Knock Off Wheel coming loose

[Stephen P.]

Re: Knock Off Wheel coming loose

One of the previous threads mentioned a KO wrench. I'm only speaking for myself, but when I bought my 65, the seller included one of the KO wrenches. While you may be able to "tighten" the spinner, I don't think you can come close to the tightness you get with the 8 hard lead hammer blows directly to the spinner. Mine went to ebay. Using the hammer tightening method, I have had no problems in 8 years, and I drive the care at least once a week.

[Robert B.]

Re: Knock Off Wheel coming loose

The most common mistake(s) in mounting KO wheels (original or reproduction) are:

(1) Getting LH and RH sides reversed.

(2) Failing to follow factory original torque specs.

Item 2 is more common with reproduction wheels that feature locking 'safety pins'... Folks mount the wheels, torque the spinners ONCE and then insert the safety pins. That's a NO-NO!

The Corvette shop manual clearly instructs you to mount the wheels, torque them with EIGHT HARD blows of the lead hammer, then re-torque every 100 miles for the first 500 miles of use. You can't re-torque properly with the safety pins installed and you'll wind up with mounting 'slop' that's masked by the safety pins + the pins are going to distort BADLY as a result.

It'd sure be nice if folks that sold reproduction KO wheels provided installation instructions with them, but NOOOOOOOOO! They rely on owners to have read the GM service literature.

I have knock offs on my car and have the aftermarket knock off installation instructions. Here you go.

[Barry N.]

Re: Knock Off Wheel coming loose

This past weekend I went for a drive in my 66 that is equipped with Western Repro Knock Off wheels. I noticed a thumping noise coming from the drivers side of the car. I took the car home and had my wife listen as I let the car roll backwards in my driveway with the engine off. She said she heard a noise coming from the left front. I jacked up the front end and found the spinner very loose. I removed the spinner the rest of the way to find the locking pin had the knock off threads cut half way through the pin rendering the pin useless. The pin was still stuck in the spinner but now had threads cut into it, allowing it to unscrew on the hub.
I don't know why this happened but I wish someone could restore my confidence in keeping the wheels on the car. I checked to see if the correct knock off hub was installed where it should be, it was. The drivers side (left hand) spinner must be rotated counter clockwise to be removed, just as the spinner is marked.

One added thought I would like your comments on, when backing out of my driveway I must turn the steering wheel all the way to get into the street. This causes the tire to rub, I guess on the frame. I can't tell exactly where it rubs because I am driving. I am wondering if this rub could cause the locking pin to have the hubs threads cut into it.

[John N.]

Re: Knock Off Wheel coming loose

I have no experience with mid year knock offs. I do have experience with Halibrands. If the spinner has been chrome plated and the proper surface (uniform interference angle) has not been maintained (due to grinding polishing etc) you will probably lose the wheel under aggressive driving conditions. I lost a spinner in turn 11 at Laguna Seca and the wheel came off in turn 2. Most people will safety wire knock offs when racing.
Regards

[Jack H.]

Re: Knock Off Wheel coming loose

The rubbing suggests you're driving on modern day service replacement tires that are wider than factory originals. Rubbing at the extreme ends of the steering system's turn radius is typicial of having selected tires that are TOO BIG/WIDE for your car and the rubbing is typically caused by the tire's sidewall touching the car's inner fenders.

For normal driving this isn't a problem, but in a 'panic' maneuver circumstance, this could generate a threat condition! Typical advice is to NOT use such tires and obtain tires that comply with the max geometry silhouette the car was designed for.

Bear in mind that different manufacturers and individual tire models corresponding to the same generic profile specification (say, P205-75-R15) differ slightly in their EXACT geometry. So, one tire/mfgr/model in a given silhouette category may fit/work while another doesn't due to these subtle differences.