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hi, i and the tire shop have a hard time removing the center caps on my 04 cl600. they are held in with some type of spring, but it is extremely difficult to pry them out. the shop has already ruined 2 center caps when they mounted 2 new tires. i tried prying them out from the outside, but no go. how to you correctly remove the center caps. also, what is the proper way to install the center caps. i tried pushing them in from the outside and this seems to damage the metal logo that's attached to the spring mechanism. this must be a simple procedure, but i don't get it. any help is greatly appreciated. what's the trick?
thanks
Push them out from the inside. I usually just use a rubber covered handle of my hammer. Obviously striking the cap with the butt end of the handle, not the head of the hammer. You can pop the spring out from the inside first, but I've never had to do that to get them out. Putting them in I just line them up the best I can and whack them with my hand. I've got kind of meaty hands though so if yours are too bony that might hurt. In that case, remove the metal spring first, then try again. Of course you will have to reinstall the spring, which is a bigger hassle to me.
thanks dr. matt. when i tried to install them by pushing from the front 2 installed correctly and 2 bent the metal cap. i have the original mercedes rims. i bought 4 spares and will try removing the faulty ones from the rear and hopefully be able to get the new ones in from the front correctly.
the best, harv
My E63S had a tyre problem which meant taking off the wheels. Be very careful with the plastic removal tool as the guy showed me it had been rounded off with excessive torque from the tyre gun. Whether it was them, the dealer or a previous tyre guy is unknown, so nothing I could really do.
Just back from my Merc dealer and they've ordered the part. Cost £28, so not the end of the world, but still fairly expensive for a plastic part.
I'm going to modify the old one by drilling it out and fitting a metal bolt with the same size head and then I'll epoxy a nut inside. Metal to metal will be so much stronger and then I'll keep the new one tucked away for when I sell.
My E63S had a tyre problem which meant taking off the wheels. Be very careful with the plastic removal tool as the guy showed me it had been rounded off with excessive torque from the tyre gun. Whether it was them, the dealer or a previous tyre guy is unknown, so nothing I could really do.
Just back from my Merc dealer and they've ordered the part. Cost £28, so not the end of the world, but still fairly expensive for a plastic part.
I'm going to modify the old one by drilling it out and fitting a metal bolt with the same size head and then I'll epoxy a nut inside. Metal to metal will be so much stronger and then I'll keep the new one tucked away for when I sell.
Did you manage to get your centre caps off? Mine are stuck on, when you try and use the tool (which looks like it slightly rounded off) they will not budge. I think even with a new tool it might just break the tool.
Did you manage to get your centre caps off? Mine are stuck on, when you try and use the tool (which looks like it slightly rounded off) they will not budge. I think even with a new tool it might just break the tool.
Any ideas how to get them off?
Thanks
Well, I bought a new one which cost £28 in the UK, but also modified the one I had. Drilled it out and fitted a wheel size bolt through the hole and secured it with a nut in the hexagonal recess in the back. Cut the bolt to the right length and once secured, poured on some epoxy (Araldite) and left it to set. I suspect the whole moulding with now break before the head gets rounded.....
Well, I bought a new one which cost £28 in the UK, but also modified the one I had. Drilled it out and fitted a wheel size bolt through the hole and secured it with a nut in the hexagonal recess in the back. Cut the bolt to the right length and once secured, poured on some epoxy (Araldite) and left it to set. I suspect the whole moulding with now break before the head gets rounded.....
Wow that looks much better, why they made it out of plastic I will never know.
I am going to buy a new one at Merc tomorrow, hopefully that will help me get them off. £28 is not the end of world if it breaks
If that doesn’t work I may have to do what you have done to get them off. Don’t fancy making another one do you? :-) i am useless at these things.
Guys, huge problem here, i
have this special tool but i can only turn out the center caps, the plate is still on the rim ,
its like that on every rim, no idea how can I remove these plates, any idea? i need to put my winter wheels on !
The dealership where I bought my 2021 AMG GLE 63S told me they have ordered new center cap assemblies. When you unscrew to plastic star center piece, you will see that it has plastic prongs. Those are supposed to stick out and catch to slight lip on the metal lug bolt cover. They do not protrude on the ones which came with my vehicle. The lip on the inside of the metal lug bolt cover is also very small. Both parts seem to have been made wrong. The prongs of the center part should protrude, and the hole in the metal plate should be smaller, to provide an adequate edge for the prongs to seat against.
The dealership where I bought my 2021 AMG GLE 63S told me they have ordered new center cap assemblies. When you unscrew to plastic star center piece, you will see that it has plastic prongs. Those are supposed to stick out and catch to slight lip on the metal lug bolt cover. They do not protrude on the ones which came with my vehicle. The lip on the inside of the metal lug bolt cover is also very small. Both parts seem to have been made wrong. The prongs of the center part should protrude, and the hole in the metal plate should be smaller, to provide an adequate edge for the prongs to seat against.
thanks for the info, did you have to pay for them or the warranty covers it?
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