How to remove wheel center caps?

ChapelHillMBFan · 03-22-2011, 09:37 AM

I am wondering how to remove the wheel center caps. I want to swap out the regular three-pointed star center caps on my 2007 CLS550 with the blue/laurel three-pointed star center caps, but it is not obvious to me how to take the center caps off. Can I do this without removing the wheel, or does the wheel need to come off so that the center caps can be tapped out from behind? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.

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J J · 03-22-2011, 11:50 AM

I would just take the wheel off and tap it out.

lkchris · 03-22-2011, 12:27 PM

You have to take the wheel off and push the cap out from behind.

ChapelHillMBFan · 03-22-2011, 04:51 PM

Thanks for the response. And, yes, all indications are that the wheels have to come off. I was just wondering if it is something I could do myself without taking the wheels off. I stopped by my local MB shop today, and they said they need to be tapped out from behind. I'll take it by later this week to let them do it on a lift. Should only take 30 minutes or so.

butthead713 · 03-30-2011, 11:57 AM

id do it myself if i were you there is nothing to it

B R · 03-30-2011, 06:49 PM

If you are too lazy to take the wheel off, & don't mind trashing the old CCs, you can probably drill a hole in the middle of it, screw a good size self tapping screw into it, & grab that with a vicegrips & pull it out.

erose7 · 04-15-2011, 07:55 PM

I did mine and I didn't have to remove the tires. I used an extremely small flat head screwdriver and very carefully put it between the rim and the cap. It popped right out and didn't damage my AMG rims or the cap, just in case I ever wanted to re-use them.

wadgras44 · 04-21-2011, 10:25 AM

a strong suction cup and yank should do the trick

davidbijan · 04-21-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erose7

I did mine and I didn't have to remove the tires. I used an extremely small flat head screwdriver and very carefully put it between the rim and the cap. It popped right out and didn't damage my AMG rims or the cap, just in case I ever wanted to re-use them.

Did the same works well no damage

Stoofpilot · 04-21-2011, 09:10 PM

Go heels!!

ChapelHillMBFan · 04-21-2011, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoofpilot

Go heels!!

Indeed! Harrison Barnes is coming back, and we are a likely pre-season #1 pick. Repeat of '09?

As to the wheel caps, I had the tires balanced (for $40), and they swapped out the caps gratis.

jbm37379 · 07-13-2011, 09:57 PM

My 2004 e500 is going through tires in less than 15,000 miles. We live on a mountain but don't drive like we're autocrossing or anything. As a result, wheels are coming off of car quite frequently and center caps are constantly getting damaged by "tire store idiots". Is there some trick to removing them that I could pass along to the morons at the various tire stores? I saw that they have to come off after removing wheels from car(preferred method) by tapping them from behind-any other tricks? Also, they are having difficulty aligning passenger side rear tire-toe is slightly out of spec and they can't get it within tolerances-the slot where the adjustment bolt is is at end of adjustment. Checking parts-see no damage. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Falken Ziex 912's and like the tires but am only getting 13-15K miles with them. I refuse to pay three times the price for "better " tires if they are only going to last less than twice the mileage.

03-22-2011, 11:50 AM
J J Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 91	I would just take the wheel off and tap it out.

03-22-2011, 12:27 PM
lkchris MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 4,918 Drives: '07 GL320CDI	You have to take the wheel off and push the cap out from behind. __________________ Kent Christensen Albuquerque '07 GL320CDI

03-22-2011, 04:51 PM
ChapelHillMBFan Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 109 Drives: 2007 CLS550	Thanks for the response. And, yes, all indications are that the wheels have to come off. I was just wondering if it is something I could do myself without taking the wheels off. I stopped by my local MB shop today, and they said they need to be tapped out from behind. I'll take it by later this week to let them do it on a lift. Should only take 30 minutes or so.

03-30-2011, 11:57 AM
butthead713 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 160 Drives: 2003 Mercedes Benz C230 Kompressor	id do it myself if i were you there is nothing to it __________________ 2003 Black C230 Kompressor -19" Zenetti Wheels -2 12" JL W3 Sub woofers in a custom box -Smoked corner lights -8000k HID Headlights and Fog lights -Full led conversion on the interior lights Not much but its something

03-30-2011, 06:49 PM
B R Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 402 Drives: 2010 Taco	If you are too lazy to take the wheel off, & don't mind trashing the old CCs, you can probably drill a hole in the middle of it, screw a good size self tapping screw into it, & grab that with a vicegrips & pull it out.

04-15-2011, 07:55 PM
erose7 Newbie Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 3 Drives: MB S430 & E320	I did mine and I didn't have to remove the tires. I used an extremely small flat head screwdriver and very carefully put it between the rim and the cap. It popped right out and didn't damage my AMG rims or the cap, just in case I ever wanted to re-use them.

04-21-2011, 10:25 AM
wadgras44 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philly Posts: 214 Drives: 2009 c63	a strong suction cup and yank should do the trick

04-21-2011, 09:10 PM
Stoofpilot Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 175 Drives: 2004 SL500	Go heels!! __________________ Stoofpilot Naval Aviator 2004 SL 500 2010 4.6 Genesis

07-13-2011, 09:57 PM
jbm37379 Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 17 Drives: 2004 e500,2002 tom henry ss camaro	e class center caps My 2004 e500 is going through tires in less than 15,000 miles. We live on a mountain but don't drive like we're autocrossing or anything. As a result, wheels are coming off of car quite frequently and center caps are constantly getting damaged by "tire store idiots". Is there some trick to removing them that I could pass along to the morons at the various tire stores? I saw that they have to come off after removing wheels from car(preferred method) by tapping them from behind-any other tricks? Also, they are having difficulty aligning passenger side rear tire-toe is slightly out of spec and they can't get it within tolerances-the slot where the adjustment bolt is is at end of adjustment. Checking parts-see no damage. Anyone else having this problem? I am using Falken Ziex 912's and like the tires but am only getting 13-15K miles with them. I refuse to pay three times the price for "better " tires if they are only going to last less than twice the mileage.

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