Loose Knock-off pins

[Gordon H.]

A friend has a 66 with Western knock off wheels . He is having a problem with the pins loosening after driving 5 or more miles .Does some one have a solution for the problem , other than changing the wheels

[Tom H.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

The pins are coming loose, or the spinners are coming loose ??? My guess is he's experiencing an installation error somewhere. Make sure all hardware is correctly positioned on the proper wheels and the spinners are hammered tight. There are several good posts on here regarding proper installation technique. Read them and follow the steps exactly and you will never have an issue.

[Donald T.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

This is the problem with using the pins. The spinner gets tightened until the holes line up rather than fully tight. People rely on the pins rather than a fully tight spinner. It also prevents the proper installation procedure which involes re-tightening the spinner every 100 miles for the first 500 miles. If wheels are installed properly and re-tightened as directed, then the pins are not necessary and probably just give a false sense of security. I have original knock offs without the pins, and those babies ain't goin' anywhere!

[Joel T.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

A friend has a 66 with Western knock off wheels . He is having a problem with the pins loosening after driving 5 or more miles .Does some one have a solution for the problem , other than changing the wheels

Gordon;

Couple of points..

1) make sure you do not mix and match the cones from other sets of KO wheels (assuming that you have more than one set). I have found that while the cones look the same there are subtle height differences which will bite you.

2) I do not use the pins at all... I picked up a KO tightening tool from Denis Portka out of Hamburg NY (LI Corvette sells one too). Use this with a 6lb hand held hammer and they will not come loose...12-14 good whacks will do the trick... make sure the wheel is touching the floor when you tighten.

I run KO's on my 1963 (with no pins) and have not had a problem once I figured this out...

[Bill M.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

I just removed my Western Wheels for cleaning and put them back without the pins. I made a 60 mile trip and checked the spinners no movement at all. I did use one of the after market spinner wrenches to tighten.

[Gordon H.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

Thank you everyone for all the infornation . I knew that others had the problem and the solution was here .
Thanks again

[Douglas G.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

The way I ensure the pins stay in is to give the "nut" a slight tap back after tightening and inserting the pin. This jams the pin slightly and it will not fall out.Just remember to give it a tap forward again when you want to remove the pin.
Regards Doug

[Jim L.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

The way I ensure the pins stay in is to give the "nut" a slight tap back after tightening and inserting the pin. This jams the pin slightly and it will not fall out.Just remember to give it a tap forward again when you want to remove the pin.

Keeping the pins in place is a misplaced priority, in my opinion. The real priority is keeping the wheels on. The pins don't do that. You don't even need the pins; the pins are a distraction. The way to keep the wheels on is to make sure the spinners are tight. Really, really tight.

See that car in my avatar? It's my bride's road course car. It runs knock-off wheels. There are no pins. There isn't even safety wire holding the spinners. The spinners stay on just fine. Why? They are TIGHT!

Toss the pins in the nearest trash can and focus on getting the spinners tight.

Jim

[Roger P.]

Re: Loose Knock-off pins

Gordon:
I have knock-offs on my '65 and refuse to wack the spinners with a lead hammer. I know they were designed that way, but I don't trust that type of tightening method, and I still feel that the spinners will get damaged (paranoia issues ). My problems were solved when I purchased a spinner tightening tool from Eckler's for about $ 250.00. This tool not only allows you to really torque down the spinners, but it comes apart in 3 pieces so it can be stored behind a seat or in the back in case you need it for a flat tire. It's a little bulky, but it does the trick. I installed the pins, but I agree that they are useless other than as an anti-theft deterrent. If your friend is interested in a spinner tightening tool, I know of a used one in new condition that is for sale (I saw it today). Contact Bill Harrison at 561-676-3099 or gldnkngt@comcast.net (he does great instrument cluster and clock restorations here in South Florida). I believe he told me that it can be bought for about $ 175.00 plus shipping. Post if your friend buys the tool -- if not, someone else might be interested and can contact Bill. He is restoring my clock, and you are welcome to mention my name (of course, that will probably cost your friend an additional 10% ).

Good luck,
Roger Piper (50141)