Center Cap Question

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1979bettywhite
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Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Searched for this but did not find anything specific. I have gotten a set of center caps for my 78 chief and have gone about "restoring" them. Basically just some metal polish and some fresh paint. Since I don't have the OEM wheels, I went with a set of US Wheel White Wagon wheels that are a pretty close match to what came on the chief from the factory. I am planning to drill these out and attach the center caps to them to get back to the OEM look.

My question for those of you who have the OEM wheels, are the wheels tapped, or just drilled through? My assumption would be that they are just drilled through. Anyone done this modification to a new set of wheels to add the old caps? Plan to just make a cardboard template of the caps and mounting holes and transfer the marks to the wheels then drill.

Here are the caps in their progression:

Original condition:
Image

Two caps on left polished:
Image

First coat of model enamel:
Image

Plan to put a couple more coats on them. Will work on the install this weekend.
Last edited by 1979bettywhite on Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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toothofwar
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by toothofwar »

The factory ones on my 83 parts jeep are smooth drilled. The caps should be threaded and take a 1 inch or so long machine screw with a star washer. Mine are torx headed.

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Phils67
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by Phils67 »

I dont have experience so to say with those specific wheels and caps however i did drill and mount some chrome jeep caps i found at a boneyard (donor unknown) and mounted them to dodge B van wheels that i am currently using. What i did for marking them was took the old screws and ran them in as far as theyd go, dab grease on the heads, place the cap in one shot where they looked correct, removed and drilled the grease spots left on the wheel.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d32/j ... xbj4xm.jpg
1967 Gladiator J2000, 1998 4.0L OBD2, T18, D20 twin sticks, D44HD/D60, Detroit lockers, 3.73s, 4wheel disc brake, FSSR, Dakota digital, etc.

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

toothofwar wrote:The factory ones on my 83 parts jeep are smooth drilled. The caps should be threaded and take a 1 inch or so long machine screw with a star washer. Mine are torx headed.

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Yeah, I ran through all the threads with a machine screw I had laying around. They all seemed fine at holding. Will definitely add the star washer or a locking washer. No way they will come off, but I can see them getting loose and making noise. I think some mild loc tite would be ok to use as well. Plan to use a stainless machine screw just so it doesn't rust and seize up.

mx71
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by mx71 »

The 5 slot mags on my 79 are tapped.
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HowardT64
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by HowardT64 »

I used a dremel tool on ine...the fine wire brush...it cleaned up nicely too :)
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Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Made some progress on my initial install today. It involves a lot of triangulation and measuring. But at the end of the day I wound up having to drill the holes a little wider than the machine screws and use a file for some fine tuning to get everything lined up. This first one probably isn't 100% centered but I am learning as I go. If anyone has any suggestions about getting them perfectly centered feel free to chime in. I may just use the grease and eyeball method on the rest of them....

Used some masking tape to be able to mark middle points between the lug holes:
Image

Found the center of the wheel:
Image

Also found the center of the cap by finding the center of the triangle creating by the mounting holes. Then measured from the center of the wheel out and crossed that with the center of the space in between the lugs.

Punched and drilled:
Image

Then after some tweaking on all the holes to get everything lined up, finally installed:
Image
Image

They are a touch off center but this was my first one. Once again, open to suggestions for how to get them exactly centered.

I am not done painting up the center caps yet but wanted to mock one up.

Also, the center bore on these US wheel steelies is larger than the OEM wagon wheels. So there is actually a touch of space around the center cap and the mounting surface. They mount flush to the wheel, but there are some openings since the center bore is larger. But you really have to look to see them.


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toothofwar
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by toothofwar »

Looking good!!!

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Phils67
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by Phils67 »

Looks good from my house. :)
1967 Gladiator J2000, 1998 4.0L OBD2, T18, D20 twin sticks, D44HD/D60, Detroit lockers, 3.73s, 4wheel disc brake, FSSR, Dakota digital, etc.

candymancan
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by candymancan »

Get urself a little tiny itty bitty brush from a hobby store.. some black enamle spray paint and spray inside a cup or something.. Dip the brush in the paint and just dip the brush or tap it on the wording.. the paint will fill itself inside the letting.. This way you can get the jeep logo black like it should be.

Ive done badges that go on fenders from 60-70s wagoneers.. That say Jeep and v8 360 on my 90 and it turned out really nice.

Image
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
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1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)
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HowardT64
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by HowardT64 »

Nice stuff!!! All the little things add up and make the Jeeps look sharp:)
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Phils67
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by Phils67 »

candymancan wrote:Get urself a little tiny itty bitty brush from a hobby store.. some black enamle spray paint and spray inside a cup or something.. Dip the brush in the paint and just dip the brush or tap it on the wording.. the paint will fill itself inside the letting.. This way you can get the jeep logo black like it should be.

Ive done badges that go on fenders from 60-70s wagoneers.. That say Jeep and v8 360 on my 90 and it turned out really nice.

Image
Whoa! That looks great! I need to try that when i find a set of the 'jeep' emblems
1967 Gladiator J2000, 1998 4.0L OBD2, T18, D20 twin sticks, D44HD/D60, Detroit lockers, 3.73s, 4wheel disc brake, FSSR, Dakota digital, etc.
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HowardT64
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by HowardT64 »

Love those tires :) They would look good on the DuckBlind :)
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Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

candymancan wrote:Get urself a little tiny itty bitty brush from a hobby store.. some black enamle spray paint and spray inside a cup or something.. Dip the brush in the paint and just dip the brush or tap it on the wording.. the paint will fill itself inside the letting.. This way you can get the jeep logo black like it should be.

Ive done badges that go on fenders from 60-70s wagoneers.. That say Jeep and v8 360 on my 90 and it turned out really nice.

Image
Yes, I actually have all the enamel model paint as well as brushes and have been working on painting the caps. They are not quite done yet. This was just a mock up to see how they were going to work out. Pulled that one back off the Jeep to continue the painting. Got the black bits done this morning, but they will need one more coat. Should be able to install everything this weekend.
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fulsizjeep
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by fulsizjeep »

That's going to look pretty nice when you are done. :-bd
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SJTD
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by SJTD »

How do dose caps attach?

My '84 with aluminum wheels had screws through the caps from the outside. Do they have threaded holes to accept screws from the back?
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Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Yes, the caps themselves have threaded holes on the back. Therefore the screw goes through the backside of the wheel to attach the caps. Better from a security and theft standpoint, but not for easy mounting and access to the hub. Will have to pull the wheel out to access the hub, which is probably easier to do anyway. But with the ones that mount from the outside of the wheel, you could always just remove the cap to access the hub.

Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Here they are all painted up and drying. The black will cure to flat black as per the original coloring. Looking forward to getting them put on tomorrow!

Image


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Topic author
1979bettywhite
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Get them all installed this morning. Used the grease on the mounting studs method. I am sure they are not 100% centered, but I got them very close. Took about 10-15 minutes per wheel. I had to go with some hex key head screws to be able to clear the mounting surface of the wheel to the drum/hub. Could not use the Phillips head machine screws as they were too proud and would not clear. Could not use a locking washer either. So just put some blue loctite on the screws. We'll see how they hold up.

Very happy with the outcome. Finishes off the chief nicely. Have plenty more projects but it's coming along.

Image
Image
Image
Image


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merrill77
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Re: Center Cap Question

Post by merrill77 »

Looks nice!
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