Chrome Wheel Center Caps

Ok, I was calling around seeing if I could find anyone with chrome center caps and I found a place that has ones that fit my seven spoke chrome wheels but they have no R on them. I have two right now but I'm thinking I could trade the guy two of mine with the R for two of his without it. Do you all think I should hold out and look for the centers with the R on them or just get ones that are solid like a mirror?

In a way I like the plain ones because they look good, but in another I like how the R identifies it. It goes along with the rest of the R's on the car. If someone is actually stealing my centers (Which I did think they were but I'm not so sure anymore) then the plain ones wouldn't be worthwhile to steal as they are totally blank, unlike the R ones (Not that I know what they'd do with a piece of plastic with fake chrome on it...). Opinions?

Ugh, I'm missing one too. If you get the ones with the mirrors, You wanna sell me one?

Could you get the ones with the mirrors until you find ones with the R on it? I'm with ya. I just can't see paying $43 for one.

Oh no, the dealer charges $55 per center (First and last time) we bought one from them. Most hubcap places I found that have them sell them for about $25 a piece. I'd ship you one but I haven't any idea how to do it really, most of my dealings with the internet are buying from a business so I don't know how the transactions would work out.

What really sucks, I actually have three with the R's on them but one of them is missing all but two of the tabs (And they're right next to each other). I wish I knew of some way to fix it but the plastic pieces are totally gone and the two that are left are actually held on with compound as well. I think the guy who owns that shop would maybe trade me if I offered him my R caps for his mirrors so I could theoretically only pay for one mirror but that'd leave me in the same situation. I just want all my centers on for prom (Tomorrow) so I don't look like a broke ass!

I have the fourth one, but like yours, my tabs are gone. It fell off when I was on the highway and I ran it over. The dealer in town wanted $83 for one and GMPartsDirect want $43, IIRC. I'd much rather pay $25. Where are these places you speak of?

You can use RTV Silicone to stick the center caps on if the tabs are gone. Clean the surface the cap sits on - run a bead of clear RTV silicone caulk around rim of cap - press on cap - smooth/remove excess RTV with WET finger (wash your hands and leave the finger real wet - the silicone won't stick and it will get a smooth and shiny finish) then Wha-La your center caps are on. They will pry off when you need to get 'emm off, no problem - it's just that you have to stick them on with the RTV.

Blue or black Form-a-Gasket will work, too. But you might have to use a toothpick after the finger to clean enough out of the cap-wheel seam that it does not show.

Oh by the way Do Not Use GOOP cement, it won't come off when you need it to. Just plain old RTV silicone - the caulking stuff - in 'clear' - get it at a hardware store like rue Value or Home Depot or some such. AND BE SURE the surfaces you're putting RTV on are CLEAN.

Best,

Albertj

I bought 4 with an "etched" R instead of the "molded" R on eBay for $70. This seemed OK for four. I had just bought 4 chrome 7-spokes and I needed something. From a distance, you cannot see the R well but up close it is OK.

In my experience the tabs get broken when someone does not pay attention to aligning the cap up before replacing it.

I'm very careful when I put them on and take them off. I have no idea whatever happened to it, I just looked one day and my passenger front wheel was missing the cap and the rest were still on. I had several that the tabs had to be glued on but the rest were mostly new and those are the ones that are still in good shape.

I'm pretty sure the first two centers we bought were stolen, my dad works in a bad part of town and it happened while he was at work. We went to the dealer and paid $55 for one and then they stole one of the caps in good shape (Of course they couldn't have taken one of the crappy ones...).

Ryan, this is just some guy with a little shop out of his house called Hubcaps & More and he just carries all sorts of this stuff. I just typed in "Hubcaps in KY" and found a bunch so just try putting something like that in and see if it pulls something up.

I think I might try the RTV silicone and wait until I find something cheap.

Man, I really hate to do that. I feel like if I ever got a flat I'd look like an idiot because I can't just stick it back on. Or if I ever took it to a tire place and they took it off they'd see that it wouldn't go back on. Damn GM, why didn't you make better centers!? Our Aurora Centers don't have that pesky little rim and tabs to break off or anything.

Ya, I'd hate that too, but it's really an eyesore to have just one missing.

I stopped by a body shop today. Prices for center caps from him are in the $70-$80 plus for either 12 spoke or 7 spoke wheels.

Quote :

You can use RTV Silicone to stick the center caps on if the tabs are gone.

Only problem is, the cap may fly off before you get to that point. Usually, broken tabs stay inside the center wheel area, so when you find one broken, use a 5 min epoxy to glue it back on - will hold for several thousand miles, even when removed a few times. A cap with one missing tab will stay on. Two missing tabs you are taking chances. Two adjacent missing tabs, the cap will not stay on - time to get a new one.

Yeah, exactly the problem I have. I used to have one missing two on opposite sides which made no real difference. The one I'm talking about has two that are side by side and none anywhere else, there's no way it'd stay on. This is why I'm looking at a new one.

At present, I have no centers on (The centers of the wheels are spray painted silver so it doesn't look that bad). I first suspected someone stole it so I was pissed and took them all off. I realize now it's possible it fell off somewhere but I'd assume have four wheels with no centers than two with and two without. I'm gonna give that guy a call and see if he'll trade me one of my R caps for the mirror finishes and just buy the other two so I'll have three mirrors and one R (I can just trade it for a mirror whenever he gets another one in. I guess it wouldn't be that noticeable to just have one center different than the rest.

I know I'm probably putting too much thought into this but I don't want it to look stupid while I'm trying to find one more to match the set. I'd just assume use the mirror ones since if people really are stealing them they wouldn't take those.

Ahhh
This thread is the reason behind why I take my center caps off and leave them home whenever I have any tire shop working on my car (except if I know my brother is working on it)...

If you use RTV to stick the center cap on, odds are the tire shop will too.

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Taking caps off before the tire guys get to them is not a bad idea.

Here's one for you. After some phone challs and a check on TireRack.com, decide to buy a new set of Uniroyals locally - a set of Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring tires. Old name but a new design from Michelin (they make Uniroyals). nice tire, conscientious shop - the only beef I have with the shop is they run their appointment book like a dentist office. For tires?!?! I think one reason for it is that the *real* business, it turns out, is wholesale. They are one of a few warehouses supplying all the independend tire dealers/service garages/used car dealers in this SMSA. Their retail prices are *very* fair but they ration their time such that it can be tough to get in. I guess it is so they don't p*ss off their wholesale customers -- it can be much easier to pay the retail chop and have a local shop put their tires on your car rather than try to get an appointment... Anyway - my winter tires are on different rims than the summers. This year at tire changeover time, I take off the winter rims, put on the summers, put the center caps on the floor behind drivers seat - then take the car out to this tire dealer.

I go there with my spouse, get the tires on, Shop owner (posing as the service writer, what a humble guy) says, Your Lamborghini is Ready. I tell him I was not expecting my italian mistress. Spouse grimaces (it's a running joke between us, the 'italian mistress' was our nickname for her Audi because like an italian acquaintance of ours it also was High Maintenance). Shop owner says, only problem is your center caps seem to be missing. I tell him they are on the floor behind drivers' seat, real problem is probably more that it's near closing time, whcih makes many things harder to see. We both laugh.

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So my last original cap finally vanished - one of the tabs broke, I did not epoxy it back or put it on with RTV, so it vanished after the first long drive. Bought replacement from m local dealer. Was about $65, all told - AFTER a discount from $83 (retail). The marks on the inside face tell me it was made 4th week of December, 2004.

There's gotta be a viable Plan B for gettting replacement caps for our rivs. Maybe the plain caps and having at the same time some appliques madeup to stick in the centers.

Sheesh.

Albertj

You know Albert, it's funny that you mention Tiger Paws - those are the tires I have on my Riv!

Which ones? The TPT's I got supposedly have a revised design. They're fine - don't hydroplane at highway speeds. Quiet. (at least, quieter than the Michelin X DL's I had ever were) Only thing I don't like (but can live with 'cause I don't push too hard) is they don't squeal on corners when pushed.

I had a Dodge Lancer ES (with the turbo), had a set of Uniroyal Rallye GTS tires. Tires were fine - you could push them hard in corners and they would not squeal - BUT when you pushed too hard they would chirp and then let go. OOOOOhhhh let's just say I only did that once - did not break anything - was a cheap lesson. Much better, I think, to have your tires 'call an audible' and squeal if you're cornering too fast.

Got to run

Albertj


I suspect the TP Touring tires may be similar.

Bah, I'm not sure exactly but they're Uniroyals.

These caps are soo fragile. Is there a secret to taking them off or on that places less stress on the plastic tabs that would keep the tabs from breaking? Do you think removing them in warm weather should be preferred if possible?

Always do them by hand, never use a mallet. While they are off make sure the metal ring is on the right sides of all the little plastic tabs, that helps reinforce everything.

I always take them off before I go for tires or alignment because I know any shop will screw them up and they aren't obtainable...

Probably is better to remove them when warm. Maybe in cold seasons, drive the car a few miles before pulling the caps off.

I've lost 3 or 4 caps due to broken tabs. The caps will stay one with one broken tab. They'll stay on with 2 broken tabs on opposite sides. But when 2 adjacent tabs break, the caps won't stay on. Usually you lose caps over a hard bump, or during rumple strips.

Best way to avoid breaking tabs - don't remove them frequently. If you know you'll be doing work on the car, plan to do everything with the caps off, even if it's over a period of days or weeks.

Next tip - don't let anyone else but you remove the caps. Take them off before taking the car in. Shop workers will break them every time. They are working so fast, they don't have time to be careful. They'll even use your caps as a "lug nut dish" sometimes. My tire mechanics have even told me they feel the design is defective, and that's what they tell customers when they break them. Yes, they've broken one of mine, and yes, they paid me the $80 for a new one.

Removal - when you take a cap off, use a long, thin flathead driver wrapped in a soft polishing cloth. Look closely around the edge of the cap and you'll see a few slots where you can insert the blade of the driver. Use the driver quickly to pry the cap as far out as you can (driver handle will touch the wheel or tire). Release tension, and the cap should hang out of the wheel opening on it's own. You can try pulling the cap off with your fingers, again do it quickly. If you can't get a good grip on the cap, use the flat head to pry the cap off a little more. Be careful to catch the cap if it pops out.

Install - place the cap into partly in the wheel center, then apply tension with one hand while using a fist to gently tap the cap in. Don't bang it in hard, do it quickly with just enough force. Takes about 2 taps usually.

I know they're fragile, you just need to give them a little TLC. Good luck!

Has anyone ever attempted to Glue or use some sort of adhesive to stick center caps on? On my one cap all the clips came off. i do not feel like spending 30 bucks for a new one right now. but dont want it exposed...ive heard of some people sticking them on. is this a bad idea? i dont need a tire rotation or have any reason to take off the wheel for a while. what u think?

As much as it looks like crap with it off, I personally would not use an adhesive that I would have to try and remove later. Could get messy and adhesive removers could possibly take the finish off your wheel.
Why not wait until you can buy another center cap?

I've heard of the "easy peel" silicone being used to hold them on if the clips have all broken...

Yeah, that would work.