Taking center caps off the OEM wheels?

[SoCalDude]

Can I remove the center caps on the 1995 seven spoke OEM wheels without taking the wheels off?

 

[Jeff A]

Yes, I've done it several times. Use a very small slot type screwdriver. If you're concerned about scratching, use a tissue or very thin rag. They pop right out.

Jeff

 

[SoCalDude]

Thanks Jeff!

 

[NSX-Racer]

Another possibility: Drive hard on the racetrack - the caps will fly off without any tool - at least they do it every once in a while at my car

 

[Newman]

Yes, I've done it several times. Use a very small slot type screwdriver. If you're concerned about scratching, use a tissue or very thin rag. They pop right out.

Don't know how since the centercap is pretty deep/recessed into the wheel. I tried with numerous small flathead screw drivers (small ones) with a wide face and that were deep. No luck w/out scratching up my rim or breaking the center cap. I just said f*ggit and jacked up one side at a time and gunned the wheels on & off, using the handle butt of a hammer to punch them out..... and even then they were in there pretty tight. At least on my wheels I don't have to worry about the center caps "flying off" while driving down the road

 

[Jeff A]

Your's sound much tighter than mine. Glad you didn't try to hard with the screwdriver and mess it up.

And you're right Racer, we need to be sure to remove them before tracking the car - the heat expands the wheels and loosens the grip on the caps.

 

[nsxtasy]

we need to be sure to remove them before tracking the car - the heat expands the wheels and loosens the grip on the caps.

I think the problem is more due to the wheels getting hot enough for the plastic caps to soften. Caps used on the track can loosen enough to fall off, as previously noted, and even if they stay on, they are often much looser afterwards - even after the wheels have cooled down.

 

[Andrie Hartanto]

Another possibility: Drive hard on the racetrack - the caps will fly off without any tool - at least they do it every once in a while at my car

LOL,

that's exactly what happened to mine

 

[SoCalDude]

I think the problem is more due to the wheels getting hot enough for the plastic caps to soften. Caps used on the track can loosen enough to fall off, as previously noted, and even if they stay on, they are often much looser afterwards - even after the wheels have cooled down.

Is this likely to happen on an Autocross where you just drive one timed lap at a time a speed?

 

[NSX-Racer]

Is this likely to happen on an Autocross where you just drive one timed lap at a time a speed?

Not really. The caps seem to need some serious amount of heat to fly away which is usualy generated by the brakes. At one lap auto-X I don't believe that would be enough. In my case the caps of the front wheel went away first - no wonder, because the front brakes generate more heat than the rears (also with my P-car/Brembo combo).