Community Forums

retmotor · 07-02-2012, 07:22 PM

It seems to me when I wanted to remove the chrome lug nut caps on my old motor home (15 years ago), I just wiggled them until they came off. I'm having no such luck with this one. Am I getting old and weak? I see there is a tool for removing said caps. I see them online from about $20 to $50. How do you all get your caps off?

Mr_D · 07-02-2012, 07:37 PM

All ours have had two nuts under two of the covers that have dimples on them. Remove the dimpled cover and then the nuts with the special, kind of "T" shaped tool.
Some people erroneously think the nut and cover are one piece and the "T" tool socket is the wrong size, it's not one you remove the chrome cover.

retmotor · 07-02-2012, 07:39 PM

^ In fact, two of the caps are different than all the others.

retmotor · 07-02-2012, 08:33 PM

Yes, that did it except I had to take off the cap and the nut as one unit. They spun off with 1 1/8" socket. (No wheel tools came with the rig.) The front is a little different because the wheel has five lugs and the wheel cover has 8 lug caps. It has four caps that are different, only two hold the wheel cover on, the other two are held on with plastic fasteners.

And, as I suspected, the reason I couldn't find the inside duals' valve stems is because they were mounted with automotive valve stems...

Edit: Regarding the pic, please don't think I tried to use water pump pliers to remove that cap. That damage is courtesy of the previous owner.

wa8yxm · 07-02-2012, 09:21 PM

Some of the newer RV's the cap is not SUPPOSED to come off.. Just so you know.

sirpurrcival · 07-03-2012, 12:53 AM

I took a pair of vice grips and put some self adhesive felt on them and use that to pull them off. Slips sometimes so I am thinking maybe rubber instead.

njs42 · 07-03-2012, 05:42 AM

Get the tool, cheap and easy; does not ding cap.

Chaffeekid · 07-03-2012, 05:50 AM

Easy way to find the caps that hold the wheel covers on is to tap on the cap. You will hear a hollow ring on the dummy caps but a solid Thunk on the ones you take off.

Jim

IMDSailor · 07-03-2012, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmotor

It seems to me when I wanted to remove the chrome lug nut caps on my old motor home (15 years ago), I just wiggled them until they came off. I'm having no such luck with this one. Am I getting old and weak? I see there is a tool for removing said caps. I see them online from about $20 to $50. How do you all get your caps off?

I'm interested in knowing more about that tool. What's it called and where do you find it?

Thanks,
Stewart

Luckiest Dreamer · 07-03-2012, 09:26 AM

Some of the caps are using the studs threads and are threaded on, Some are a snap fit. I have had both and needed to apply some silicone to keep the snap fit type from vibrating off. I have little doubt that there are other types. One way to see some of the choices is to visit the chrome shop of a nearby large truck stop and check out the displays. You may find a duplicate of yours!

retmotor · 07-03-2012, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMDSailor

I'm interested in knowing more about that tool. What's it called and where do you find it?...

Looks like this:

or this:

And those are available at Amazon here and here. I'm sure other tool supply houses have them too. The problem I have when searching for them, is they don't seem to have a standardized name. "Lug nut cap remover" "lug nut cover remover" I've seen them called pliers too.

R2Home · 07-03-2012, 09:56 AM

I picked up the tool for taking the lug nut covers off at our local Heavy Truck shop. I think that I paid about $22 for them. I have taken the caps off my MH before I have taken it to have any work done on the tire/wheels. While they are not expensive, I just want to make sure that thye are not damaged.
I do not know about the ones that are not supposed to be taken off but I would think that they might not be able to hold up to the required torque of several hundred foot pounds that are required for the larger tire/wheels.

IMDSailor · 07-03-2012, 10:15 AM

Retmotor, thanks for your reply. Very interesting tool.
The nuts that hold my wheel covers go on a wheel stud and are on quite tight. Without trying one, I'm not sure I could apply enough torque to either get them off or back on again. Last time I did it I used a large pipe wrench with a rag. It worked for the fronts with no damage, but it obviously won't for the dual rear. For the rears I need to find a 1 9/16" socket.

Thanks though.

retmotor · 07-03-2012, 10:33 AM

^ Ah, gotcha. It sounds like our caps are similar. I was unable to separate my caps from the nuts that hold on the wheel cover and I don't know if that tool would have separated them or not. They may in fact be designed to be one piece. They spun off with an 1 1/8" 6 point socket. I'd guess they were on there with about 50-80 lb ft of torque (some were tight, some not as much).