Burt Goodwin

My black-spoked Fuchs have a center cap with painted Porsche crest. Is there a preferred way of removing these caps without damage? Pry off with screwdriver seems like it would chip the black paint. Advice, please?

Stephen Masraum

I think you put something into the two small holes in the center cap and then twist. I think it's a friction fit twist sort of deal. YOu could probably use an old coathanger or a really big set of snap ring pliers. The tool that I see sold in most of the catalogs just looks like a sturdy "U" shaped metal rod.

FRQTFLR

This is from yesterdays digest. Good luck

[quote] Subject: Re: Hand Painted Crests
From: "Steve Shanks" <steveshanks@goldenvisions.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 10:33:24 -0500
X-Message-Number: 11

There is a special tool available for getting the crests off without taking
the wheels off. You should find it in your closet: one dry cleaning clothes
hanger.

Take one side of the hanger and cut it with pliers at a length of about 6"
down each wire. Use the pliers to bend the last 1/8" at 90 degrees.
Construction completed.

Front view:

--------------------------------
|
--------------------------------

Side view

____________________|

Insert tool into holes in crest with main part of tool parallel to wheel (so
that the bent tips go into holes). Rotate tool to be perpendicular to wheel
(you now have it hooked in the crest) and now gently pull.

Time to find construction materials: 1 minute.
Time to construct: 1 minute.
Time to execute removal: 1 minute for all 4.

Alcohol consumed in process: 6 cans (I forgot to mention the time in
self-congratulatory phase for not buying a factory tool) (***)

Steve Shanks
91 C2T

(***) The consumption rate is somewhat higher in Christmas, FL.
<hr></blockquote>

ked

I may be misunderstanding your question, however,

On my 16" Fuchs for the '87 Carrera, to remove the center caps from the rim center axle hole, I had to loosten 3 very small allen screws from the inside of the wheel. the points of these set-screws ride in a groove. a real pain, but with patience it can be done so to avoid marring the cap or the wheel. I don't know about seperating the crest from the cap...

richard glickel

There are a couple of different styles of center caps. Some, like Kevin's, require the loosening of those little screws. Others (like my original caps) had two tiny holes in the caps and can actually be popped out with the use of the proper tool (which may be in your car's tool kit, take a look).

Richard
'87 Carrera-3.6L <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

Burt Goodwin

Thanks, all, for suggestions. My center caps have no holes to enable removal, so I guess they must have the small inside screws (see above reply). By the way, when I remove wheels for cleaning, etc., how important is it to use torque wrench for re-installing?

Burt Goodwin

Thanks, all, for suggestions. My center caps have no holes to enable removal, so I guess they must have the small inside screws (see above reply). By the way, when I remove wheels for cleaning, etc., how important is it to use torque wrench for re-installing?

ked

definitely use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts (96 ft-lbs on a Carrera 3.2). the nuts are alloy, the engine has a lot of torque of its own, there is a great deal of accelerative load placed on those nuts, there is a great deal of side load transfered by those fat, sticky tires (& suspension), etc. etc. a loose wheel is not something you want to worry about or experience.

KLehmann

Burt,

Make sure to use some anti-seize paste on the lug stud threads AND on the seats of the the lug nuts themselves (or on the recess of the lug holes on the wheel). You don't want those soft alloy nuts binding up and shearing off.

steve911

Burt--
most center caps do not have the inside locks - those are aftermarket buys usually. I'd suggest that you remove one wheel and see if there is the allen screw lock. If not, you can generally wedge a small screw driver between cap & wheel or just pry/pull off using fingertips (ask me how I know this!)

FYI, as a hobby I refinish fuchs center caps' email me off line if you're interested.

Tom

If there aren't any locks on the center cap the safest way to remove it is a gentle tap with the handle of a hammer (wheel off of course and be sure to catch the cap). The added center crest is probably covering the holes in the cap. There isn't too much of a reason to take them off anyhow.