Keeping "high hat" (hubcaps) attached!!

Chickadee · 07-18-2011, 06:30 AM

Does anybody know how best to keep those dome type "high hat" hubcaps (an even the flatter front hubcaps) securely attached to your rims???

We were just in Nappanee after repalcing tires up at Spartan in Charlotte, MI, and although we didn't notice any problem with these hubcaps after the drive down to Nappanee from Charlotte, yesterday, after a 400 + mile run Nappanee over here to Wisconsin Dells, I noticed during a rest stop that three of the rear hubcaps were nearly off !!! I pushed em back on, and twisted them a little hoping they'd stay put, but I'm worried we're going to lose one or more along the way.

Is there a trick to getting them to stay on tightly???

Thanks.

Steve & Lynette

ga traveler · 07-18-2011, 06:57 AM

Clean the hub, clean the inside of the cap. Apply three daubs of silicone (about the size of a quarter) to the hub. slide the cap back on. Do not use too much silicone, because you will have to be able to remove the cap sometimes.

allynne · 07-18-2011, 11:12 AM

Steve,

The best way to keep them on the to check them at every stop.

The high hats were held in place by 4 spring steel fingers fastened to the hub.

I lost the two high hats from my tags somewhere in west TX last year and ordered replacements from Sparton at $65 each.

The replacements came with 6 new spring steel fingers, hopefully the extra two fingers will keep the new ones on more firmly. I still check them at each stop while on the road.

Hope this helps, I don't think silicon on the hub will be of any use.

Al Sawyer
'05 MADP

ga traveler · 07-19-2011, 07:43 AM

[QUOTE=allynne;906625]Steve,

The best way to keep them on the to check them at every stop.

The high hats were held in place by 4 spring steel fingers fastened to the hub.

I lost the two high hats from my tags somewhere in west TX last year and ordered replacements from Sparton at $65 each.

The replacements came with 6 new spring steel fingers, hopefully the extra two fingers will keep the new ones on more firmly. I still check them at each stop while on the road.

Hope this helps, I don't think silicon on the hub will be of any use.

Al Sawyer
our dealership was a tourmaster dealer for ten years. We used this repair successfully for ten years. It came from the tech advisors at Gulfstream.

allynne · 07-19-2011, 10:49 AM

GA traveler,

My comment about silicon was based on the fact that on my MA the high hats do not make contact with the wheel hub. Perhaps other makes are designed a little differently, however this is a Newmar page.

Al Sawyer
'05 MADP

ga traveler · 07-20-2011, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allynne

GA traveler,

My comment about silicon was based on the fact that on my MA the high hats do not make contact with the wheel hub. Perhaps other makes are designed a little differently, however this is a Newmar page.

Al Sawyer
'05 MADP

You are right. I was working on Gulfstream Tourmasters.

Doc Mark · 07-20-2011, 06:34 AM

May be the wrong (hijack) place, but how do you get the front hubcaps on? I have tried a number of ways of aligning them & they won't seat! One side seems to go too deeply into the opening, and when I try again to seat it evenly it won't grab.

Mark

read & learn · 07-20-2011, 06:53 AM

you got to line the tabs on the cap just right with the groves on the hub and then turn the cap to lock it on.

Chickadee · 07-20-2011, 07:19 AM

THANKS to ALL for your thoughts. Don't know if there's a solution here, but I'm hoping that pushing the "high hats" on, and twisting em will do the trick. Will just keep checking them at every stop.

Thanks again.

Steve & Lynette

Perry White · 07-20-2011, 07:59 AM

Sounds like it is a Spartan problem. They took them off and on when they did the tires. If you loose one. I'd call them for a replacement. They should have adjusted the spiders because I know they know the problems with them. Silicone them on if you don't want to take a chance. They will come off with the wheels anyway. Only thing is you can't pull them off to check the oil fill. If it isn't leaking it's still full anyway.

Lug_Nut · 07-24-2011, 06:06 AM

Yes, the new designed rear cylinder shaped caps do have 6 contacts with new strap brackets. The front caps also have been upgraded to at least 5 hold points, up from 3. I just replaced all mine at Spartan. The front can use the silicone fix but I don't know about the rear. Putting silicone onit may make it unremovable without pulling the entire wheel.

Peter

ga traveler · 07-25-2011, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

Yes, the new designed rear cylinder shaped caps do have 6 contacts with new strap brackets. The front caps also have been upgraded to at least 5 hold points, up from 3. I just replaced all mine at Spartan. The front can use the silicone fix but I don't know about the rear. Putting silicone onit may make it unremovable without pulling the entire wheel.

Peter

Just don't use too much silicone. about three small places.

akadeadeye · 07-25-2011, 07:02 AM

Another suggestion. Take all of the lug nut covers off, then secure the hub cover, then replace the lug nut covers. On ours, a couple of the lug nut covers interfered with the outer rim of the hub cover, preventing it from "seating".

Don

Lug_Nut · 07-25-2011, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akadeadeye

Another suggestion. Take all of the lug nut covers off, then secure the hub cover, then replace the lug nut covers. On ours, a couple of the lug nut covers interfered with the outer rim of the hub cover, preventing it from "seating".

Don

Don, We must be talking about two different designs, the nut covers do not contact and is well away from the caps both front and back.

Peter