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Lug nut cover 1989
Hi, does anyone know what company LD used for their Ford hub cap assembly in 1989? I'm missing two lug nut covers and am having a tough time finding replacements. Called Kaper and they said they didn't recognize the hub cap, but it wasn't theirs. I've ordered different covers from Wheelmasters but none of them fit. I was hoping if I could find the original manufacturer of the hub cap assembly I might be able to track down some covers.
The nut is 1"
The length is 1.5"
Thanks,
Greg
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #1 –
Hi Greg;  The Kaper II company likely has the nut covers you need, but age is working against you.  Have you tried contacting the company yet?  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #2 –
Hi Ron, thanks, yeah I contacted them already, no luck. I can't find these things anywhere!
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #4 –
Hi Greg;  First question I should have asked is 16.5" rims and tires, or after '91, 16" rims and tires?   Here is a source of 16.5" SS covers. He might have just lug nuts for you.   FORD E350 Econoline 16" 16.5" 1984-91 Stainless Dually Wheel Simulators BOLT....  A previous owner may have replaced the rims with 16" wheels.  The size marked on the tires will tell you.
    Otherwise,  looking at your picture it looks like the stainless wheel cover is pinched between the actual lug nuts and the steel wheel.  So each nut with a decorative cover fits over a real lug nut? The ones I have, have the stock Ford nuts holding on the steel wheel and the fake cover goes over all that, leaving just two studs sticking out. Those two nuts 180 degrees apart have jam nuts that are what holds on the cover itself.
   Just for the record, about 2000, Ford made the wheel mounting lugs shorter. So for those, Kaper made an extender that screwed onto just the two studs (lugs) that made them long enough to attach the SS wheel liner on.  This complicated assembly of the wheels.  Later models, 2015's?  have friction, 'pound' on covers that many times come off in motion. A good non scratching, hopefully non denting hammer (mallet) would be needed for changing the tires.
    Your 1989 E350 should have 9/16"-18 threads per inch studs. If you have all of the SS nut covers you could shim them a little for a tighter fit on the nuts.   I found these.  https://www.zoro.com/phoenix-jam-nut-and-lug-nut-cover-pgd168lnt/i/G4033757/?recommended=true  The description is metric, (14mm ID, 1.5mm pitch)   but the first reviewer said they fit his Ford E450,  9/16"-18 threads.  They were 1 5/8" tall.  That is about the size yours are.  If these are just jam nuts holding the SS cover on it may work.  If those nuts are actual lug nuts, they won't.   RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #5 –
Greg,

Could it be 1-1/16", have you put a socket on it?  I'm seeing 1-1/16" covers but not 1"
2000 Mid-Bath
2012 Lance 830 Truck Camper/2006 Cummins Dodge Ram Megacab
1985 Multi Plan - Donated to the American Breast Cancer Foundation.
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #6 –
Hi Ramon and Greg;  I found the 1-1/16" lug nut covers from Wheel Masters here  Wheel Masters: Lug Nut Covers & Valve Stem End Caps   and they specify Ford and come in an 8 pack.  So I think that would fit Greg's lug nuts.  I can see why they would go missing often if they each have to be applied every time a wheel is changed.  (Thanks Debbie I was composing my earlier reply while you were. Zoro has a lot of 'car' stuff)  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #7 –
I wonder if the lug nut covers from Wheel Masters would work for my 1997 Lazy Daze?  They'd be sent to me in Alaska to take down to Arizona in the fall to replace a couple of mine that have gone missing. 

I tried Deb's Zoro link, but for their four nuts that cost $12.50, they want $56 to send them to Alaska!  I guess NOT.
I suppose Alaska is considered, as usual, to be international, though flat rate mail costs the same anywhere else in the U.S.
Kristin
1997 MB
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #8 –
Quote from: Kristin Lambert  - 
I tried Deb's Zoro link, but for their four nuts that cost $12.50, they want $56 to send them to Alaska!  I guess NOT.
I suppose Alaska is considered, as usual, to be international, though flat rate mail costs the same anywhere else in the U.S.
Kristin

They come in a very small package (7x6 inches). I'd be happy to place an order and send them to you via Priority Mail, if you think that will work.  I only needed two so I have a couple of spares.
My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #9 –
Hi Kristin;  You should have the same Kaper II wheel covers on your 1997 that I have on my E350 1999.  The wheel simulators for each wheel only have two nuts, 180 degrees apart that do anything. The other six 'nuts' are just fake covers over the studs.  The real wheel lug nuts are below.  On ours, two of the wheel studs do extend out and have 'jam' nuts that keep the simulator attached.  Are you saying that you have missing fake nut covers?  Of those 6, some would have been broken off and show the stud sticking through. I don't know that those can be replaced. They are swaged onto the cover during manufacture.
   I've heard that some tire attendants try to remove the fake bolt covers with disastrous results. The real nuts that hold the covers on have identifying marks and no flange, that meet the simulator surface.  I can see those going missing if the tire changer doesn't know how to torque them. They aren't holding the steel wheel on and can't take that amount of torque. (140 foot pounds). Those can go missing, maybe leaving the small jam nut on the stud. That does retain the cover, but looks bad.  A 9/16"-18 nut with a hollow stainless nut cover also swaged onto the jam nut to match (the other 6 nut covers that don't have nuts inside them). 
    Debbie, you should have the lug extenders, just on two studs per wheel, that the cover (simulator) mounts on.   RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #10 –
Quote from: RonB  - 
    Debbie, you should have the lug extenders, just on two studs per wheel, that the cover (simulator) mounts on.   RonB

I needed one cap for each of the front wheels that were broken when I had to get my tires balanced after a brake job (brake job on Texas, balancing in Colorado).

I also had to order new Alcoa hub covers from Zoro for the front tires as they were broken during the brake job and balancing as well. 😔

It was a very eventful trip to Yellowstone and back which included an inside dually sidewall puncture. But the trip was great otherwise! 😉

My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #11 –
Thanks, Deb,
If I can't figure it out I'll be in touch. 
Kristin
1997 MB
 
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #12 –
"It was a very eventful trip to Yellowstone and back..."

We are all still waiting for details of that trip!   ::)   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #13 –
Quote from: Lazy Bones  - 
"It was a very eventful trip to Yellowstone and back..."

We are all still waiting for details of that trip!   ::)   ;)

 Since you already know all the gory details, I'll copy and paste what I sent you with a few additions. 🙂
My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #14 –
"Since you already know all the gory details..."

These days I sometimes forget what I had for breakfast before it's time for my noon nap!   :-[   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: Lug nut cover 1989
Reply #15 –
Quote from: RonB  - 
Hi Ramon and Greg;  I found the 1-1/16" lug nut covers from Wheel Masters here  Wheel Masters: Lug Nut Covers & Valve Stem End Caps   and they specify Ford and come in an 8 pack.  So I think that would fit Greg's lug nuts.  I can see why they would go missing often if they each have to be applied every time a wheel is changed.  (Thanks Debbie I was composing my earlier reply while you were. Zoro has a lot of 'car' stuff)  RonB

This is the one! I had in my notes that I tried this one, but reordered anyway to see if it would work, and it did. I guess the 1-1/16" is what it takes to fit over the 1" nut.
 Thanks Ron.