Knock Off Wheels
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 916
Likes: 2
From: prescott arizona
Knock Off Wheels
How many of us that have the Knock Off Wheels, use the grove for the "anti-theft" device, which to me is really a safety measure to insure that the spinners don't start to loosen? Or, how many simply pound like crazy on the spinner? I like the idea of the pin in the grove, but you have to have the spinner cap off and my repo caps are either so loose they fall off or so tight I can"t pry them loose without nearly destroying them. So guys, please weigh in on your method of retaining those expensive wheels. Thanks!
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Original knock offs didn't have them.
The repro knock offs have anti-theft pins.
They probably don't call them safety pins for liability reasons, figuring some dumb-dumb is going to stick their aluminum pins in place and not have to worry about installing the wheels correctly.
My 65 is fortunate to have original knock offs. I beat my original spinners until I'm confident they are on correctly, and then I put a witness mark across each spinner/cone interface with a magic marker so that I can periodically monitor the wheels to ensure the spinners are not moving on me.
The repro knock offs have anti-theft pins.
They probably don't call them safety pins for liability reasons, figuring some dumb-dumb is going to stick their aluminum pins in place and not have to worry about installing the wheels correctly.
My 65 is fortunate to have original knock offs. I beat my original spinners until I'm confident they are on correctly, and then I put a witness mark across each spinner/cone interface with a magic marker so that I can periodically monitor the wheels to ensure the spinners are not moving on me.
Last edited by 62Jeff; Aug 13, 2009 at 12:19 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,145
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From: Texas
St. Jude Donor '09
being a member of the i had one come loose club i will use the safety pins and the magic marker marks to be sure that i don;t go there again. think the bolt on ones would be a much safer situation and give you the same look
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
I don't do either one. I simply set the wheel over the pins, give the spinner a flip with my fingers to snug it, let the car down on it's wheels and give the spinner a couple of thumps with a five pound lead hammer. Done. Why agonize over a simple operation?
Platinum Supporting Dealership
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: St. Marys Ohio
Whack the heck out of them and they wont come off. Pins are just an added bonus but not neccessary for a proper application. 
Get a good American Lead hammer and whack 'em !!
Get a good American Lead hammer and whack 'em !!
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Tom Hendricks tom@budschevy.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buds-Chevrolet-Buick-Corvette/176730955684255?ref=hl
Corvette Specialist Since 1993
BUDS CHEVROLET
St. Marys, Ohio
800-688-2837
WEBSITE WWW.BUDSCHEVY.COM
HOURS MON-WED 7:00AM - 5:00PM
FFRIDAY AND SATURDAY BY APPT.
OFF THURSDAYS
NCRS # 23758 Miami Valley Chapter ( Ohio )
NCM Founding Member #1143
NADA Classic Car Guide Advisiory Board Member
C5/C6 Registry Corporate Member # 5
My Corvettes. 63, 71, 73, 78.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,808
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From: Westport CT
well, I run repro KOs and do insert a pin in the slot, but only after whacking the snot out of the spinner, using anti seize on the mating surfcae, etc.
as for getting the little center cap off, I finally bought the little suction cup thingy from LIC, and it works like a charm!
as for getting the little center cap off, I finally bought the little suction cup thingy from LIC, and it works like a charm!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
I don't understand why you guys abuse your chrome and your wheels beatin' the hell out of the spinners with a big, oversize hammer. There's no GM publication I've ever seen that directs you to do that or even a hint of doing that.
Jack. When you get to Carlisle, stop by G110. You didn't make it last year.
Le Mans Master
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Ray
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Central Arkansas
well, I run repro KOs and do insert a pin in the slot, but only after whacking the snot out of the spinner, using anti seize on the mating surfcae, etc.
as for getting the little center cap off, I finally bought the little suction cup thingy from LIC, and it works like a charm!
as for getting the little center cap off, I finally bought the little suction cup thingy from LIC, and it works like a charm!
Same here all around - except I've substituted steel roll pins for the aluminum pins. I beveled one end a little on a grinder.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,596
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From: Grosse Ile MI
I've done it that way for 18 years w/o the anti-theft pins and never lost a wheel. Also, I give the spinner a smack for good measure after about 50 miles of driving and check them everytime I get in the car. I don't understand all this fuss about putting a mark on the spinner from smacking it with a BF lead hammer. Ever seen what a wheel can do to a quarter panel when it comes off? Besides, the spinners can be rechromed or replaced easily.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Westport CT
11. Have a helper step on the brake pedal while tightening the Spinner further by striking the wings of the Spinner with a
Lead Hammer 7-8 hard blows. Don’t be afraid to hit the Spinner. It will not break and will not mar as long as the Lead
Hammer is in good condition. (Lead is softer than chrome, and will not mar the chrome)
now, this is from memory so it is possibly wrong, but doesn't the GM KO Instruction card (sitting in my glovebox right now, no I am not going outside to check, my car is still in a tent of sorts) pretty much say the same thing, 8 hard blows, yada yada, whack it some more after 500 miles?Lead Hammer 7-8 hard blows. Don’t be afraid to hit the Spinner. It will not break and will not mar as long as the Lead
Hammer is in good condition. (Lead is softer than chrome, and will not mar the chrome)
As for Carlisle, I am [very sadly] not going to make it this year . . .
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 916
Likes: 2
From: prescott arizona
Thanks to all who weighed in on this subject. I guess I'll just beat them on tight and mark them and keep a close eye on them. It's my wifes occasional around town car (PG, PS, PB.) when all the other Corvette club divas get together for a trip to the horse track or to lunch, you guys all get the picture.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,142
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What made me wonder was, the other day I was trying to remove the left side wheel from one of my bench grinders. After struggling with getting the nut loose, my one remaining good brain cell remembered that it is left hand thread on the left hand side.
Hmmmmm, there must be a good reason for that and perhaps they could put a warning tag on the grinder to remind you. So I removed both wheels and performed this test:
Left Hand Thread ............................. Right Hand Thread
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
well - there is THIS in the Corvette America KO install instructions, I'd guess I am referring to "8 hard blows" when I say "whack the snot out of it":
As for Carlisle, I am [very sadly] not going to make it this year . . .
11. Have a helper step on the brake pedal while tightening the Spinner further by striking the wings of the Spinner with a
Lead Hammer 7-8 hard blows. Don’t be afraid to hit the Spinner. It will not break and will not mar as long as the Lead
Hammer is in good condition. (Lead is softer than chrome, and will not mar the chrome)
now, this is from memory so it is possibly wrong, but doesn't the GM KO Instruction card (sitting in my glovebox right now, no I am not going outside to check, my car is still in a tent of sorts) pretty much say the same thing, 8 hard blows, yada yada, whack it some more after 500 miles?Lead Hammer 7-8 hard blows. Don’t be afraid to hit the Spinner. It will not break and will not mar as long as the Lead
Hammer is in good condition. (Lead is softer than chrome, and will not mar the chrome)
As for Carlisle, I am [very sadly] not going to make it this year . . .
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
What made me wonder was, the other day I was trying to remove the left side wheel from one of my bench grinders. After struggling with getting the nut loose, my one remaining good brain cell remembered that it is left hand thread on the left hand side.
Hmmmmm, there must be a good reason for that and perhaps they could put a warning tag on the grinder to remind you. So I removed both wheels and performed this test:
Left Hand Thread ............................. Right Hand Thread
Hmmmmm, there must be a good reason for that and perhaps they could put a warning tag on the grinder to remind you. So I removed both wheels and performed this test:
Left Hand Thread ............................. Right Hand Thread
You seem to have missed one key design feature in your test.
