Adamant1971

So I need to remove the emblem from my aluminum centre caps (speedline).

I don't want to damage them doing so, my original thought was to lightly drill the rivet out (brass coloured ones) to remove the emblem so the caps can be completely refinished with the wheels. There is not enough of a grove to simply mask them while painting, plus I want them to look original.

Or I could use a punch and hammer to punch them out, but I think that method may bend the aluminum portion of the cap.

Here are some pics, suggestions welcomed.

redpathtribe

If you're not changing color and refinishing the wheels in original silver, AND all the center caps look as good as the one in the picture... I'd just polish and wax them up and leave them alone. I would think they'd match up to the newly refinished wheels just fine.

blown 87

The chances of you getting them off and being able to brad them back on again so they stay tight are very, very slim.

Adamant1971

Thanks for the opinions. But my goal is to have the caps match 100%, plus two of the emblems are already loose.

I understand the difficulties in securing them after.

My question still remains. I have pretty much decided to go the drilling route, unless there is a better suggestion.

martinss

I've never done this before Adam, so these thoughts are likely worthless.

I'd drill them out. So the question becomes how to reinstall them?

They are not likely under much load - they are balanced and spin at the center of the wheel. There would some rotational thrust in starting and stopping. The main lateral thrust to detach then will be when you corner - so perhaps 1G

My first choice would be the kind of two-sided tape used for wheel weights. In fact I had to move some wheel weights on a snow tire on my SUV, and reinstalled using 2-sided carpet tape as a temporary measure. To my great surprise the weights are still on after two years of Ontario snow and ice!

My second choice would be epoxy, but with dissimilar metals in the two parts and wide temperature fluctuations, it may not have enough 'give' to last.

Adamant1971

I drilled them out.

My thoughts for reattaching are similar to yours Martin. I think my plan will be to use two very small black screws through the black portion of the emblem with epoxy as a back up and in and around the screw. The screw should hold them fine with the epoxy to give a bit of extra strength. The caps look much better in the pics then they do in person.

Or maybe just a 3m Tape. I have a good 3m supplier who will likely get me some tape for free as I won't need that much.

Another option could be the tape and then Solder the brad back in to the back side of the cap.

WyattsRide

I removed the center emblems on my chrome Booth Design center caps. They are OEM emblems with a center post, that were epoxied into the caps. I needed to remove them so I could get the caps re-chromed.

I removed the epoxy and retainer clip with my Dremel and they popped right off. After the re-chrome I reattached them the same way with expoxy and a retainer clip.

Adamant1971

Those look nice, unfortunately mine do not have a retaining clip. But on closer inspection the emblems are plated aluminum, so if I remove the plating on the back epoxy may work well as both mating surfaces are aluminum.

nlneilson

JB Weld epoxy should work OK.

I even used that for the plastic hatch lock because it was worn so bad it would not lock, did not want to order one and wait. Just ground it down deeper, drilled holes at an angle and with some wax paper on the sides filled it. When hardened ground and filed to fit.
3 1/2 years and still OK. I also think the JB Weld wears less than the original plastic.

You may consider just grinding rather than drilling to get them off.
I don't think the small screws is a good idea.

__________________________________
'79 928 5spd

Adamant1971

Being that the metals are the same, I will probably go the JB weld route, plus it will be in and around the old brad's to add strength. The screws are really a last resort I think.

siscogts

Update...Never used JB Weld in my life, shame on me i've never used it before..Amazing!
Thanks for the hints!