Wheel Cap wont fit
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Wheel Cap wont fit
So the zr1 wheels that came with the c5 also came with these neat little wheel caps with the corvette emblem. Only thing is that they fit on the front wheels but on the rear wheels they wont snap on. The dealer said something about how the axle may be too long or something of that sort (I honestly dont know what that means for me). Another mechanic suggested that I use wheel spacers from a local auto store and that it'll solve my little problem. I have heard some not so good things about wheel spacers on the c5 and I dont want to spend a lot of money just to get a cap on. Has anyone ever had the same problem or know how I should be able to make it work? Thanks!
^^^^These are my front wheels and fit as they ought to
^^^^These are my front wheels and fit as they ought to
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Aug 2014
Location: Richmond VA
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St. Jude Donor '18
How close are they to snapping in?
If you look closely at the end of the (rear) axle, you will see that it sticks out a bit. This interferes with some aftermarket wheel center caps. Notice they are of a way different design than you factory wheels.
I was able to take a grinding wheel and relieve the back of the cap enough that they were able to snug into my wheels. They don't sit flush, but you can't tell on my deep dish black wheels.
Your mileage may vary.
If you look closely at the end of the (rear) axle, you will see that it sticks out a bit. This interferes with some aftermarket wheel center caps. Notice they are of a way different design than you factory wheels.
I was able to take a grinding wheel and relieve the back of the cap enough that they were able to snug into my wheels. They don't sit flush, but you can't tell on my deep dish black wheels.
Your mileage may vary.
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
Wheel Cap wont fit
Originally Posted by Sydwayz
How close are they to snapping in?
If you look closely at the end of the (rear) axle, you will see that it sticks out a bit. This interferes with some aftermarket wheel center caps. Notice they are of a way different design than you factory wheels.
I was able to take a grinding wheel and relieve the back of the cap enough that they were able to snug into my wheels. They don't sit flush, but you can't tell on my deep dish black wheels.
Your mileage may vary.
If you look closely at the end of the (rear) axle, you will see that it sticks out a bit. This interferes with some aftermarket wheel center caps. Notice they are of a way different design than you factory wheels.
I was able to take a grinding wheel and relieve the back of the cap enough that they were able to snug into my wheels. They don't sit flush, but you can't tell on my deep dish black wheels.
Your mileage may vary.
#5
Safety Car
Your wheels look like they are painted, correct me if I'm wrong.
How about getting another pair that fit, like the pair you already have, paint all of them to match the wheel color and get center cap emblems. Ebay is loaded with different size and year vinyl emblem stickers.
There may even be a Vendor on the Forum who sells those emblem stickers. Just a thought
How about getting another pair that fit, like the pair you already have, paint all of them to match the wheel color and get center cap emblems. Ebay is loaded with different size and year vinyl emblem stickers.
There may even be a Vendor on the Forum who sells those emblem stickers. Just a thought
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
Wheel Cap wont fit
Originally Posted by SG Lou
Your wheels look like they are painted, correct me if I'm wrong.
How about getting another pair that fit, like the pair you already have, paint all of them to match the wheel color and get center cap emblems. Ebay is loaded with different size and year vinyl emblem stickers.
There may even be a Vendor on the Forum who sells those emblem stickers. Just a thought
How about getting another pair that fit, like the pair you already have, paint all of them to match the wheel color and get center cap emblems. Ebay is loaded with different size and year vinyl emblem stickers.
There may even be a Vendor on the Forum who sells those emblem stickers. Just a thought
#7
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2012
Location: LaGrange Park, IL IL
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St. Jude Donor '13, '15
The other option, which in my opinion is not only cheaper, but safer as well (and doesn't change the wheel to fender relationship) is to grind down the axle hub a tiny bit. Won't affect structurally integrity doing this, as you are just taking off a sliver of the hub and not getting near the threads. Look at your axle hub and you'll understand what I mean by this.
Good Luck.
#8
Race Director
Member Since: Dec 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
#9
Safety Car
I don't believe they were painted, I think the color is called 'competition grey'. Yea very true, that will definitely be another option because I have a set of 4 that match the wheel already that are plain Jane. Do the emblem stickers stay on for a while? It gets pretty hot in the Houston heat.
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
Ok last question:
So I guess my three options are 1) shave a little off the cv shaft ends 2) Buy wheel spacers or 3) Just buy emblem stickers.
Seems like emblem stickers may be the least amount of 'work' done to the car, which I really like the idea of. On the corvette forum store, there are 3 mm & 5 mm wheel spacers. Seems like those would be small enough to make it work without messing up any kind of thread left on the hubs. I would just shave the piece off the axle like most of yall are saying but I dont have the tools to do so. Here is the link to the wheel spacers, http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-121...and-sport.aspx and is probably what im leaning toward as of right now. Unless I can find a mechanic to just do the shaving for me. last question is: would any of these be a bad, dont do it, kind of choice? so many decisions for such a small thing lol sorry if im bugging yall, just want to get it done and get it done right.
So I guess my three options are 1) shave a little off the cv shaft ends 2) Buy wheel spacers or 3) Just buy emblem stickers.
Seems like emblem stickers may be the least amount of 'work' done to the car, which I really like the idea of. On the corvette forum store, there are 3 mm & 5 mm wheel spacers. Seems like those would be small enough to make it work without messing up any kind of thread left on the hubs. I would just shave the piece off the axle like most of yall are saying but I dont have the tools to do so. Here is the link to the wheel spacers, http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-121...and-sport.aspx and is probably what im leaning toward as of right now. Unless I can find a mechanic to just do the shaving for me. last question is: would any of these be a bad, dont do it, kind of choice? so many decisions for such a small thing lol sorry if im bugging yall, just want to get it done and get it done right.
#11
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2012
Location: LaGrange Park, IL IL
Posts: 2,308
Received 158 Likes
on
131 Posts
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
Ok last question:
So I guess my three options are 1) shave a little off the cv shaft ends 2) Buy wheel spacers or 3) Just buy emblem stickers.
Seems like emblem stickers may be the least amount of 'work' done to the car, which I really like the idea of. On the corvette forum store, there are 3 mm & 5 mm wheel spacers. Seems like those would be small enough to make it work without messing up any kind of thread left on the hubs. I would just shave the piece off the axle like most of yall are saying but I dont have the tools to do so. Here is the link to the wheel spacers, http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-121...and-sport.aspx and is probably what im leaning toward as of right now. Unless I can find a mechanic to just do the shaving for me. last question is: would any of these be a bad, dont do it, kind of choice? so many decisions for such a small thing lol sorry if im bugging yall, just want to get it done and get it done right.
So I guess my three options are 1) shave a little off the cv shaft ends 2) Buy wheel spacers or 3) Just buy emblem stickers.
Seems like emblem stickers may be the least amount of 'work' done to the car, which I really like the idea of. On the corvette forum store, there are 3 mm & 5 mm wheel spacers. Seems like those would be small enough to make it work without messing up any kind of thread left on the hubs. I would just shave the piece off the axle like most of yall are saying but I dont have the tools to do so. Here is the link to the wheel spacers, http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-121...and-sport.aspx and is probably what im leaning toward as of right now. Unless I can find a mechanic to just do the shaving for me. last question is: would any of these be a bad, dont do it, kind of choice? so many decisions for such a small thing lol sorry if im bugging yall, just want to get it done and get it done right.
As for tools, do you have access to a Dremel with a grinding wheel? That is all that is needed. That's how I did mine and no issues or negatives I can tell. And many others have done the same without ill-effects as you've come to find in your research.
I'm not trying to talk you out of the spacer (they're cheap enough), the 3mm would likely do the trick as you probably aren't that far from fitting as it is. For a buck more you can get the thicker ones to be sure. No concerns here if you choose this route.
Last edited by imgn tht; 07-29-2015 at 02:52 PM.
#12
Racer
Thread Starter
You really only have 2 options that I can tell...what are you planning to stick the emblem stickers to if the center cap won't fit?
As for tools, do you have access to a Dremel with a grinding wheel? That is all that is needed. That's how I did mine and no issues or negatives I can tell. And many others have done the same without ill-effects as you've come to find in your research.
I'm not trying to talk you out of the spacer (they're cheap enough), the 3mm would likely do the trick as you probably aren't that far from fitting as it is. For a buck more you can get the thicker ones to be sure. No concerns here if you choose this route.
As for tools, do you have access to a Dremel with a grinding wheel? That is all that is needed. That's how I did mine and no issues or negatives I can tell. And many others have done the same without ill-effects as you've come to find in your research.
I'm not trying to talk you out of the spacer (they're cheap enough), the 3mm would likely do the trick as you probably aren't that far from fitting as it is. For a buck more you can get the thicker ones to be sure. No concerns here if you choose this route.