Leos 81

Hey all. The center cap of one of my wheels has come loose... again. The rim is aluminum and the center cap is plastic, but the fit isn't exactly snug. The first time it came loose, someone told me to just use some epoxy and also some duct tape on the inside and it would be fine. They were right, it was fine for a long time, but now it's come loose again, and I'm afraid that I'll be driving along some day, lose it, and never find it again.

Any suggestions on what I can do to make the fit more snug? It's pretty loose, enough that if I were to remove the tape from the inside, it would just fall off. I also put some tape along the edge of the cap to try to make the fit a little more snug, but it was really difficult to do. Is there anything I can do short of ordering new metal center caps?

Thanks to all in advance. I'm open to all suggestions. Here's a pic of the wheel if it helps any.

Edit: pic removed

Edit: pic removed

CA-Legal-Vette

I think that over time, the tangs on the back of the caps either break or just weaken. the rusult is a loose or soon to be missing cap.

I shy away from using duct tape, not because it doesn't work, but it seems to Bubba-esq. I've used RTV sealant for the same job. Not really any different than what you did, but it somehow feels better.

You could also let it fall off which justifies buying a new one. That should solve the problem as well. you might want to pull the emblem off first as you'll often have to pay for that piece separately.

IrishJoker

Silicon window sealant works great - Used it on mine until I bought the Metal hubs and spinners. Talk about a bi**h getting these on! Little tiny allen wrench and the screw is located BEHIND one of the spinners!

kevinator80

I agree with the rtv fix. On two different cars I installed new center caps the first one they would not snap into place so I rtv'd em with no problems, my current car's caps each snap into place but will spin in the groove, which worries me. I guess the al rim wears too.

CA-Legal-Vette

I used to think this but another Forum member told me that there are early and late luminum rims and that the caps are not totally interchangable. loose fit is how you can tell. Don't know if this is true but I've seen some evidence that supports this.

marshrat99

Silicon RTV here also.

stingr69

I THINK it is the recomended practice to use some RTV around the periphery before snapping them into place. That is what has worked for me. You can trim off any excess after it cures if you want a clean look.

-Mark.

Leos 81

Thanks all for your help so far all.

How long do you think it will take for the sealant to cure before I can drive the car again and not worry about my center cap? Are we talking minutes, hours, a day? just curious. I'm sure when I pick up the sealant, the instructions will say so, but you know how they usually far over-estimate on the package.

66since71

I found this thread, about 6 weeks old, when looking for "how to" on installing the center caps on a factory aluminum wheel. Any tricks to be sure the caps don't get damaged when they snap in? My old ones were glued on with silicone because the tabs had been damaged. Bought new tires (last time was 21 years ago), and new caps. Want to get it right the first time, this time.

Harry

SIXFOOTER

Use the black silicone sealer, it hides well on the black cetners on the wheels. If you got the plastic caps you definately need to glue them on, they will rattle and/or come off if you don't. The metal ones fit better, but not good enough to not glue them on. I just got the metal one with spinners and they come with set screws, don't have them on yet though

KapsSA

Well, call me Bubba. I use masking tape on several of mine. I wrap it around the lugs at the base of the cap, starting with 2 layers, and fold the excess into the cap. If it's too tight where I can't get the cap back on easily, I try using just 1 layer. Holds very securely. Nothing is visible and no adhesive cleanup is required if removed. I also don't ever remove the caps unless tire changes are made, it just wears out the lugs putting them on and off.
I've also found that pulling the wheels off the car and laying them flat on the ground makes putting the caps on easier when the tape makes them seem too tight. Easier to whack em on squarely.
Mike

SIXFOOTER

This is one of those Vette things that requires a Bubba fix, so I think its ok

rihwoods

I use rtv..and you can drive it right away...just be sure to apply all around the "land" or groove of the cap where it snaps in...

GUSTO14

I bought a '77 new back in the day and shortly afterward lost a cap from the aluminum wheels. I bought a new one from GM and tried to put it on. What I found was that the plastic clips that are part of the cap at the base were not long enough to reach in fully and engage the edge of the rim. I checked the other caps and found that most of them were not fully engaging the rim either. If you remove a rim and check how the caps engage the inside edge of the center hole you'll see immediately where the problem lies.

I realized that I needed to extend the clips or reduce the gap on the rim they needed to reach to engage the inside edge. I took a small flat file (about the thickness of the grove in the cap) and working around the cap, removed a little plastic all the way around in order to get the clips closer to the inside edge. Once the clips are fully engaged the cap can be twisted, but will still hold tight. Until they can reach all the way inside and engage the rim, the clips are just wedged in there and can easily come off. I have never had a trimmed cap (even one that spins easily) come off.

This is not a new thing or a reproduction thing, it has been a problem from the beginning. In a pinch I have also used the RTV trick with good success...

GUSTO

TXredc3

I used JB Weld on mine. Tighter than a .............

cchristo

RTV

JBB

3M Trim Adhesive. Comes in a tube (yellow or black). Also used for glueing gaskets on valve covers (just on the cover side).

Jclgodale3

When I had my aluminum wheels I bought new caps. They all fit somewhat loose. I simply heated each tang/tab enough to bend it out ever so slightly. I used a propane torch and just brushed across the tabs a couple times until I saw the tab start to "give". Suckers were tight and stayed on! Maybe not for everyone but elimated the so called "bubba" fixes

BLUSHRK

Super 77 will do also.

66since71

Thanks everyone for the advice. I put the new caps on today.

Two clipped on with a perfect fit. That is, the tabs engaged fuilly and the caps were "tight".

One was loose. I did not have the patience for the heat and bend option, so I used some silicone. It is nice and tight now, just 6 hours or so later.

One was so tight it suggested that the tabs would not "snap back" into place (GUSTO14's comment). I found some build-up and burrs on both the front and back mating surfaces on the wheel. A little work with a wire brush and a plastics flash removal tool, ad it became a perfect fit like the first two. GUSTO14 was right about the mis-match. I just solved it a little differently..

By the way this installation is actually for a 1966 C-2. I am running the old Camaro wheels that look a lot like knock offs, but are bolt on ('79? Z-28, I think), and are 15x7's (vs. 15X6 for the originals..). I am using the chrome pace car (or was it silver anniversary?) caps. Neat in that the emblem on the cap matches the other emblems on the car, and that you kind of do a double take to be sure they are not knock offs!

Thanks again

Harry