Is anyone running with the early style wheels covers? Or, more specifically, can anyone post a good picture of what the lugnuts look like? I recall them being unique...but I can't quite remember how. As I recall the lugnuts hold the wheel cover to the wheel.

Here's the type of wheel cover I'm referring to



Cheers and thanks
DD

 

Hi Doug
Those are the exact wheel covers I had on my 1980 car. Unfortunately it was sold in 2002, so I have no possibility of providing a photo of a wheel nut. What I can tell you is that the nuts are shouldered with a lip, so they fit the cover holes, and there is a spring on the rear side to keep the cover off the actual wheel, and flush with the wheel nut lip.
https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#...r=1&layoutId=G
Go to the bottom of the page, and you'll see what I mean. You could also contact SNG Barratt for a quote for the parts, assiming you have the wheel covers already. Their only disavantage is when you want to do a wheel alignment. You have to take them off so the wheel alignment points can contact the actual wheels.

 

I sold a set of those to a friend in Australia but no lugnuts.

assumedly the lugnuts were chromed and domed.

 

Thanks Fraser.

I've learned that the wheel nuts are grooved to accept a washer, the washer being what bears against the wheel cover to hold it in place on the wheel.

Jose, as near as i can tell the nuts were originally chrome but the present day replacements are either semi-bright finish (not chrome) or a dark finish.




Cheers and thanks
DD

 

Pep Boys has chromed domed lugnuts in different lengths, I purchased two packs when I installed XJ40 wheels in the XJ-6.
Since I had to use spacers at the front to clear the calipers, I needed longer lugnuts.

 

As I recall, each wheel nut hole in the covers has a spring at the back screwed into the cover that has a lip formed on the back to take the spring. So when the nuts are done up the cover is held against the nuts by the springs. When refitting the wheel, you hoist the wheel onto the studs, then, holding the cover by its centre, you carefully place it over the studs so each spring is around each of the studs. Then you pick up a nut and, pressing the cover inwards against the wheel, run-up the nut finger tight. This then keeps the cover in place ready of the other four nuts to be run-up. Finally tighten to recommended torque.

 

here's the rear side of the hubcaps showing the springs.
the springs are "trapped" by tabs so they don't fall off. You turn them clockwise to lock them in place.

 

Thanks for the photo. A picture is worth a thousand words ! I do remember refurbing my wheel covers. This was to repaint the black parts and generally polish them up. They look nice on the car, but are a real PITA when you want a wheel alignment doing because the alignment rig probes on the wheels need to contact the rims but the covers cover the whole of the wheel.

 

you are welcome Fraser. Mine were near perfect, polished stainless steel. Those are the most elegant hubcaps ever!