Not enough action down here and was getting tired of seeing "Poor Mans Plating" :D, so I figured I'd come up with somethin' else to take it's place.:o

Surely many folks are aware of this, but there's probably a few who aren't. I found it quite easy to install or remove a rally cap from an original GM wheel if you pay attention to where the nubbins on the wheel are located. Easier means less paint damage and rally cap distortion from prying.

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/garfieldsmaro/ta3.jpg

On the left is Wheels Vintique, to the right is an FW coded GM wheel. Note on the GM wheel, the nubbins are not equally spaced. If when installing, you position the cap into the 2 nubbins by the valve stem, it's very easy to POP the third one home on the opposite side of the valve stem. Same when removing, pops free with little effort if you pry directly across from the valve stem, opposite side. I presume other GM rallys are the same ? The WV aftermarket wheel isn't designed the same and not as easy to remember where the nubbins are located.

Anyone have any tips to reduce/ eliminate scratches and chips when removing the caps ? What tool do you use, etc.....

Good write up! I use this method to install, but never thought to check the alignment with the valvle stem! I just pull them off without a tool and can just bang them in with my hand.

Thanks, yeah, I use the bang-on method with the palm of my hand but didn't realize you can just pull them off with your bare hand !?! Do you get your fingertips under the edge or grab TopHat and pull ?

i have gm originals and the caps just pull off by hand no problem too

Yes, I can just grab them and pull from the edge. They are GM originals on original rims.

Brings back memories - a friend of mine had an early 70's Nova with the derby caps on rally wheels. Back in the 80's when it was a daily driver, he had a lot of problems with people stealing his caps. It got bad enough that he was seriously thinking about gluing razor blades to the back side of the lips on the caps to give a would-be thief a little surprise. I advised against doing this, unless he wanted his windows busted out or dents kicked in the car.

I had a set of Corvette rallies and tires stolen off my car in a busy college parking lot in broad daylight one time. Came out from class to find the car up on blocks. I couldn't believe it! I thought one of my buddies was playing a joke on me at first. With the popularity of the aftermarket wheels, you don't much have to worry about theft of factory wheels anymore.

Wow Tom, ROUGH neighborhood huh !?! Think you're right about NOT doing the razor blade trick !:noway:

Yeah, I wouldn't be too concerned about Rally Wheel theft , but the caps, nice ones, can be a worry. About $600 worth, bought new from GM !...and so easy & quik ! What do you guys think of the cable locks available, as a theft deterent ? Obviously not entirely thief proof, but do they fit ok ? PITA to use ?

Man Kevin, pulling them caps off by hand are a bit more than my fingers wanted. :noway: I'll be using a tool , probably the claw end of a "Wonderbar" but will need to lay a piece of leather or something on the wheel to prevent paint damage.

Anyone else have tips or techniques to share ??:)

I always used the lug wrench to pry off. Maybe use a shop rag over the wrench tip to protect the paint.

As I think about this event, in my younger years as taught by the station mechanic, jab the tool into place, pop off the hub cap/wheel cover and watch it hit the floor, do a spin on its edge, and step on it to keep it in place. It seemed to be the thing to do. It's a hub cap. Then when came time to install said hub cap/wheel cover, place your kneecap on the edge, smack the opposite side with your palm, as others mentioned, and/or use a rubber hammer. If it dented, oh well.

Now with exposed lugnuts/bolts, it's not as much an issue any more. No more of seeing your wheel cover go spinning off into the ditch ahead of you as you just went over the railroad tracks or jolted your butt over the potholes.

Man Kevin, pulling them caps off by hand are a bit more than my fingers wanted. :noway: I'll be using a tool , probably the claw end of a "Wonderbar" but will need to lay a piece of leather or something on the wheel to prevent paint damage.


Sorry! I guess 40+ year old caps lose some of their fight! Mine do not hurt to remove :D

Sorry! I guess 40+ year old caps lose some of their fight! Mine do not hurt to remove :D

Maybe you are just a BAMF Kevin.. :)
I use a tool to remove and palm of hand to put back. Never though about the "nubbins" placement. Not even sure if I have GM rims.

Maybe you are just a BAMF Kevin.. :)
I use a tool to remove and palm of hand to put back. Never though about the "nubbins" placement. Not even sure if I have GM rims.

I have never been called a BAMF before, ha! My 160 pounds of out-of-shape old guy is definetly NOT a BAMF! :D

Took a bit to figure out BAMF !, but was thinkin' ANIMAL all along. :yes::D BTW Kevin, I'm running some old?, refurbished (by me) ebay specials....had some NOS that came with the car, years ago and let them go....could'nt resist at those ridiculous prices. ;)

Guess Everett has it right ; GM intended for folks to use the supplied tire iron to pop off the cap :eek:(not gonna do it) as surely little ol' gramma (not being a BAMF !) could change a tire too....

btw Everett, that hubcap etiquette you describe must be set in stone since the beginning of time, as that's the exact same routine I was taught also !:thumbsup:

Still open to suggestions, tips & techniques......and what about those LOCKS to help keep Rally Caps out of thieves hands ? Anybody use them ??

I remember the lanyards tying the wheel cover to the lugnut.
Seen a cover come off and here goes the w/cover slapping about the qtr panel........

I believe if you check the flat end of the lug wrench, one side of the flat has a little ridge on it to grasp the hub cap/wheel cover preventing the wrench from slipping out from the interface. Try a dog dish, any brand, on a steel wheel, same brand, and use the supplied lug wrench, works great.

I noticed that ridge on the iron too. On full covers, the rubber tire provides a good fulcrum, but on the poverty and rally caps, it would appear the fulcrum (tire) is too far from the cap. What do you have to do? twist? I would think a twist would damage something. my swap meet poverty caps have a lot of rim dings, I would supposed from the twisting action. :(

I too thought about the locks if a cap fell off while driving. Is it better to lose your cap than to have it flopping around damaging things and have to replace it anyway beacuse it got banged up to sh*t.

I do not have locks on mine :)

do the finger pull and palm tap install here as well..
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a351/Tonystoys123/mean%20green/Picture1258.jpg

I have had the cables on my YH wheels for about 10 years...so far no issues,...so far...but I think about it...

I use the cable locks. They are too short after installed to get past the tire so it can't beat up anything except the beauty ring. Either way you lose I guess. Either the center cap gets lost or stolen or you have to replace the ring after it takes a beating going down the road but I've yet had one to come loose when driving.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Kind of a tough call wether to use locks or not. I will say the caps fit quite a bit tighter on the WV wheels....very doubtfull they'd ever fall off.

Thought I'd show off my hi-tech removal tool I pulled from the scrap bin. :) It's 1/8 plate, rounded and slightly shaved on the end so it fits under the cap easier. Wrapped with duct tape so doesn't leave a mark. Just pull up towards the center, working the cap off. No need to remove the beauty ring.

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/garfieldsmaro/ta10.jpg

Also, was wondering if anyone is familar with these short derby caps I picked up on ebay ? About an inch shorter, they have factory numbers. I know they're not correct for Camaro, was thinking maybe Nova ?

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/garfieldsmaro/ta12.jpg

another view...

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/garfieldsmaro/ta9.jpg

Garth, I think those short derby caps are simply a set of the tall ones that someone has cut down and then re-drilled and tapped the bolt holes. I used to have a set of these because I didn't like the way the stock ones extended out past the 15x7 rims.

Garth, I think those short derby caps are simply a set of the tall ones that someone has cut down ...

^^^ What he said :thumbsup:

There have been several folks over the years that took original GM centers (like you have) and cut them down/'shortened' them to lower the profile.
I've seen them around since the 80's - just not on any original vehicle as delivered by GM ...

I believe Wheel Vintiques has them listed in their catalog - at least they did a year or so ago ...
I saw a set on some wheels at 'Steve's' Camaro store a few months ago, so I imagine he carries them also.

I actually like the look on some wheels, kinda reminds me of the classy 67 and earlier caps :cool:
Almost wish I would of had them on one of my Camaros years ago - them one my "X" used to drag against every curb she could find, scratching the #$&$ out of the trim rings and more caps than I could count :sad: ... and then commenting on how 'tacky' it looked latter when I was working on the car and asking when I 'was going to replace them' :mad:
But I digress ... that's all in the past now ... someone else is finally buying car parts for her :D

As far as a 'removal' tool - I use a poly pry tool that I bought in a set for removing auto trim.
Can't find an exact picture of it, but this one is close - 28390
Works great and has never scratched the paint.

One trick I learned on TC to reduce the chance of your rally caps from falling (flying) off....

First - Simply pop the caps on to your rally wheel....

....then (grabbing the center hub part of the cap) spin the cap (with the wheel remaining stationary) until it at it's tightest (snugest) point.

This tends to tighten up the cap on the wheel because often the contact points are not quite round.

Dave

^^^ That's a good tip right there.:yes:

Cut'em off ?!?....Who would do such a thing..http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/garfieldsmaro/ph34r.gif

Yeah, I kinda prefer the shorter caps also. Was thinking about getting the repros, but from what I've seen, they don't have the Chevrolet Motor Division inscription. These have the same part number as the standard derby so I guess you guys are right. I was thinking maybe by chance the factory did the cutting...The one pictured above, I cut. :p 3 good ones out of 4, coming from ebay aint bad. Had to find a 5th cap in nice condition and cut it to match.:)

Thanks !

edit; btw John, had I known about that fancy removal tool, would've saved me rummaging through my scrap bin ! Will keep an eye out for one.....

70Z with Corvette 15x8 Rally Rims and P235x15 T/A or M/T tires. White Walls inboard - Hate cleaning them ;o)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3245/2688765596_4d77aa4d3b.jpg
I think 15" Rims just look Boss and much better then this Big Dia Rim Mania on our Classics.

No rubbing issues aslong as the subframe is aligned and secured with Subframe Connectors.