Easiest way to remove centre caps

[clk320x]

Hey guys

Can anyone help me out with an easy way to remove centre caps

Cheers

 

[tanuie]

If the old ones are no use, drill a small hole in the centre cap and put a hook or something similar and just pull them off.

 

[clk320x]

If the old ones are no use, drill a small hole in the centre cap and put a hook or something similar and just pull them off.

Unfortunately only drill I have is a massive hammer drill which isn't cordless

Do you think I could just say put a screw in it and pull it off? Can't be that hard can it?

 

[markjay]

Do you have a mobile phone cradle with a suction cap?

That works a treat. Or any suction cap, for that matter - bathroom hooks, kids toy arrow... etc.

(The ones with the locking tab - aka - 'lever hook' - are even better).

Just make sure that the centre cap itself and dry and clean before hooking the suction cap onto it.

 

[clk320x]

Do you have a mobile phone cradle with a suction cap?

That works a treat. Or any suction cap, for that matter - bathroom hooks, kids toy arrow... etc.

(The ones with the locking tab on the suction cap are even better).

Good idea! I must have one laying around will have a look. It's just one of those things that when you need it you can never find haha

 

[tanuie]

Unfortunately only drill I have is a massive hammer drill which isn't cordless

Do you think I could just say put a screw in it and pull it off? Can't be that hard can it?

Its only plastic, so the drill you have shouldn't be a problem. I think a screw would be fine.

 

[renault12ts]

I'm probably missing something, but here goes. Remove wheel, tap out from the inside. HTH.

 

[CabrioDave]

I'm probably missing something, but here goes. Remove wheel, tap out from the inside. HTH.

Yup, you're missing the bit where the OP asked for an EASY way
Four jackings, twenty nuts off and twenty nuts on ...

If not worried about making a nick into the old caps, an easy way is to use a fine screwdriver at the edge.

 

[Dec]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akd2q-S6jZw

 

[markjay]

Now let's not over-complicate things...

I used my mobile phone cradle suction cap to replace all 4 centre caps and it just does not get any easier than that

Us lazy people are so ingenuous when it comes to finding new ways how not to over tax ourselves

 

[clk320x]

Right, the eBay caps are s***

2 of the clips have snapped on fitting

How do these go on? Managed to get OEMs off but can't get these ones on

Do you tap them in with the metal ring in place?

 

[Codger49]

I think you do.

 

[markjay]

The original MB caps go in with a light tap of the palm (once they are corectly aligned).

The non-MB ones might be a tighter fit though (the MB caps do not have the metal ring bit).

 

[clk320x]

The original MB caps go in with a light tap of the palm (once they are corectly aligned).

The non-MB ones might be a tighter fit though (the MB caps do not have the metal ring bit).

Thought they did? Took off the OEM zones (they have a P/n on them) and a ring (rusted to hell haha)

 

[GLK]

The trick is to push evenly in, around the entire circumference, and yes eBay caps can snap, as the plastic is not OE quality. It help a lot to warm the lugs before fitting.

 

[GLK]

Old style MB caps had metal ring too, but the plastic was much less susceptible to breaking when cold.

 

[Wjk167]

Might be a crude way to remove. I got a large 4" screw and just hammered it in until it's through. Screwed it in a bit further and Then used the hammer to just yank it out. Worked a treat.

 

[190]

I was thinking about the ebay ones but now I'll carry on cleaning up the original ones and to do that properly they need to come off. I was OK with the "remove the wheel" suggestion. With a trolley jack it takes a few minutes per wheel and it's the only way that won't damage them.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Remove wheel and blow centre cap out with a suitable shot gun.

Be sure to carry out this procedure from the inside outwards to avoid damage to the alloy face.

 

[markjay]

Thought they did? Took off the OEM zones (they have a P/n on them) and a ring (rusted to hell haha)

The original MB caps that came with my car - and the new ones I bought from MB to replace them - had no metal ring:

Said that, there was a change around 2010 (I think), the older type - star with plain silver background - were replaced by the newer type - with the laurels circle on blue background similar the the traditional MB logo - so maybe that's when the design of the clips changed as well.