68 Continental with Aluminum wheels

[arncl]

Hi Dan I bought a 68 two door Continental and it came with Aluminum rims that look like they are factory. They have a Lincoln emblem in the center witch is held on be 3 screws. I tried to look them up but can't find anything about them. Have you heard of them are they factory pieces? Any info will be great Thanks Arn

[arncl]

Dan Sorry after looking at the picture I took it only has 1 screw Thanks again Arn

[Dan Szwarc]

No factory 1968 Lincoln ever shipped with aluminum wheels. It’s probably 70s rims.

If your trying to remove the center cap, the. It’s merely snapped onto three special butt-plug shaped posts.

Edit: this is for turbine rims only.

Gently pry them off using a large tool with a bend on the end like a pry bar or a steel trim removal tool. Be very careful not to damage the rim or over bend the stainless steel caps. Pry outwards near the posts.

[frasern]

The factory '70s turbine rims have snaps, dog dish ones have 3 screws. But these wheels will not clear the '68 calipers without modification, you likely have aftermarket rims.

[Mike]

A pic would help trying to determine what they are.

[Dan Szwarc]

Sounds like he may have the dog dish/ radar wheels, but we need a pic.

[TonyC]

Indeed; I'd like to see this as well. I remember trying a '70s wheel on Frankenstein for a short while. Although the stud pattern matched, the central hub hole was larger on the wheel, meaning the load was carried solely by the lug nuts and studs. It was only a short time, though, before I managed to acquire a proper '60s wheel.

---Tony

[1Bad55Chevy]

Indeed; I'd like to see this as well. I remember trying a '70s wheel on Frankenstein for a short while. Although the stud pattern matched, the central hub hole was larger on the wheel, meaning the load was carried solely by the lug nuts and studs. It was only a short time, though, before I managed to acquire a proper '60s wheel.

---Tony

Are the wheels a press fit on these 60s cars ? If it's not a press fit the hub hole in the middle of the wheel is not carrying any weight because there will always gap between the hub hole and the actual hub. The lugs carry all the weight of a vehicle and rely on the lug nuts to center the wheel to the mounting surface.

[arncl]

Here is a picture. Are they from a 70?

[Mike]

Don't know what year that rim started but it was used in the late 70s.

[arncl]

I have the car in the shop now but will defiantly check it out. Maybe I can get my Machinist Buddy to make some spacers for the hubs or I'll just have to get the right rims. I don't want to spend much money on it as I am trying to sell it.

[TonyC]

Those are more mid-'70s, like '76 and later. Ads from that year show them.

---Tony

[Lee]

Indeed; I'd like to see this as well. I remember trying a '70s wheel on Frankenstein for a short while. Although the stud pattern matched, the central hub hole was larger on the wheel, meaning the load was carried solely by the lug nuts and studs. It was only a short time, though, before I managed to acquire a proper '60s wheel.

---Tony

Are the wheels a press fit on these 60s cars ? If it's not a press fit the hub hole in the middle of the wheel is not carrying any weight because there will always gap between the hub hole and the actual hub. The lugs carry all the weight of a vehicle and rely on the lug nuts to center the wheel to the mounting surface.

And the differences between “lug-centric” and “hub-centric” wheels have been debated for a long time. I was always of the opinion the Lincoln used piloted or hub-centric wheels, not because of the support, but just because it was a better way of ensuring the wheel was perfectly concentric and would have minimum out-of-round vibration.

Whether the hub supplies any support is debated, and like many things, you can find support online for either camp, but I thought this particular analysis was well reasoned and presented well. The guy is a Ph.D, professional engineer, and failure analysis consultant, so I’ll go with the bona-fides in this particular case.
https://www.machinedesign.com/fastening ... ric-wheels

[1Bad55Chevy]

machinedesign_com_sites_machinedesign.com_files_uploads_2016_06_07_Graphic_3.jpeg (14.42 KiB) Viewed 205 times

This image from that article.....

He is saying that the wheel lost center because it was lug centric and the vehicle wasn't designed for that. This is where it loses credibility IMO.... If his explanation for the damage done to the wheel was correct EVERY lug hole would have been damaged since the wheel is rolling. Honestly it just appears that the wheel was ran loose or had the wrong lug nuts. Another issue I had with that article was the picture of the wheel stud broken. I have seen studs brake from being both over and under torqued but never in my life have I seen one brake that was using the CORRECT lug nut for the wheel torqued to spec simply driving down the road.

IMO if the wheel can be picked up and easily slid on the hub (especially after the brakes and bearings are hot) there is a gap. I honestly don't think the hub centric design isn't there for strength but rather to help center the wheel to the lugs before the tapered seat of the lug nuts centers the wheel to the studs.

Would it be safe to say that a TRUE hub centric wheel would use a flat face lug nut (for example a dully steel wheel) and a lug centric would use a tapper seat lug nut?

[455hota]

My 1979 Lincoln Continental has those wheels on it:

This car is a documented 28K mile car, and these wheels were on it when it left the Wixom Assembly Plant.