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Rust - Limited Center Caps - Remove/Replace?

9039 Views 17 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  peppoli
I was out washing my 2011 Limited this weekend and noticed a tiny amount of RUST forming along the perimeter of the center cap on my wheels. I also noticed a bit of a rusty stain on the alloy wheels themselves.


Not my wheels, but similar issue.

These caps are simply chrome plated pieces, correct? Or maybe the rust/stain is coming from behind (hubs/rotors)?

How to remove these caps? Not really room to inset a screwdriver in the gap. How about safely removing the rusty stain without affecting the wheel finish?

Ideas?

Thanks!

Note: The finish on my 2000 and 2004 JGC alloy wheels totally failed and flaked over time - I surely want to avoid a similar situation on my 2011!
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It looks like rust staining. The wheel is alloy and the cap is plastic so not much to rust except for steel cir-clip that holds the cap in place. If it is that, you will need to replace it or if there is enough metal left, treat it with rust converter.
Could the "rust" be coming from the rotor hub itself and working it's way out.

If water gets in there, I'm sure it does, then it will forum a rust soup.

That might eat at the finish of the wheel.

The wheel and cap I don't think will have "Iron" rust.

Any place water can collect, needs a drain to get rid of it quick and allow it to dry.

I wonder if putting a fine notches in the cap might be worth it.
I was thinking that too. See this thread by JeepJunkie http://www.jeepgarage.org/f107/should-this-look-so-corroded-42961-2.html . Whenever I rotate tyres, I give the hubs, stub axle and nut, just a touch of WD40 being very careful not to get any on the discs. It penetrates well and leaves a fine protective oil film. I'm not in favour of covering it with rust preventative gunk. I could interfere with the hub to wheel friction.
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