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Eldorado Center Caps

Started by waterzap, January 06, 2014, 10:45:31 AM

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waterzap

Stupid question. Are there any center caps I can put on my 78 Eldorado? The weights interfere with the hubcaps, and I am scared they will fall off. Toronado has center caps and it doesn’t look bad, but the wheels are chrome, not black. I want to drive the car, and not worry about things falling off
Leesburg, AL

TJ Hopland

#1
Have you got the correct CAX style weights?   They have a little extension on them so they don't get in the way of the cap.   I suspect they are no longer made but can still be found.   Some have apparently used the stick on weights that are common today with aluminum wheels. 


It was just the first few years Toronado that had the center caps with trim rings.  Seems like I read that those wheels were slightly different and did not work with disc brakes so I wonder if they also maybe had different little nubs or something like that to hold the caps?  I have looked at a few early Toro's that were missing parts like those caps and did not see them readily available. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

TJ Hopland

Something like these should fit, the 2x4 chev trucks were the same 5 on 5 bolt.   I believe this style the plastic nuts in the cap threaded over external threads on the lug nuts.   Catch may be that the nuts were metric by that time so you may not be able to get them that fit your studs and have the external threads. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Center-caps-for-15-Chevy-truck-and-van-steel-rims-1988-2002-free-shipping-/370610367227

Maybe the earlier style?   You could maybe just drill and tap holes for the bolts to hold the cap and pick up some covered nuts?
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=4203

I thought about doing something like that for my Riv that has aluminum wheels missing the caps.  I would have to go with a s-10 like cap because mine use the smaller circle.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

waterzap

#3
Interesting. Thanks
Anyone know where I can get the CAX weigths as a set? The places I have looked at, I basically have to buy a lot of each weight. Would be fine if I could just buy a set that has 1 or 2 of each. I really have to get better wheels. The only wheel I have a problem with is the one thats a bit bent. Has too many weights. Other weels only have a few weights and I have space to put the caps on.
Leesburg, AL

TJ Hopland

I never found any place to buy an assortment.    One option is to buy a case of the larger ones and cut them down to the weight needed.   That was going to be my plan till I found a shop that has some and was willing to sell a few.  Maybe it would be worth checking with a place like USA parts to see if they offer an assortment?

Just remember to ask for the old weights back when ever you have tire work done. 

Sounds like a better wheel will help.   These cars are really sensitive to the balance on the wheels.   I have had em that balanced well on the machines but still shook on the car.   Getting a tire and rim that does not need a lot of weight to start with seems to help a lot.   I had a shop that was willing to try installing the tire differently on the rim to get the best initial balance and that seemed to help too.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Dan LeBlanc

When I had the bias ply tires put on my Fleetwood last fall, I had the tire guy do a dynamic balance where the weights are applied to the inside of the wheel only.  I've got zero vibration and I've had the car up to 85mph.  (For me that's too fast anyway).
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

TJ Hopland

I tried the inside weight thing on my Eldo and it did not work well for me. 

The Eldo's have quite an offset almost like a dually truck so I suspect that is why they are more sensitive to balance issues than other cars of the era.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

chris cunliffe

Have you thought of using Dynabeads to balance your wheels .They work from inside the tire so you don't need external weights and you can use your original hub caps
http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php
1957 Eldorado Seville #967

waterzap

I read about the beads once, but decided against it. Dont remember why exactly.
Leesburg, AL

TJ Hopland

The bead thing seems interesting.   You kinda wonder why that did not become the standard if it works that great.   It would seem like it would be less expensive which we know manufactures love that.   Also cheaper for shops since they would not have to have and maintain a machine and inventory of weights. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

TJ Hopland

Maybe someone should start a new thread with the link to those beads?  I would be curious to hear if anyone has used them.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

waterzap

Apparently the beads can get into the schrader valve and get it to start leaking. They have filtered valves, but that wont work on the Eldorado.
Leesburg, AL

Gene Beaird

Man, I'd be concerned about having anything rolling around inside a tire.  I've seen too many tires come off the rim that had a little dirt in them.  The dirt rolled around the inside of the tire creating little rubber balls.  The rubber is pulled off the inside of the tire.  They're kind of like little pearls, only they're made of rubber.

No thank you.

Gene Beaird,
1968 Calais
1979 Seville
Pearland, Texas
CLC Member No. 29873

Glen

I don’t see how they can work.  It seems to me that if the wheel was a bit out of balance centrifugal force would push the beads to the point that would make the out of balance condition worse. 

Ever get a slug of water inside a tire?  Seems it would be the same thing. 
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

TJ Hopland

The possibility of them working into the beed as things flex around seems like something that could happen. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason