Easy way to get center caps off without taking the wheels off?
 

Ok, newb question here...

Is there an easy way to take the center caps off without damaging the wheel and without taking it off?

Never tried!:iono:

They just pop out! Use a small, thin plastic tool - or a covered (thin towel) very thin flat screwdriver. They are plastic and are only held in by pressure...

Why be lazy and chance damaging your wheels or cap? They are purposely made difficult to remove so that people won't steal them.

:word:

I've damaged mine before. One little slip could be ugly.

Yeah, I think I'm going to just take the opportunity and replace my lug nuts at the same time I replace the center caps.

takes maybe 5 minutes to lift on end, unbolt the wheel, pop off the cap, and re-install.

if it takes you more than half an hour to complete all 4 wheels, your either drunk or doing something wrong ;)

That's funny you say that because my friend had all four of his stolen without any damage to any of his wheels.

But you don't know if the caps were damaged. The time I did mine it was the cap that was scratched. Not the wheel. You typicaly will pry toward the cap and not the wheel.

I've also gotten them off before without any damage.

They aren't theft proof. Just make it harder to steal.

Wow, such an easy thing to do; why go through all the bother of removing the wheel? Hmmm...I've painted my own set and installed and removed them - no issues, no scratches. It's a $4 plastic cap for Pete's sake - whomever Pete is ;)

Not all caps are 4.00 but and it's not really the cost that's a pita, but driving around with one missing till you can get one. Dealers don't always have them.

BUT, I don't care either way. On stock rims, I'd take them off without removing the wheel if I needed them real quick. NOT on a good set of am wheels though.

I will say now to use a plastic pry tool. The clear on that plastic is soft and damages very easily.

It's well worth the time to jack the car up and remove one wheel at a time! Think of what you can learn and do at the same time! For one take the time to clean the back side of your wheels, inspect the brakes and so on!

^^^^^ this for sure !! Don't risk damaging anything, plus you can do a safety check, and as stated, clean the back side of your wheels and put a good coat of wax on them !! :happy0180:..Then go have a cold one, or 2..