How To Remove Hubcap Without Tool

Download Article

Download Commodity

You may need to supercede a dinged or scraped hubcap, which can happen from parking too close to or hit a curb. If yous detect yourself missing a hubcap, you volition demand to supervene upon it. You may be able to find a replacement hubcap to match the other hubcaps on your machine online, at a tire shop that carries hubcaps or at the dealership where you purchased your car.

1. one

   Pull upwardly the e-brake and park the car somewhere flat and level. You're going to exist right down by the wheels, so make certain that they tin can't roll!

2. 2

   Turn one lug nut counterclockwise with a lug wrench to loosen it. ^[1] Lugnuts are the small, hexagonal screws holding the tire onto the auto. This may take some attempt if the lug nuts are tight. Once loose, yous can unscrew them by hand. If you're really struggling, you tin apply pressure to the wrench with your human foot to actually become them off.

   • A lug wrench looks similar a crowbar with a circular hole in information technology. It should be in your trunk with the car, simply make sure you accept 1 if not. They are also needed to modify a tire.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Take three of the lug nuts off the hubcap, keeping two nuts on contrary sides on the tire. Lugnuts hold both the wheel and the hubcap on, and you don't want the whole bicycle coming off.^[ii] Take care to put the lug nuts somewhere safe and then you do non lose them.

   • If you have v full lugnuts, take off ii that are next to each other and ane on the opposite side.

4. 4

   Remove the plastic washers from the lugnuts. These are what keep the hubcaps on, not but the lug nuts. Gear up them aside somewhere safe -- you'll need them.

5. 5

   Reattach the three lug nuts, tightening them lightly. You don't need to completely tighten them on, but to hand tightness. And so use the lug wrench to tighten them just a quarter plow more than or then. These 3 will continue the tire in place equally you lot remove the other two washers.

6. 6

   Unscrew the other two lugnuts to remove the hubcap. Without the washers, the hubcap should slide right off.

7. 7

   Identify the new hubcap onto the bolts and replace the 2 lug nuts. There will exist a small cut out that needs to fit over the valve of the tire. Line this upwards, so slide the new hubcap on and tighten on the two nuts. Just tighten them by hand for at present -- don't worry about total tightness.

8. 8

   Remove the outset 3 lug basics, put the washers back on, and screw them in. Tighten them back on by paw and then that your tire is dorsum where it started. You can too slip the washers over the department

9. ix

   Tighten the lug nuts with the crowbar to ensure a tight fit. Tighten them all by manus at first. Then, working in a circle, tighten them each one quarter-turn at a time until they don't desire to move as well much. Never tighten 1 screw completely earlier moving on to the others -- this tin bend or warp the hubcap.^[iii]

Advertisement

1. 1

   Set the car in park on level ground and pull the e-brake. This is a elementary, easy safety measure that should not be ignored. Don't be working on the wheels or under the care without making sure that the motorcar tin can't motility.

2. 2

   Locate the spiral on the hubcap you lot need to remove. If it is not immediately visible, information technology could be under a plastic piece. Use a screwdriver to pry this minor cover off carefully.

3. 3

   Unscrew the screw and remove the old hubcap. Take care to identify the spiral somewhere safe so it will non roll away or get lost.

4. 4

   Adhere the new hubcap to the wheel and supercede the screw. Thread it in past hand to start, then grab the screwdriver afterward.

5. five

   Spiral tightly with a screwdriver, being conscientious non to over-tighten the screw. Tighten it enough that it doesn't movement, merely don't feel like yous demand to pause your dorsum turning it.

Advertisement

1. i

   Park the car on flat ground and pull the due east-restriction. You want to be 100% that the car is unable to move before you commencement working.

2. 2

   Pry around the rim of the former hubcap with a screwdriver to loosen it. Use a apartment-head screwdriver and lightly pull at certain spots until you experience the cap wiggle loose.

   • If something feels like it will intermission or snap, end and motility to another spot.
   • You may have to loosen a few areas to become it off.

3. iii

   Remove the hubcap. Continue prying to pop the old hubcap off.^[4]

4. 4

   Place the new hubcap onto the wheel. Line information technology upwardly with the sometime ane, noting where the little whole or cutaway is for the valve stem.

5. v

   Tap the rim all the way around until it the hubcap stays on. It will not be secure nevertheless.

6. 6

   Hit the hubcap with a safe mallet very carefully effectually the rim to brand the hubcap secure. Lightly tap it into place, working all the style effectually the rim to perfect it. Y'all should here light "clicks" as it pops in.

Advertizing

Add New Question

• Question

  What if at that place are only 4 lugnuts? Will the 5-lugnut how-to work?

  

  Aye. The but difference with four lugnuts is that you tin't exercise the v-signal star when you tighten them.

• Question

  Do i need to elevator the car up with a jack before doing this?

  

  Not necessarily. Yet, yous do use a jack after you loosen the lugnuts, so yous go the tire off the vehicle easier.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to become a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

• When tightening lug basics, do not tighten them one after the other, but tighten every other i until they are all tight.

• If you are missing the screw for the hubcap, remove the screw from ane of the other hubcaps and purchase a replacement at a hardware or auto parts store.

• If y'all do not have a condom mallet handy, you can utilize the lesser of a rubber soled shoe or hit it hard with your paw. Be careful not to injure yourself if y'all are using the mitt method.

Advertisement

• Exist conscientious when hitting the hubcap with a rubber mallet so yous will not ding or damage the new hubcap.

• If you fail to secure the hubcap correctly, you lot may lose the new hubcap while you are driving.

Advertisement

About This Commodity

Article Summary X

To modify a hubcap with lug nuts, start by taking 3 of the lug nuts off the hubcap and keeping ii basics on opposite sides of the tire to go along the wheel from coming off. Then, remove the plastic washers from the lug basics. Next, reattach the three basics lightly to keep the tire in place every bit y'all remove the other 2 nuts and washers, which will slide the hubcap off. Afterwards, place the new hubcap on, supersede the 2 lug basics, and remove the start 3 nuts to put the washers on before you screw them in. To learn how to alter a hubcap with screws, keep reading!

Did this summary assistance you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 169,277 times.

Did this article help you?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Change-a-Hubcap

Share this post