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Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:09 am

Need advice. I have a 87 Westy with original 14 inch wheels and the original full size plastic hubcaps. The problem is that 3 of the hubcaps will move on the wheels while being driven. They will move enough to bend over the valve stems until they are under the hubcaps. This could cause a serious problem with breaking the valve stems. The hubcaps are in good condition and the spring wire that attaches the hubcap to the wheel apprear to be in good condition. I can pull the hubcaps off with both hands and a little effort. Any suggestions as to a fix.
Presently I have taken off the hubcaps and am thinking of painting the wheels black and not replacing the hubcaps. The wheels have notches for baby moon hubcaps which I may use. Will this look odd on a Westy?

Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:19 am

I have baby moon hubcaps and they look super funky badass. Bus Depot had them on sale a while back for like 8 bucks a pop. Have a look:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=308398

I also added the chrome wheel rings which look nice but squeak a little. Kind of annoying.

Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:05 pm

If you want to get rid of that squeek sound for good without getting rid of the beauty rings do what the dealer told me to do when I asked them this same question years and years ago. Here goes..
Remove the ring.... apply a small ammount of grease to the "grabbers"....reinstall the rings.....drive on.The squeeking will go away.
I did this years ago and every set Ive installed, gets the same treatment.

If you want to "treat" the chrome on the rings and extend the time until they begin to rust, you have more than one option.
Option #1 is to spray Pledge or Behold on them once in awhile.
Option #2 is to get some "Smoothie" from an auto paint supply house.Squirt a few drops on a paper towell and do the Karate Kid Shuffle.
Wipe it on and wipe it off.
Smoothie is damn near 100% silicone in a liquid form and a coat of it evenly applied and then wiped off prevents any kind of rusting for a long long long time.
I do this treatment about three times a year.
I have some dealer hubcaps and the chrome on them is way better than the Mexican or Brazilian ones, but I still do the Karate Kid Shuffle on them as well. :D

Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:41 pm

RCB wrote: If you want to get rid of that squeek sound for good without getting rid of the beauty rings do what the dealer told me to do when I asked them this same question years and years ago. Here goes..
Remove the ring.... apply a small ammount of grease to the "grabbers"....reinstall the rings.....drive on.The squeeking will go away.
I did this years ago and every set Ive installed, gets the same treatment.
Good idea. I'll give it a shot. THANKS!

Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:06 pm

deprivation wrote: RCB wrote: If you want to get rid of that squeek sound for good without getting rid of the beauty rings do what the dealer told me to do when I asked them this same question years and years ago. Here goes..
Remove the ring.... apply a small ammount of grease to the "grabbers"....reinstall the rings.....drive on.The squeeking will go away.
I did this years ago and every set Ive installed, gets the same treatment.
Good idea. I'll give it a shot. THANKS!

A shot of grease applied to the insides of the "grabbers" works wonders.