So, after months of wondering what the hell was going on with my clicking & creeking rims (16.5x14 Weld Sidewinders), we finally found the problem and a fix. The problem is with the conehead center caps. With it being a metal to metal contact with the rim, when driving, the rim flexes and causes the clicking & creeking noise. What I did was went and bought a tube of silicon and put a bead of it around the edge of the conehead center caps. I allowed it to dry for 24 hours and put the caps back on and thus no metal to metal contact. Guess what happened...no noise!!! :7 If you are experienceing this or know someone who is, call this guy:

Brandon Lowery
Weld Wheel Industries
1-800-488-9353 ext279
BLowery@Weldracing.com

I told him a simple fix would be for the factory to put some sort of seal around the end of the conehead caps so there wouldn't be a metal to metal contact. He says that he is going to talk to the engineers about it and I think if he hears a few more voices, maybe they will do something about it sooner. For the amount of money we pay for Weld rims, I think that this problem shouldn't exist. He also keeps a database so maybe if he hears enough of us, they will fix this problem and give us the new caps

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-May-02 AT 08:02 PM (EST)]Would a thin O-ring work?That's what the Mickey Thompson's on my 96 use.

 

Excellent trouble-shooting! It's sad that the consumer is left to do this kind of work, but with enough voices, things can change.

 

I'm sure the o-ring would work. See, its a simple fix that I think Weld should implement.

 

CHADROCK, That is funny as hell I just put on my new welds last week,same problem It took me a day to figure it out. I just put lock tight on the last few threads of the bolt! FIXED! haha that cracks me up! I wish I wiuld have seen this last week I could have told you! Sorry bro!

 

Thats still wouldn't have fixed mine though because there would still be metal to metal contact. The rim would flex against the centercap making the noise. Thanks for the info though.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-May-02 AT 04:09 PM (EST)]I've talked to one of the head engineers at Weld. His name is Mike Kent. If you have any problems with these conehead caps on your truck, pleasegive him a call at the Weld number above and let him know. I don't have an extension for him, but if you just ask for him, they will transfer you. He says they do know of the problem and they are looking into fixing it, but a few more voices wouldn't hurt.