Ok, here goes.. OEM hub caps fused to baby moon caps that fit aftermarket steel wheels.
I really wanted to run OEM caps, but also wanted to run a larger tire, so needed a non-OEM wheel.
I was prepared to run stock looking steel wheel without caps, but thought I'd give this a shot.
If you are opposed to cold-fusion, stop reading now, otherwise read on.
I got the wheels and hubcaps from Summit
Wheel Vintiques 12 Series Smoothie Wheels
Part # 12-580604 - 15x8, 6 on 5.5 - $80.99 each (I bought 5)
Free Shipping - Wheel Vintiques 12 Series Smoothie Wheels with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Wheels at Summit Racing.
www.summitracing.com
Wheel Vintiques Center Caps 1009 baby Moon for 14-16" Smoothie Steel Wheel - $24.99 each
Free Shipping - Wheel Vintiques Center Caps with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Wheel Center Caps at Summit Racing.
www.summitracing.com
(I bought 6 thinking I may mess a couple up trying to modify them)
I bought a set of OEM caps from CruiserCorp, I thnk.
I cant find my extra OEM cap, so cant show the entire process, but I think you'll get the gist of it. Instead, I pulled a couple off the 40 so you can see the underside of the cap.
You can see in this shot whats left of OEM cap after I cut out the ring part that snaps to an oem wheel - see the serrated edge left from the snips I used. I left about 3/4 inch around the perimeter of the oem cap. This allows enough clearance for the moon cap to set down in the oem cap and make contact with it.
Next rough up the outer surface of the moon cap where it will make contact with the inside of the OEM cap. I used 80grit - roughed it up good.
Also drill some holes through the moon cap at the contact area.
The oem cap is stamped in such a way that there are raised areas on the underside, which are the black indents on top side. This is the main contact area.
Rough up the inside of the OEM cap where the moon makes contact.
Why? Because JB Weld is the miracle substance that will hold the two caps together, and it works a little better when it has something to bite into and flow around.
When doing the rear cap you need something to sit it on in order to get both the OEM and the moon cap level and centered. I used a roll of painters tape.
Get the OEM cap level first. Check it several spots all around.
Next make sure you can get the moon cap level. I used a couple small, light weight levels when I actually did this.
Once you're sure you can get it level, take the baby moon out of the oem cap, mix up a bunch of JB Weld and spread it around the inside of oem cap where it will contact - the raised areas.
Put the moon back in, add some more JB Weld in the holes you drilled - be generous with it. It doesnt need to be pretty, it will not be seen.
With the JB weld still wet and the moon sitting in the oem cap, get it level again, then let it sit for a day.
It will be set up enough to at least move it at that point, but I let mine set for several days. I didnt expect it to work.
After it had sat for several days, might have been a week, I tried to pull the caps apart by hand and I couldnt, so I snapped it on the wheel, pulled it off the wheel - it still stayed together, no give at all. I did it a bunch more times and it held strong.
Since it appeared to work, I did the other 3. They've been on the truck almost a year now. Over the year I've pulled them off many times for various reasons, to include today to take pictures of them for this post. Bumpy blacktop roads, a little offroad, still holding together strong.
Doing the front cap is as little different.. You have to cut a hole in the moon cap. After you cut out the mounting ring from the oem cap, set it on top of the moon cap, level it, then sharpie a line on the moon cap of the hole in the oem cap. When you make your cut, I used a jig saw with fine tooth blade, cut just a hair outside of the line you marked. Rough up the contact surfaces, level it, apply JB Weld, level again, let it sit. Theres more contact surface with the front caps so you can use a little more JB Weld.
Thats it. Before I took the JB Weld route, I considered heat based fusion but didnt think I could do it without messing up the oem cap - either burning off the plating, burning through, warping...
I think they came out pretty good and a bit cheaper than having oem wheels widened or custom built with oem centers. Since I didnt have any oem wheels to start with, it was going to be a little pricey to do the other options.
I also looked at welding tabs on the smoothie wheel. If my current solution doesnt hold up, thats what I'll try next, but so far they are holding real good.