Can't get center caps off?! (and no I'm not a ******!)

16Klappe

16Klappe

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Right, I simply CANNOT get the center caps off the S4 reps.

I cut the tabs down to fit them months ago and was worried about them falling off.

But now no matter what I do I can't take the caps off, I've obviously used the hooked tool and they are on so tight the tool just bent. So I pulled the Audi badge off one of them and the black inner cap to get access to just the center cap. I hooked a coat hanger through the cut outs on the cap and pulled like buggery to get them off.

They wasn't budging! All four of them!

299180_10150400339370130_709735129_10612157_5346382_n.jpg


I don't really want to break them, so has anybody got any ideas? Or a picture of the inside of a cap so I can see what I have to do to ease them off? No I'm not sliding a knife down the edge of the cap to prize them off, and I have pulled as hard as I physically can on them with no regard to breaking the caps. I just wanted them off at that point!

So yeah, any tips?

*edit*

Right, have pics of the caps before fitting -

292037_10150400368510130_709735129_10612443_7301491_n.jpg
 
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lol The only way is to just pull harder or maybe get some rope or something around the coat hanger for more leverage, It's only the plastic lugs holding them on!
 
16Klappe said:
No I'm not sliding a knife down the edge of the cap to prize them off
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Not even a butter knife or similar? A blunt piece of metal wont damage the wheel.
 
ptr said:
Not even a butter knife or similar? A blunt piece of metal wont damage the wheel.
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The gap is too tight, I'm not risking damaging the wheels. I'd rather smash the center caps than risk a single mark on them. :(

No luck, they ain't coming off with brute for or ignorance. And not being big headed but I'm strong as ****! I pulled so hard on them I've cut all my fingers on the coat hanger. So I'm just going to smash them up tomorrow and take them off that way I guess.
 
Take the wheels of and pop them of from the inside maybe with aScrew driver or something!
 
liquids3 said:
Take the wheels of and pop them of from the inside maybe with aScrew driver or something!
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lmfao, mate he needs the caps off to get to the wheel nuts :).
 
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while you have a gap in the centre cap to push things through get a pick push against the plastic thats holding the metal ring in and use another pick with a curved end to pull on the metal ring doing the two at the same time will help move the ring making the centre caps easy to come out as its the metal ring that makes them harder to pull out.
 
liquids3 said:
Take the wheels of and pop them of from the inside maybe with aScrew driver or something!
Click to expand...

i thought that same mate as i had centre caps like those on my olds wheels. just popped them off from the back.
 
Hairdryer!

they're plastic so the heat should make them softer and maybe easier to remove....
 
s3dave said:
Is that a wind up dave?? :lmfao:
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sadly no unless theres a pic or something i cant see at work! lol

on my wheels the centre caps were just clipped on and u had to just take the wheel off and pop em out. the nuts were exposed though not hidden behind the cap itself. was a small one in the middle
 
I'd take them red shoes off first and see if that helps.....:undwech:
 
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Right, but of an update.

Have cut a hole in the center of the caps and removed the metal spring ring, this didn't make any difference. The springs are loose now, just rattling about in the center bore of the hub.

So with the metal spring removed and a couple of the clips broken off they will not budge.

This seems so stupid, its as though somebody has superglued them on! There is nothing I can see holding them on and as you know I'm good with the spanners!
 
Think you`re going to need a bigger whole in the middle...ie the size of the centre bore and completely rape the cap with anything you`ve got to get them off. Hole big enough to get some grips in or pliers and yank the sh!t out of them?
 
Jason.s said:
Think you`re going to need a bigger whole in the middle...ie the size of the centre bore and completely rape the cap with anything you`ve got to get them off. Hole big enough to get some grips in or pliers and yank the sh!t out of them?
Click to expand...

Yeah, raping the **** out of them is the next option. Just cannot believe I can't remove a set of ******* center caps?!
 
W3STY said:
Is there a possibility that it is down to retardment? ;)
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Haha, I'm pretty certain I'm not being stupid. They are just stuck on, I'll have to break one off and see whats sticking it on haha!

This is the sort of thread you would normally find but with a really stupid reason why.

"My 1.8 A3 1996 won't move, I can't get it to pull forwards or backwards in any gear"

"Have you got the handbrake on?"

"Oh thanks, didn't think of that"

Springs to mind.
 
I'd give the centre a good few whacks with a rubber mallet to loosen it a little, all the muck and grime might have helped weld itself onto the bore of the wheel, then try and see if you can spin the centre cap (if there anything to hold onto to twist), if it turns, use the tool to pull the cap off.
 
Stupid question alert.........but did you paint them ?
 
Haha, Jardo was the one you were looking for.

It hasn't got a gap around the center ring no, can't even get a stanley knife in it!
 
16Klappe said:
Haha, Jardo was the one you were looking for.

It hasn't got a gap around the center ring no, can't even get a stanley knife in it!
Click to expand...

Thats the one I was looking for,the metal ring inside has it a gap ?
 
the one in the pic,all four means a design fault
 
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