Cooper radials and did not drive many miles before that wheel cover jumped off into the ditch. Luckily I was shooting video at the time and caught it so was an easy find. After that I just went with the smaller "poverty caps". I like them just fine and they never fall off. I've put the full wheel cover up as a wall hanging.

chap52 · 05-11-2019, 07:10 AM

Volkswagen and Chevy use to use clips that were attached to the rims. I had the same issue with my 52 F1 and picked up a set of those clips from an old chevy parts vendor and after mounting them on the rims using self tapping sheet metal screws and some washers to adjust the depth I got them to grip the inside of the hubcap lips. Never had another one fly off. Chap

05-09-2019, 01:33 PM	#1
artron9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Lexington MA Posts: 133	52 hubcap problem Hi! My 52 Vic has original hubcaps. On occasion, one has fallen off. I've carefully bent the prongs close to the original position but I think the metal is getting tired. I want to keep the original caps and do not want to pay for new ones which will probably be in the same condition as mine. I was thinking of putting a clear silicone bead around the perimeter and pressing them back on. Any other ideas? Thanks for your input. Ron

05-09-2019, 03:09 PM	#2
Ford Freak Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Pittsford NY. USA Posts: 1,304	Re: 52 hubcap problem I have never used the silicone idea myself, but I have heard of guys whom have had success with it . Give it a shot !! - F F

05-09-2019, 04:57 PM	#3
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 11,925	Re: 52 hubcap problem Do a search as this has been discussed many times.

05-09-2019, 05:08 PM	#4
Merc Cruzer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Conifer, Colorado Posts: 2,552	Re: 52 hubcap problem Do you have radial tire on the car?

05-09-2019, 05:59 PM	#5
artron9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Lexington MA Posts: 133	Re: 52 hubcap problem Yes! But why would that make a difference?

05-09-2019, 07:14 PM	#6
joe 1950 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Green Bay Wi Posts: 425	Re: 52 hubcap problem Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) because radial tires flex and roll ,and those old wheels aren’t strong enough to keep from movements sideways ,common problem ,bias ply tires don’t do that ,but radials are the way to go to get it to ride and handle better,i went to a salvage yard and found a good set of newer wheels with the same size and bolt pattern ,something in the 80s ,even if it a little wider makes it look great good luck

05-09-2019, 09:14 PM	#7
Big Red 51 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 134	Re: 52 hubcap problem Ron, I had the same problem on my '53 and '54 cars and tried it all. I kept slightly loosening the tabs on the wheel-covers from a firmer position and finally they stayed on,original rims,radials and all. After several years and 13K mi, none have fallen off. Good Luck, Don

05-09-2019, 09:58 PM	#8
Newc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,053	Re: 52 hubcap problem Just a story; A V8 member was a retired county deputy and he had saved all the 52/53 full hub caps cause the mechanics removed them from the new police cars.. failure to stay on on new cars during hard manuvers. I bought them all in about 2000. Newc

05-10-2019, 04:40 AM	#9
mercman from oz Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 12,578	Re: 52 hubcap problem Have you tried to add small sections of "grip tape" on the outer edges where the "teeth" of the hubcap bites in? I used this method on my 1969 Falcon and it worked.

05-10-2019, 06:39 AM	#10
artron9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Lexington MA Posts: 133	Re: 52 hubcap problem Thank you to all of you thoughtful Ford lovers! I will let you know how I solve this problem! sincerely Ron!

05-10-2019, 09:03 AM	#11
RalphG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Sask. Canada Posts: 2,619	Re: 52 hubcap problem My 52 Merc only had one surviving full wheel cover when I put it into service in 2015. Installed Cooper radials and did not drive many miles before that wheel cover jumped off into the ditch. Luckily I was shooting video at the time and caught it so was an easy find. After that I just went with the smaller "poverty caps". I like them just fine and they never fall off. I've put the full wheel cover up as a wall hanging. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/roosty6/videos

05-11-2019, 07:10 AM	#12
chap52 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Marana Arizona Posts: 1,869	Re: 52 hubcap problem Volkswagen and Chevy use to use clips that were attached to the rims. I had the same issue with my 52 F1 and picked up a set of those clips from an old chevy parts vendor and after mounting them on the rims using self tapping sheet metal screws and some washers to adjust the depth I got them to grip the inside of the hubcap lips. Never had another one fly off. Chap