Jeep Garage  - Jeep Forum banner

Rust - Limited Center Caps - Remove/Replace?

9029 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!
See less See more
1 - 2 of 18 Posts
I'd also like to know if someone has figured out a solution. This is beginning to happen to my '11 Laredo X... Is this a "bumper to bumper" warranty issue???
With minimal corrosion like shown in the image above, I am leaning toward NOT refinishing the the whole wheel - yet. I think the best we can hope is to LIMIT the progression of this clearcoat failure and corrosion. Both my prior Jeeps did start off small but did eventually progress to affect the WHOLE wheel.

I am thinking trying to limit water/salt/brake dust infiltration will help slow this down. To this end, I plan to:

1. Scrub the area with a strong detergent and stiff brush (not sandpaper or dremel).

2. Once clean and dry, apply a clearcoat touch-up using a pen like this: Amazon.com: Dupont-Pro-Fusion Color Car Clear Coat Scratch Repair Stick Touch Up Pen For All Paint Colours: Automotive

3. Allow to dry, then apply good quality wax to the whole wheel, treating it like a normal painted surface, especially in the affected area.

4. Pay closer attention to these areas when washing the vehicle...


Any thoughts on this process??

Thanks

Sounds like a good process. Let me know how it works out. With winter right around the corner, I'm looking to "solve" this problem too.
1 - 2 of 18 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top