Hi Andy,
If I have read your question properly.
As far as I am aware in many years of cars with wire wheels, you do NOT grease the inner bevels on the wheel or hub or the outer bevel on the wheel, just the splines. The bevel is where the drive concentrates not on the splines. If you have greased the bevels (inner and outer) then the wheel will definitely knock (the splines taking all the torque) and will also ruin the splines over time.
On one particular 1936 Riley Kestrel we owned I had to rebuild the wheels and also slightly shorten the front wheel knock off thread to allow the wheel to press up hard onto the hub bevels which stopped the knocking. If I have read the question all wrong then swear once and disregard all.
Happy Miles.
From an engineering point of view the hub bevel locates the wheel when the centre nut/spinner is fully tightened in both lateral and vertical planes. The splines providing further location in vertical plane as well as transmitting radial force for driven and braking force for undriven front wheels. Final location from centre lock nut. I think it important therefore that both splines and hub bevel are greased to ensure most accurate location when tightening centre lock. Indeed if you accept the need to grease splines, excess will be pushed onto bevel as wheel is re-fitted making it impossible to leave it dry. If there is knocking the splines are worn or a poor fit from new, although in the latter case it seems fresh grease can hide it for a while.
