Wheel Center Caps

[GoM100Go]

I am wondering of anyone has found a way to remove the center wheel caps without damaging the lotus logo. I have found that the center logos get dented when you attempt to push on the center caps back into the wheel to remove them. I noticed this when removing the old ones to put in the new ones. The reason I need to remove them is I'm about to go 10 k on these tires and they need to be balanced and rotated, but I don't want the centers dented... Thanks for any ideas.

-James

[steve matthews]

The S-2 wheels came with a external mounted center cap. These look better than the SE caps
in my opinion. However the S-2 are no longer available as far as I know. Use a hollow piece of
plastic to cover the outer ring and rubber mallet to tap them out.

Steve

[ccb056]

PVC union of proper diameter should work.

[GoM100Go]

Thanks for the replies, good ideas. Hope it works.

-J

[GoM100Go]

Just had the wheels rotated and balanced, I used my thumbs along the edges to push them in myself before the wheels were taken off. I did dent one. But not as bad as I thought to remove. I had sore thumbs for the day.

[chrism]

_DSF0405a.jpg

_DSF0403a.jpg

_DSF0401a.jpg

_DSF0400a.jpg

I still couldn't figure out how to remove these SE wheel centres despite being told I was 'clevva' enough to teach Physics and sign people's passport applications! Anyway I exorcised this ghost myself.

On the 15" SE wheel they are removed from inside the wheel to outside - so you have to take the wheel off first.

From the inside I soaked the black tangs in release oil and used a plastic trim tool as a lever to ensure they 'moved', then later gently went around with the shaft of a hammer on each pair of tangs - hitting the hammer shaft gently with a second hammer, slightly angled towards the centre, then firmly once in the middle - and out they popped.

To reinstall they go back in the same way (which originally seemed confusing to me) and are held in place by the black tabs (that you have moved then tapped in pairs) like in the 2nd pic. They don't go back in from the outside 'cos they can't, as shown by the last pic...

Hope this helps another 'newbie' like me who wants to get a front wheel balance...