Wheel Centre Caps - Getting Them Off Easily?

[TimEwins]

Hi All

I've decided to buy a new set of wheel centre caps for my Boxster S 550 (seal grey with coloured emblem, the dearest Porsche sell BTW)

The question is how easy is it to get the old ones out, and the new ones in ?

I am sure someone has done this already, so before I try I thought I'd ask.

I am thinking perhaps a couple of small allen keys through the holes and pull off. Is there a specialist tool :0)

Help appreciated

Tim

 

[MarcBC]

Well, the b'stards that stole mine last week off my Carrera Sports wheels, obviously had no problem.

I suspect there is some kind of tool, but two of anything with a handle and prong should do it. I suspect a good strong pull will be needed however.

The new ones just clip into place with a firm push.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Allen keys will damage the holes (I thought it a good idea as well [&:] )

It takes only a few more seconds to jack up and get the wheels off. Then you can decide to spend a couple of hours leaning the inside of the wheels "while they are off..." []

 

[Tool Pants]

.

 

[TimEwins]

Is that Porsche Special Tool M986-9999? :0) (I made that up)

Seems like a lot of hassle to get the wheels off just for this.

I guess the old ones are coming off to be replaced so I guess it doesn't 'matter' as much. Just don't like damaging things for the hell of it.

Are they all plastic, or are they metal backed like the old 924/944 ones ? How much force is involved

What would your Porsche centre do ?

I also bought a set of porsche crested valve caps too ... wonder how long they will last ? (I've been reading the other thread) but they were only 4 for about £10 which I didn't think was too bad for Porsche

Tim

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Try a wire coathanger 1st Tim - you want to bend it so that you pull on both holes at once.

 

[Tool Pants]

There is actually a special tool that Porsche sells to remove the wheel cap. A salesperson I know has one.

Looks like a bent piece of coat hanger with plastic tubing in the middle.

 

[bradders]

Heres one made out of a coat hanger, worked for me and they came out really easy, by the way you can get tthe coloured centres on E Bay, no doubt they will be much cheaper...

Mark http://grr.xoc.net/boxster/articles/hubcap.asp

 

[channella]

Crikey that all looks quite elaborate. I bent the last 2cm or so of a piece of coat hanger into just less than a 90deg bend. Carefully inserted it in one of the holes, and pulled. The only thing I tried to do was point the end in the cap along a diameter so that bit was laid along the underside of the cap. Worked time and time again without any problem.

The same bit of wire had a bend on the other end (which helps the above proceess by offering some grip), and it is also used to take the tension off the joining link when fitting/removing the chain from my mountain bike.

The crested caps loose their vibrance after a while, and the shield can drop off. I've now gone back to the black painted ones originally supplied with the car, and so enjoy a more monochromatic wheel and car[]

 

[TimEwins]

Thanks for everyone's help .....

I hadn't thought of using a coathanger ... obvious really when you think about it

I wonder how much Porsche might charge for the 'special tool', which is a piece of bent wire with some PVC tubing as a handle?

Still waiting for my new caaps to arrive .... Porsche centre was supposed to ring me :0(

Cheers

Tim

 

[sailor]

Electrical pliers do it easily - those long- jawed ones.

John C
993turbo

 

[Tool Pants]

All sorts of ways to get a cap off....

 

[TimEwins]

I found out today that Cayenne's come with a removal tool in the toolkit

 

[Guest]

A tool for removing the Cayenne completely - very welcome addition to the kit []

 

[Bluebox]

The easiest way to remove the caps is to remove the wheel and just push them from the inside...[8D]