The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 3/4 Ton Wheel Clips

The wheel upgrade saga continues...

I ordered new wheel clips from ChevyDuty and they are about 1/4" shorter than the ones on my original wheels. I assume they are for a 1/2 ton truck.

Does anyone know where I can get a set of clips?

If I can't find them, I think I'll give up on the wheel upgrade There has been too many obsticles.

Thanks,

Mike

Check out a recent post in the paint & body forum, someone cut the centers out of a set of more modern hub caps that fit his wheels and rivited the old hub caps over them. That may work for you if you are upgrading to modern wheels.

Thanks but I'd prefer keeping the original hubcaps intact and finding a way to attach them.

There is another thread where someone actually made his own clips out of sheet metal.

Do you know where the post is?

I couldn't find that one but, here are two other approaches. One is a special collar tacked onto the hubcap and the other is a modification to the hubcap. Each approach is for a different type of rim.

http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=004804#000009

I purchased a '66, C-20 for a parts truck. It was advertised to have the original 16", 8-lug wheels & caps. I am picking the truck up this week. I will keep you posted on my findings.

Michael,
I can't ad much, but I remember when I posted either here or at the old trucks yahoo groups in May when I had bought the wheels from Kroft trailer, I got a e-mail from sombody who bought the same wheels and was putting clips on them. I have looked for that post but have not found it, so it may have been a private e-mail to me. I do remember that hed had to put a washer between the clip and the wheel?? to get them to work, and the he used stainless bolts with nylock nuts. I don't remember the details, but you might want to post over at the old truck group and see if someone responds.
Dave

You'll have to get a set of used clips for the 3/4 ton if you can't make the 1/2 ton work. Try Carter or Bowtie Bits.

When I did the swap on my 52 I used the clips off my old wheels. After some careful measuring, I found they were too short for the newer wheels. I made some steel spacers out of 1/4" plate. I drilled and tapped the wheels and bolted it all together using JB Weld to be sure things didn't move. I also ground the bolt end off flush with the back side of the wheel. They work great.

One thing I did wrong was to use 1/4" bolts. The clips will take 3/16, but they are spring steel and real hard to drill to 1/4". I had to go buy a cobalt dril bit.

Michael;

I used the CD clips for my 57 on a F*&% 16x7" wheel with the stock hub cap and they worked fine. I just located them so that they were the right diamater out; drilled a 1/4" hole and use a stainless bolt to attach them. I then finished it off with a SS trim ring. Everyone who sees it thinks that it looks great. Here is a link to how mine turned out.

http://www.chevygmcofkc.org/Gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1374&papass=&sort=1&thecat=511

Let me know if I can be of more help.

57 Mike

Yep, it looks like using the old clips is the only solution without some modification to the hubcaps. I'll keep you all posted.