Chrome Wheel Center Caps

well rick its super ugly..lol i dont know when ill get it.
do u know where to find this "easy peel"
somethin to get at lowes or home depot?

I've done it with epoxy, and with a super glue called CA+. It's a gel with a spray hardner, available at model supply stores. Both times, it worked for a while, but eventually the tabs will break again. It's worth doing though when faced with the alternative - loosing the cap.

Try what AA suggested or:
Just try clear silicone RTV. Put a bead on the back side of center cap where it contacts the wheel. Put some duct tape on wheel and cap to hold it in place while the RTV cures. Preferably overnight. Then gently remove tape.
When you want to remove the cap and sealant it will come off without too much force and the sealant will just peel away without leaving residue.
I've used it as an adhesive before and works good.
Just be sure to clean the wheel and cap very good before applying the RTV and it will stick very good and should last along time if allowed to cure correctly.

I will add that I've reinforced all of my current tabs with adhesive as a preventative measure. The best way to prevent breakage is the remove and install the caps properly.

AA wrote:

I will add that I've reinforced all of my current tabs with adhesive as a preventative measure. The best way to prevent breakage is the remove and install the caps properly.

Did you use this epoxy as an reinforcement?

Yes. The tabs always break from the inside edge. I used a clear epoxy to create a radius on that inside edge. It may not help that much, but it's better than nothing, I think.

I think I will try that also.
I'm only missing one tab from one of my covers so far, I'd like to keep it that way if possible.

xxsupergman25xx wrote:

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?

Clear silicone cement works and scrapes back off easy. Heck for that matter silicone bathtub caulk works too - when you put it on just wipe off the excess with a facial tissue or paper napkin.

Albertj

before i read this i thought of bathtub silicone. its clear..can handle water. thanks guys

xxsupergman25xx wrote:

before i read this i thought of bathtub silicone. its clear..can handle water. thanks guys

I actually used it w/broken tabs, it works. Also silicone form-a-gasket works if you assemble things wet. Only problem is when the wrenchie says he did put some on but actually did not - the caps will set on if 2 adjacent lugs are gone but they come off pretty quick once you are on the road.

Albertj

albertj wrote:

I actually used it w/broken tabs, it works. Also silicone form-a-gasket works if you assemble things wet. Only problem is when the wrenchie says he did put some on but actually did not - the caps will set on if 2 adjacent lugs are gone but they come off pretty quick once you are on the road. Albertj

That's why if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

i used some bathtub caulking. i used a translucent tape to hold it in place for a few days just to be sure. took the tape off today..the cap looks to be held on quite firmly. the caulk dried clear so cant even tell. i imagine it will hold up under bumpy roads.

In my experience, as long as things were clean before you caulked the caps on they will be fine. The only problem is if you ever take off a cap for any reason you have to caulk it back on -- or Bye Bye Cap.

Albertj

ok good. yea i kinda figured once u take it off it needs to b e caulked again. since my tires were just rotated and theyre only like 6000 miles old to begin with..they shouldnt need to come of for like 6 months. by then hopefully i can get a new cap.

Recently the wife came home with one of the wheel centers missing from her car. That really kills the looks of any car especially one of these Rivs.

New tires were installed recently and before having that work done I removed the wheel centers and then reinstalled them after wards being as careful and gentle with them as possible. It seems that despite my best efforts some of the retaining clips were broken when I put them back on. (broken clips shown in photo)
Evidently these retaining clips become brittle with age and exposure to the elements and are eventually going to fail.

My recommendation is to go ahead and use some sort of adhesive or silicone to secure the wheel centers on your car before you loose one or more of them.

I have saw other posts where board members used silicone for this purpose and that will serve the purpose well. There was no silicone in my stash of stuff so I used the 3M weatherstrip adhesive shown in the pics and then used some masking tape to help hold some pressure until the adhesive cured. Look closely in the pic and you will see a little dab of the adhesive on the retain tabs. Use the silicone/adhesive sparingly. A little dab will do ya

Hope this helps prevent someone from losing a wheel center.

If you do lose one you can hopefully get a replacement from:
http://www.moradpartscompany.com/
they can also be bought on ebay.


Bert

Did you just glue the centercap on? How will you remove the lugnuts in the future??!!!???!!!

Bert,
Did you miraculously find the one that came off or did you buy another.?
If you had to buy another where did you get it and how much are they going for now.?

I got one from Morads and I also bought one off of ebay.
The guy from Morads said it would be $15.00 but he only charged me $5.00 on the invoice. The one on ebay was $17.00 shipped... I noticed the same fellow listed another one the next day for sale. If you need the link just let me know.

I waited a couple of days after the 3M weatherstrip adhesive cured and made sure I could get the centercap off. It came off no problem. Then I "glued" the others on. I have used the 3M weathertrip adhesive for repair on some other items before so I was pretty sure it would work for this job also. But if i had some silicone I would have used it...its cheaper.

Bert

Well, not sure if I lost it or if it was stolen, but I pulled the car out the garage today and noticed that the rear passenger side center cap was missing. I do recall driving along yesterday and hit a pretty rough spot in the road, but didn't hear anything or see anything in my rearview mirror. I went by that stretch of road today and walked it to see if thats where it came off, but no luck. Anyway, I called a few salvage yards around here and none of them had one. I called the dealership up here and it costs $140. , thats insane!!!!, a few years ago it was $80. I am currently looking online and have searched many online inventories but I am coming up empty. Any one see any for sale recently?

You might try Car-Part.com and see if there are any out there.
Good Luck

BMD wrote:

Well, not sure if I lost it or if it was stolen, but I pulled the car out the garage today and noticed that the rear passenger side center cap was missing. I do recall driving along yesterday and hit a pretty rough spot in the road, but didn't hear anything or see anything in my rearview mirror. I went by that stretch of road today and walked it to see if thats where it came off, but no luck. Anyway, I called a few salvage yards around here and none of them had one. I called the dealership up here and it costs $140. , thats insane!!!!, a few years ago it was $80. I am currently looking online and have searched many online inventories but I am coming up empty. Any one see any for sale recently?

Sometimes they are available on ebay.
There are some of the alloy centers on there now but I did not spot any of the chrome ones...

You should probably consider using some sort of adhesive(see above posts)
to secure your remaining center caps before they come up missing.

Bert

ibmoses wrote:

Sometimes they are available on ebay.
There are some of the alloy centers on there now but I did not spot any of the chrome ones...

You should probably consider using some sort of adhesive(see above posts)
to secure your remaining center caps before they come up missing.

Bert

Thanks guys, the search will go on....

Bert, My caps are on there pretty good, the tabs on the back of my center caps all have a really strong two part epoxy that my dad uses at the factory where he works. Nothing you can do though if some ass#*@% swipes 'em.

deekster_caddy wrote:

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...

1> Absolutely right. I've always removed my center caps before going to the tire shop, even back when they spoke English... Whether it's the Rallye wheels on the '69 Wildcat, the honeycomb Polycast rims on the '73 Grand Am, the vane-type cast aluminums on the '81 Eldo, or the chromed Rivi wheels, every damned center cap either comes off too easily or is too difficult to remove and install correctly.

Anybody found a NEW way to use the center caps once the tabs break off? How about the adhesive used to hold moldings on, just a dab to hold, but strong enough to hold em on?
Anybody got used ones for sale?

Straighteight wrote:

Anybody found a NEW way to use the center caps once the tabs break off? How about the adhesive used to hold moldings on, just a dab to hold, but strong enought to hold em on?
Anybody got used ones for sale?

You can stick them on the wheels by cleaning them (and the hub area) with a little dry gas on a clean rag and then a streak of RTV on the edge of the cap - in effecct you glue them in place.

Problem is (not a huge problem just a PITA) you have to do this *every* time you pull them off.

Albertj