What is the difference in Hub Caps for K20s ?

[CJ2A]

I am impatient with my search, but feel the hub caps from 1971 to 1989 are very similar ?

Where can I see the different hub caps on K20’s to know what I want/need ?

It seems that the 71 & 72 Pickups only had silver painted wheels and the square body’s went to white wheels ? Is this correct ?

[special-K]

69-75 are the same stamping. The front K/20 cap cones outward around the hub. The 76-91 style does not. The hubcaps got flattened out w/o a raised center like the 69-75s, front or rear. The K/30s do cone outward same as the 69-75 K/20s. The 75-91 K/20 front caps have the same size center hole as 1/2t caps in any year for the smaller hubs. All 76-91 C/K 20 or 30 caps have six sections, spokes, etc and 1/2t have 5. So those caps are easier to identify 1/2t vs 3/4t. All 76-91 caps are aluminum. No 69-75 cap is, either chrome or stainless on those. I don't have any pictures to show. I'm sure someone will

[MJN]

Wheels were painted white on '71-72's. Per the GM Vehicle info packet for '72 trucks. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

Here are pictures of K20 hubcaps- these are on my '74 but other than the color of the bowtie they will work on '71-72. The front caps are the same. Also- I compared a 69-'75 K20 cap to a square body Dana 60 cap to show the differences there. The Dana 60 cap has a smaller center hole than the K20 cap does as well.

[jocko]

69-72 C/K20 PO3 caps were generally chrome plated caps with blue bow ties and convex centers (outies). In early square years (73-75), they evolved away from chrome, changed to yellow bow ties with concave centers (innies) (but note that thewre were some yellow bow tie outies early in the 73-75 window). 76 was the first year for the newer version of squarebody caps.

73-75 C/K20 caps are definitely usable for 69-72s, just need to carefully paint the bow ties Krylon True Blue. And after they transitioned away from chrome, they became polishable.

The most "valuable" caps are the original chrome 69-72 blue bow ties that are in GOOD condition. Hard to come by, the chrome caps were prone to cracking on the lips.
The yellow bow tie outies are very desirable because they can be made to look indistinguishable from the 69-72 blue bow tie chrome outies.
They yellow bow tie innies are still also desirable, one has to look close to be able to tall an innie from an outie inside 20 ft.
The yellow bow-tie non chrome caps are preferred by some because they are more easily repaired and can be polished.

[special-K]

I have always used the 73-75 innie stainless caps that also don't have black accent paint in the center. Just a nicer looking cap as well as better material. I'm about the GMCs, so the logo is always red anyway.

Actually, the K30 caps have a smaller opening than the 69-75 K/20 caps. A K30 cap won't fit on a 69-75 K/20.

[MJN]

Originally Posted by special-K

I have always used the 73-75 innie stainless caps that also don't have black accent paint in the center. Just a nicer looking cap as well as better material. I'm about the GMCs, so the logo is always red anyway.

Actually, the K30 caps have a smaller opening than the 69-75 K/20 caps. A K30 cap won't fit on a 69-75 K/20.

Thats right, my bad- I knew it was one or the other.

[special-K]

Your version seems more logical. I'm not running caps on my truck. One reason is because I like open wheels with chrome lug nuts for a tougher more truck-like appearance... and that was more common on the 4wds back in the era. The other reason is my truck is not yet worthy of N.O.S. and I don't have any #2s to run. Back before the K30 caps went as crazy on price as the 69-75s I went to pop a pair on my K2500 and it was a surprise to see they wouldn't work, at least not with factory Spicer lockouts. I think they'd work with Warn hubs. Other than to be correct, I always liked the 76-up caps better. They sit back in the wheel nicer and look right on the truck. They are smoother. Takes a second look to see they aren't the 'correct' caps, proven by the reason this thread was started