Alloy wheel centre cap broken clips

simes2024

simes2024

Member
Much discussion about sourcing replacement for lost or nicked 16" alloy centre caps but has anybody tried to repair any that have broken clips? Maybe its too futile to contemplate but as they are so expensive I thought I might at least consider it.
Have tried gluing the clips back on (don't laugh) but still not enough pressure to hold in place (then I really WOULD lose it).
Also thought I might stick some resin on the wheel hub and tap a small screw. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
Do you still have the metal circlip that fits over the fingers? That is the part that "locks" the cap in place.

In the past I have repaired some caps that had missing fingers by trimming down wooden clothes pegs and using araldite to glue them in place but the ring was still present.

If the ring is lost then all you can really do is wrap some duct tape around each of the cap fingers to make them a bit bigger. This will take a bit of trial and error as you do not want them too big as they will break off, nor too loose that the cap falls off. Try one turn on each finger first.

I would run without the caps rather than drill into the wheels.
 
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Part Number 8Z0601165F Z17 ? I bought a Set of 4 New a few years ago. They soon went sort of delaminating like the old ones.

They were £120 then. I see they are even more expensive now.
 
66Beetle said:
Part Number 8Z0601165F Z17 ? I bought a Set of 4 New a few years ago. They soon went sort of delaminating like the old ones.

They were £120 then. I see they are even more expensive now.
Click to expand...
Yep no chance will get new ones. And as you say they corrode quickly. I find using steel wheels and winter tyres December through March protects them a bit from corrosive winter roads
 
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audifan said:
Do you still have the metal circlip that fits over the fingers? That is the part that "locks" the cap in place.

In the past I have repaired some caps that had missing fingers by trimming down wooden clothes pegs and using araldite to glue them in place but the ring was still present.

If the ring is lost then all you can really do is wrap some duct tape around each of the cap fingers to make them a bit bigger. This will take a bit of trial and error as you do not want them too big as they will break off, nor too loose that the cap falls off. Try one turn on each finger first.

I would run without the caps rather than drill into the wheels.
Click to expand...

Yes still have the clip and as you can see from the picture the 'fingers' are glued on and just about holding.

Was thinking perhaps chocking a small piece of wood between the finger and outer edge might afford the required pressure to hold it in place.

No I was not thinking of drilling anything, rather stick some hard resin thick enough to tap a screw into on the wheel hub near underneath where the little hole that the removing tool goes into.

Improv time it seems. Thanks
 

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I've seen a similar repair, but using the old super glue and bicarb.
Mac.
Edit: An A2OC member, can't remember who, made replacement finger via 3D printing.
The print file is available here.
Mac.
 
Are Audi TT style caps very different, apart from being bigger?
Can the outer be whittled down and the edges painted, to fit our wheels?
 
Pie-eyedpiper said:
Are Audi TT style caps very different, apart from being bigger?
Can the outer be whittled down and the edges painted, to fit our wheels?
Click to expand...
The genuine caps for the 18" 9 spokes on my Mk1 TT, (matches the 17" 9 spokes on the FSI), are the same plastic inner, but the aluminium rim is actually shrunk onto the plastic. The aluminium is anodised, then laquered. So cutting them down wouldn't work. I'm running Chinese replicas on the TT, which if you polish the untreated alloy, then laquer it, has lasted about two years, and is just beginning to oxidise under the laquer. The Chinese ones are cheap, under £40 for four, on ebay!
The TT ones are the same as the A2 Sport. Here's a pic of one cut in half, to show the construction.
There is a range of different centre caps on ebay, worth a look.
I'm guessing that 3D printed caps, maybe without the ally, would be too expensive. A2OC logo perhaps?
Mac.
PXL_20230412_162740954.jpg
 
PlasticMac said:
The genuine caps for the 18" 9 spokes on my Mk1 TT, (matches the 17" 9 spokes on the FSI), are the same plastic inner, but the aluminium rim is actually shrunk onto the plastic. The aluminium is anodised, then laquered. So cutting them down wouldn't work. I'm running Chinese replicas on the TT, which if you polish the untreated alloy, then laquer it, has lasted about two years, and is just beginning to oxidise under the laquer. The Chinese ones are cheap, under £40 for four, on ebay!
The TT ones are the same as the A2 Sport. Here's a pic of one cut in half, to show the construction.
There is a range of different centre caps on ebay, worth a look.
I'm guessing that 3D printed caps, maybe without the ally, would be too expensive. A2OC logo perhaps?
Mac. View attachment 106820
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Mac.
I have 3 brand new TT ones that were bought in error. I think I'll have to list them for sale then.
 
This is how I repaired a broken pin:
Though the pin loses the flexibility and the cap needs more force to be put on/off. When it breaks again, I will try the superglue/bicarb method, which should leave the flexibility of the pin.
 
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mtl said:
This is how I repaired a broken pin:
Though the pin loses the flexibility and the cap needs more force to be put on/off. When it breaks again, I will try the superglue/bicarb method, which should leave the flexibility of the pin.
Click to expand...
Blimey, a youtube video and what looks like a soldering iron to 'melt' it into place. Marvellous. 🙏
 
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If you've still got the tab(s) give the aforementioned superglue & sodium bicarb mix a go (liberal application of glue and sprinkle bicarb over it while still wet) - think one of mine has 3 tabs glued back on with this and has held up for a couple of years.
 
i have had good results using plastic welding techniques on the clips. Use a soldering iron and cannabalise plastic to build a solid base. Better than trying to glue in my experience
 
413 said:
If you've still got the tab(s) give the aforementioned superglue & sodium bicarb mix a go (liberal application of glue and sprinkle bicarb over it while still wet) - think one of mine has 3 tabs glued back on with this and has held up for a couple of years.
Click to expand...
Update: with a combination of glue, metal staples, plastic welding and baking soda I managed to form a usable item. It went back in OK and has not fallen out yet. Perhaps the telling moment will be when I have reason to remove it to for wheel nut access. Cheers all
 
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If I may.
It might be just on my 16" SE wheels, but the alloy caps only fit and sit properly, if the cap's ejector hole is facing exactly the valve on the wheel. So this way on mine, they'd wouldn't sit or something would break.
Screenshot_20230420_163218_Gallery.jpg


Literally all of my caps are partly broken, due the mechanics not listening.
I'll remove the caps now everytime I gotta go to any garages, also check their work afterwards, but that's rather necessary nowadays.
 
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Sylvester said:
If I may.
It might be just on my 16" SE wheels, but the alloy caps only fit and sit properly, if the cap's ejector hole is facing exactly the valve on the wheel. So this way on mine, they'd wouldn't sit or something would break.
View attachment 107091

Literally all of my caps are partly broken, due the mechanics not listening.
I'll remove the caps now everytime I gotta go to any garages, also check their work afterwards, but it's rather necessary nowadays
Click to expand...
If you have the Sport 17" nine spokes, the small holes, (of which there are nine), must be in the centre of each spoke,in order to be aesthetically correct.
Could be a trivial pursuit question that.
Mac.
 
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