There are numerous types of hub caps for wheels these days. Magnum 500s have a variation on a theme and my car is fitted with ’69 15″ x 7″. They are not correct for the car as it had steel wheels originally and full hub caps. But as I wanted Chrome with a classic five spoke, the only option was the Magnum 500s.
The centre of the Magnums can be 2″ or 2 1/8″ centre hole. You need to make sure what hole you have in order for the centre hub caps to fit properly. I have the 2″ opening.
The Scott Drake centres I have look great and have been no problem what so ever, until a couple of weeks ago. I was driving home from a show and I could hear a metallic clattering from the left front of the car. It was driving me mad to find out what it was. Just out of interest I tapped the centre hub cap and it was loose.
I gave it a little pull to see how loose and it so loose it fly off driving along, I was not impressed. There is no way I could go to car show with a centre cap missing. What ever happened the wheel would need to come off to remove it safely. It wouldn’t have looked that bad, but my OCD wouldn’t allow it. So I didn’t go to car show, I went to Mustang Maniac instead to get another one, link here for the hub cap if you want some.
To fit or change them the wheel needs to be removed, I’m not going to tell how to do that, apart from, loosen the lug nuts on the ground before jacking up. Jack up the car and then remove the lug nuts and wheel. The cap itself is in two main parts; the outer facing pretty bit, and the retaining inner ring.
When I turned over the cap there is six studs that are lightly soldered to the retaining plate via four screw holes in the centre.
I had an idea to try and resolder the plate back in place, being mindful of the plastic centre on the other side. I tried and failed miserably. The heat transferred around the plate and the other solders popped as well. I marked up with arrows the two studs I tried to repair.
With the plate now completely loose the centre could be lifted out. The problem was a broken post (circled) which weekend the fitting and thus worked it loose. The bottom right here you can also see the plastic had started to melt and discolour too. I really messed it up.
Refitting is literally a five minute job, but there is a technique to it.
Align the hub cap to the centre hole and put the retaining plate on the inside of the wheel. I aligned my ‘Pony’ to sit the right way up under the “B F Goodrich” white letters. There is play to align it up properly so you need to hold it in place before fully tightening up.
A magnetic screw driver is your friend for this step. place the inner plate to the outer cap and lightly hold in place with two screws.
Once it held roughly in place add a drop of thread locker screw into the two spare holes.
Once you have two screws in place remove the first two and add thread locker and replace.
Make the final adjustments and then tighten the screws firmly. Mount the wheel back onto the spindle or axle (depending where the wheel came from).
Replace the lug nuts by hand and spin on with fingers to make sure they are not cross threaded. Tighten up snug on the studs. Lower the car back down and tighten fully with a torque wrench. Mine is set to 80ft/lb for these wheels.
Difference? None as it was a like for like swap out. It only too a total of half an hour to remove the wheel, replace and refit the wheel.
That’s it, dead simple. There are many designs out there for centres depending on taste for colour or design. There are specific caps for Shelby, Cobra, or GT350 of course. My car is none of the later so I won’t try and pretend that it’s something it’s not.
As much as like the black Tri-Bar Mustang logo, I just wanted something a bit subtle that doesn’t distract the eyes from the chrome and the white letters.