Spacers for Centre Caps?

[dagnabbitt]

I picked up this 72 GMC 2500 with a 6.2 diesel during the summer: I really like this truck. Fuel economy, combined with power steering, power brakes, shoulder harnesses... and tilt (!) makes it kind of a luxury vehicle to me, compared to my other 67-72s.



When I got the truck, it had these crazy wheels on it which I have to admit did grow on me over time... but they just are not "me", and they had to go. I had some rough 2010 Suburban wheels which I painted up. I got conversion lug nuts, modern centre caps, and installed them. The truck rides much nicer now since these are 17's and the other rims were 20s, and the truck is slightly less of an eyesore. I have some plain steel wheels I am getting sandblasted right now, so these wheels will not be the last word on the subject but I think they are an improvement. I can also now sell those crazy 20s and put a little money in my pocket, I wonder what they are worth.

The issue I have now is that the rear axle is a floater so the caps will not fit over the hub. I have heard of people double nutting the rear wheels: taking a stock lug nut, then putting a conversion lug nut on top to create a spacer. I am just checking to see if that is what most people who have made this change recommend, or if there is a better way to achieve the look that I want.

[Ol Blue K20]

I remember reading that the dually caps fit the rear. The center is big enough to fit over the hub.

[dagnabbitt]

Thanks, I hope I can find some, I would like to try that.

[Ol Blue K20]

No problem, keep us updated

[special-K]

Why not use wheel spacers?

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by special-K

Why not use wheel spacers?

That is an interesting option, too. I was just thinking that the wheels look a little too "tucked in" at the rear, so that might kill two birds with one stone.

I will post what I end up deciding. If anyone has recommendations for wheel spacers let me know.

[dagnabbitt]

So I decided that the Yukon wheels and tires that I have posted on the truck will look better on my 2010 Yukon... and that what the green machine needs is steelies.

Still waffling on that rear hub cover, though. I am hesitant to use wheel spacers, and I am also not sure how a dually hub cover would look in the back. I have found these online and they might suit the truck and cover the hub properly.

Would I put the "rear" cover on all four wheels so they match? Although there are lots of threads on the conversion lug nuts, I can't find much on this particular issue since most of these conversions are on 1/2 tons. It would be great to have some pics as a guide if someone has done before.

[special-K]

I think www.lugnutking with have the SAE duplex lug nuts. I know the lug pattern went to 170mm (I think?) from 6.5" on 8-lugs. The wheels are close but do not interchange. Not sure it's a problem with center caps or not. I know it's close. Maybe someone has experience with this

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by special-K

I think www.lugnutking with have the SAE duplex lug nuts. I know the lug pattern went to 170mm (I think?) from 6.5" on 8-lugs. The wheels are close but do not interchange. Not sure it's a problem with center caps or not. I know it's close. Maybe someone has experience with this

Ditto on this info. Verify the different pattern caps will work for what you want to do. Try finding someone you might know that has the later caps to test fit (co-worker/neighbor/board member/random hot-rod or repair shop) unless where ever you purchase them from allows returns.

[dagnabbitt]

Thank you to those who pointed me in the right direction with my question, I relied upon the advice I received in this thread and found what worked.

Although I considered spacers, I decided to just be simple and get conversion lug nuts and dually caps for the rear: they fit perfectly of course. Thanks Ol Blue and Special K for those suggestions

The ones I used were the early, black OBS style: the fronts are repopped but the rears are OEMs that you might be lucky enough to find in a junkyard. I like them especially on my satin black steel rims.

Also for future searchers of this topic, Special K is right, they changed the 8 lug bolt pattern when the wheel went from 16" to 17": they will not fit. I tried one and it was close but a no go.

[bwl101]

That looks good and loving the XTs as well! I have enjoyed them since they've been on mine!

[FleetsidePaul]

Those wheels look way better. Good call.

[RichardJ]

I rejected the idea of wheel spacers, because you loose the Hub-Centric feature with the spacers that are available.

Instead, I made a spacer for the rear Hummer cap.
I found a good set of GMC caps which fit fine on the front, but have yet to fabricate new spacers for the rear.

[special-K]

That looks great, Dave. So, it's when the wheels went to 17" that the lug pattern changed? Good to know. I suggested wheel spacers as a solution that came to mind. But to be honest, I'm not big on those myself. I have never used them before. The larger center cap on rear looks right. Same as front would have looked good as well, for sure. But GM did that where they had to and you did what GM would have done. Also just used to seeing the full-floating rear hub protrude anyway. In the end, it probably won't stand out to most people anyway.

I put black D-hole wheels on a '91 V2500 Suburban and used the same black center caps 9as front) to trim them out w/o adding chrome. I used a hole saw and cut out the center for the front

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by special-K

That looks great, Dave. So, it's when the wheels went to 17" that the lug pattern changed?

Looking at what I posted and just want to clarify that I was incorrect, it is not the 17" rim: it was a year change.

Starting in 2011 the pattern for 8 lug Chevrolet products went from 8 x 165.1mm, to 8 x 180mm.

Its a pretty subtle change, so subtle in fact that they really look like they would fit.

I monkeyed around with one for probably 15 minutes before realizing the difference. It was confusing to me because a change like that would seem to be something you do during a model change, or a clean sheet of paper design change. Instead, my 2010 Yukon XL is pretty much indistinguishable from a 2011, with the exception of the lugnuts being 15.1mm further apart.

Learn something new everyday with Chevys.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

Thank you to those who pointed me in the right direction with my question, I relied upon the advice I received in this thread and found what worked.

Although I considered spacers, I decided to just be simple and get conversion lug nuts and dually caps for the rear: they fit perfectly of course. Thanks Ol Blue and Special K for those suggestions

The ones I used were the early, black OBS style: the fronts are repopped but the rears are OEMs that you might be lucky enough to find in a junkyard. I like them especially on my satin black steel rims.

Also for future searchers of this topic, Special K is right, they changed the 8 lug bolt pattern when the wheel went from 16" to 17": they will not fit. I tried one and it was close but a no go.

They look great! I'm glad it worked out for you.

[northerngmc]

I ran into a simliar problem with the Ion 18x9 wheels on my 68 C20.

I built a spacer to go between the wheel and the cap out of a toilet flange.







Then I decided the wheels were too black and plasti dip coloured the letters on the centre cap and added a pinstrip.

[HalfBrit]

Nice results on the wheels/centers! As a side note, I picked up a set of billet aluminum hub-centric spacers for my '70 C10 2WD. I have 17X8's and, as mentioned earlier, had an issue with the rear wheels sitting further in the fender lip than the fronts. I just used 1/2" plain spacers (no studs) to tighten up the fitment. I provided all the measurements required to ensure a perfect fit from axle flange to wheel. Very happy with the quality. Here's a link for anyone considering that option. https://www.uswheeladapters.com/