Installing hub cap centers

V12Bill

V12Bill

Well-known member
I removed the stainless centers from my 1939 pickup hubcaps, sandblasted and painted the steel outside and straightened and polished the center stainless part. I tried to put the stainless center back on and have a lot of resistance. Since the stainless is such light weight gauge I don't want to smack it too hard with a rubber mallet and have new dents to remove. Any tricks to getting the stainless back on?
 
I smear some vaseline(petroleum jelly) on both surfaces and go around the stainless cap with a reasonable amount of pressure with the palm of my hand. Sometimes a little gentle persuasion with a rubber hammer helps.
 
Thanks, I will try some lubricant. I thought maybe the paint was too thick and sanded some off the ridge, but that didn't work either.
 
I have had success using the lubricant that electricians use when pulling wire through conduit. Make sure the paint is completely dry and not too thick as this can make things difficult. Good luck--RPM
 
Is this one of those situations where you would put the big hubcap in the freezer and the stainless centre piece out in the hot sun ? Then snap ???
 
Carefully drill a small hole in the back of the cap. DOn't drill into the front part. Feed it some air from your compressor.
 
donhunt said:
Ask Lawson. He sits on them in his garage.
Click to expand...

Yep, sure do.

Get an empty gallon paint can. Put shop rags over it. Place hubcap/w stainless in proper position, facing down. Have a seat on the hubcap. Voila', pops right on. I have done it several times and have had no problems.
 
When I drill through the back, I use an old broken drill tip and mount it in the drill chuck with just a smidgen showing past the end of the chuck. If that doesn't go through the first panel, I readjust the bit so more is showing. once I have broken through the first panel, even if not all the way, I apply air preasure and the stainless portion pops off. The stainless part of the cap fits very close to the steel larger section.
 
When I drill through the back, I use an old broken drill tip and mount it in the drill chuck with just a smidgen showing past the end of the chuck. If that doesn't go through the first panel, I readjust the bit so more is showing. once I have broken through the first panel, even if not all the way, I apply air pressure and the stainless portion pops off. The stainless part of the cap fits very close to the steel larger section.
 
All you need to do to reinstall the centers is to get an empty paint can with the lid off. Set the hub cap down, face up, on a flat surface. Place the stainless center cap on the hub cap and align it properly. Place a towel over the stainless center cap. Now turn the paint can over so that the top of the empty can is laying on top of the stainless center cap with the towel sandwiched in between. Gently take a rubber hammer or plastic dead blow hammer and strike the top of the paint can along the outer edge and work your way around. Keep doing this until the stainless center cap is completley seated on the hub cap.

If you repainted your hubcap, it helps to not spray a thick coat of paint over the center of the hub cap or don't spray clear coat over that area. This will leave more "room" for the stainless center cap to slide over and properly seat. You will not need any lubrication or soap ect... I just did this successfully on a set of 5, 1939 hubcaps. No scratches or dents with this method.

Credit is due to Lawson Cox who has explained in brief his method above. He was the one who led me to this method and it works. Thanks Lawson!
 
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