Magnum 500 Center Cap Attachment

[r1lark]

Getting ready to put on a new (new to me, not brand new) set of Magnum 500 wheels, and noticed that all the center caps are loose. Pulled them all off, and found two different methods of holding them on. 

One method was using the flat style 'speed nut' to hold the cap to the retainer; it appears that the speed nut was just pushed down until it bit into the stud, but there was really no way to tighten them uo:

The speed nuts were a bear to get off, they did not 'screw' off, finally just bent the tabs.

The 'studs' on the back side of the cap on this one was pretty bunged up. This was the worst one, but the others were not too much better:

Two of the other caps were held on with what were similar to 'Pal' nuts, but are actually called thread cutting nuts, made to be used on studs with no threads:

I figure these thread cutting nuts were the original method of holding the caps on. On one of the retainers, someone in the past had glopped on silicone to help hold it to the wheel; this was actually the tightest cap, hardly any movement -- but the nuts still were not able to be tightened properly:

So, finally to my question -- given the condition of the 'studs' on the center caps, the thread cutting nuts don't tighten up properly. Not sure if new ones would improve that or not (but doubt it, especially on the worst condition studs). And the sheetmetal speed nuts I do not want to use, they for sure don't tighten up and are a bear to remove.

Has anyone had this issue, and found an acceptable solution and/or modification (besides buying a set of reproduction center caps)? 

 

Edited Tuesday at 08:18 PM by r1lark

[mfg]

Paul, I have Magnums like yours on my Avanti…. however my center caps are much deeper, (or one could say ‘taller’ than yours)

Too  bad you can’t find a set of caps like mine, as they are retained by a cone shaped inner bracket, with two 1/4” short bolts passing through the cone and into the back of the center cap…. Bulletproof, and very easy to remove & install.

( sorry my comment doesn’t really help with your issue!)

[r1lark]

52 minutes ago, mfg said:

Paul, I have Magnums like yours on my Avanti…. however my center caps are much deeper, (or one could say ‘taller’ than yours)

Too  bad you can’t find a set of caps like mine, as they are retained by a cone shaped inner bracket, with two 1/4” short bolts passing through the cone and into the back of the center cap…. Bulletproof, and very easy to remove & install.

( sorry my comment doesn’t really help with your issue!)

I saw some pictures of those online, looked like a good sturdy system.