Flying Center Cap, Ping! Ding! Oops...gone. Options

[Lyressa Roberts]

Well, I got the new rear tires on my car on Saturday morning and today while driving my car, Brad and I hear a piece of metal ping, something hits the side of my car and we thought it was something that someone else might have chucked...so later I notice a nice ding/scratch in the side of my car and then notice when I get home that the center cap on my rear wheel is gone. SOaB!!!

Amazing, I've put maybe between 30,000 and 40,000 miles on the car (on the old tires) and managed to not lose a single center cap and Discount Tire puts on my new tires and I lose one two days later.

Brad says to call them and tell them to replace it since they obviously didn't put it back on right.

How much is a new one going to cost?

OH...and the front end is STILL not balanced right. They really suck at this.

[Lyressa Roberts]

Nobody had polished center caps?

[grantsfo]

QUOTE (Lyressa Roberts @ Jul 4 2005, 07:57 PM)

Nobody had polished center caps?

They were the first thing I chucked. Although mine were chromed plastic centers on 4 bolt Fuchs.

[Joe Bob]

four or five lug Fuch....big diff sweetcheeks....

[Elliot_Cannon]

I went to Dicount Tire to buy some Yokos and they wouldn't mount them if I was going to use spacers with the front wheels. I went to a small family owned tire store and they mounted them, no questions and the tires were a couple bucks cheaper than Discount was. I won't be going back there again. Good luck getting a new cap.
Cheers, Elliot

[ablose58]

That SUCKS (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)

[Lyressa Roberts]

QUOTE (Manfred Z @ Jul 4 2005, 09:23 PM)

four or five lug Fuch....big diff sweetcheeks....

5 Lug...

It does suck... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) I want to call them and complain, but I'm sure it wouldn't do any good. If they were a dime a dozen, it would be a different story, but it's hard to find them in the correct finish. I've found plenty of them on Ebay (whole sets for between $150 and $250), but they're the wrong finish and/or painted. Crap.

I also found a beautiful set of 7's and 8's (real fuchs) on Craigslist (complete with centercaps) for $1,200. They're flawless...I'm contemplating getting them (actually, more than contemplating) and transfering my tires over...I guess at that point, the centercaps are a moot point. I could use the 3 I have left as spares and just AX the crap rims.

I'll probably just go that route and just write it off as a learning experience. It's so funny that a simple centercap can turn my smile into a frown. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)

[914ghost]

I have a couple extra center caps. I'll send ya one.
What kind and what did they look like? My extra's are likely to have a scratch or two on them.
3-prong? I think thats all I have. And none of mine are polished.
I actually need one with the ring on back for my one mis-matched wheel.
If your standards are low (I always say your standards should be proportional to your budget) - then email me and I'll send you one,
Bob O

p.s. BUT include your email address- I find that this emailing system doesn't always do that.

[Joe Bob]

I have a couple of extra sets....what do you have NOW? Ones I have are painted black with fancy crests....

BTW....a wire brush and a rouge wheel polishes them up real nice.

[Lyressa Roberts]

Cool!!! I'll get a picture uploaded tonight...but let me see about this other set first...if I buy the full set, I probably won't run any on the AX wheels as I would probably end up throwing more anyway.

Thanks!!!

I'll get back to ya!

[Joe Bob]

I also use a little clear silicone seal under the lip to help keep them in place.

The three prong caps are for REAL early Fuchs....the brass circle type is prolly what ya need.

[Lyressa Roberts]

QUOTE (Manfred Z @ Jul 5 2005, 08:44 AM)

I also use a little clear silicone seal under the lip to help keep them in place.   The three prong caps are for REAL early Fuchs....the brass circle type is prolly what ya need.

I'll definitely let ya know which I need, if I need... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) You're probably right about the brass...I think...I thought brass was brass colored ( (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif) ), not silver... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

[McMark]

Brass circular clip on the back. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) Fur holdin' the cap on the wheel.

[Lyressa Roberts]

QUOTE (McMark @ Jul 5 2005, 10:15 AM)

Brass circular clip on the back. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) Fur holdin' the cap on the wheel.

Duh, dir... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) That's my blonde coming out. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[ClayPerrine]

Personally, After NTB farked up the newly refinished 4 lug fuchs for Betty's 914, I will never take another car to any of the cheapo tire places. The tire monkeys they have changing tires don't know enough to keep from scratching the face of all 4 wheels while balancing the tires, they have no idea what a torque wrench is, and they don't know to match the dots on the outboard side of the tire with the valve stems.


Take them to a high end car dealer or specialty shop. In the DFW area, I use Zims. The tires are always mounted and balanced correctly without screwing up the rims.

[Lyressa Roberts]

You have an excellent point there, Clay. I will definitely do that when I get the real McCoy. The pukes are ok if they get scratched up, but these new one's I'm looking at, if they get scratched, I think I'll cry. Damn...I guess that means I can't put them on my car. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)

[Lyressa Roberts]

QUOTE (Manfred Z @ Jul 5 2005, 08:44 AM)

I also use a little clear silicone seal under the lip to help keep them in place.

Great idea!!! I haven't put the center caps on the new one's yet. They're a little loose and I was wondering about what I could do to keep from losing them. The silicone might just do the trick.

I have to tighten one up as it is lose on the base, but after that, I'll probably try your silicon trick to fix up the rest.

I'm very happy with the balancing Rich B. did on them. They feel so much better with the new rims and being balanced correctly. I think when Brad replaces the steering wheel spacer, it'll be even better... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/aktion035.gif)