[Boatwaco]

I have been trying to find black center caps for my 2018's 20" OEM Special Edition black toned wheels. I always thought black center caps would look better than the OEM blue center caps. And now that I've replaced the "chrome" lug nits with black, I am even more interested in replacing the center caps.
The problem is - I cannot find any center caps that are of the 3" / 74 mm size that will actually pop into the center area securely. The black ones I have found (CL3Z-1130-B) are the right size on the external surface, but the inside tabs to clip into the wheel are all too small in diameter to be secure.

So - I bought a set of 4 sacrificial blue center caps FL34-1A096-BA off eBay and managed to get the first one from blue to black! Basically, I peeled of the blue cap from the mounting base, cut the black cap's mounting tabs off and glued the black cap top onto the blue cap's base.

I will document the step-by-step for the next center cap I convert.
For now, Prototype #1 is below.

Front wheel with black lug nuts and blue center cap - they gotta be black!

Black center cap with mounting tabs too narrow to be secure.

Pre-owned blue center cap that fits my wheels, from which I peeled off the blue metal top layer.

OEM Blue cap's back on top, new black cap's back on bottom.
Note how old cap's tabs are spaced further out, the new black cap's tabs are inset a bit.

Finished prototype - black cap glued to blue cap's base.

 

[FanaticalKilla]

Looks good, where there’s a will there’s a way!

 

[Boatwaco]

More detailed steps - up to the point of gluing.

Preparation - Buy 4 new CL3Z-1130-B black center caps and either use your old center caps (they will be somewhat destroyed) or buy 4 old caps off of eBay FL34-1A096-BA. We will use the base of the old caps and the tops of the new caps to make the new set.

Step 1 - Pry the blue cap metal part off of its base. Use a small screwdriver and gently pry up the edges. Don't crack the old plastic base - we need that later.

Step 2 - Prepare the black caps. Note the wire ring behind the black caps. Gentry pry this off. Then use your favorite cutting tool to cut the tabs off the back of the black cap. I used a hacksaw once and then started to use a Dremel. The Dremel is faster. Cut all the tabs off but do not cut into the top surface!

 

[Boatwaco]

Step 3 - clean up the black cap. The tabs and the center raised plastic on the bottom side of the black cap must be ground down so it can sit on the old blue cap base. The old blue cap base is convex, so the black cap center oval must be ground down a bit. Don't go too far - that's where the logo is attached.

Step 4 - Clean up the old blue cap mounting surface. I used the Dremel again to get rid of the old adhesive.

Step 5 - Keep lightly grinding the black cap underside until it sits flush on top of the old blue cap base. The picture below shows the black cap sitting nicely onto the blue cap base.

Step 6 - glue the black cap onto the blue cap base. I used Flex Glue on the first test cap. I may go to the store and get a different plastic glue. Use what you feel is the best glue. Apply glue, clamp, allow time to dry and set. Install on your wheels!

 

[Roushracing1]

Step 3 - clean up the black cap. The tabs and the center raised plastic on the bottom side of the black cap must be ground down so it can sit on the old blue cap base. The old blue cap base is convex, so the black cap center oval must be ground down a bit. Don't go too far - that's where the logo is attached.

View attachment 185155 View attachment 185156

Step 4 - Clean up the old blue cap mounting surface. I used the Dremel again to get rid of the old adhesive.

View attachment 185157 View attachment 185158

Step 5 - Keep lightly grinding the black cap underside until it sits flush on top of the old blue cap base. The picture below shows the black cap sitting nicely onto the blue cap base.

View attachment 185159

Step 6 - glue the black cap onto the blue cap base. I used Flex Glue on the first test cap. I may go to the store and get a different plastic glue. Use what you feel is the best glue. Apply glue, clamp, allow time to dry and set. Install on your wheels!

View attachment 185160

Phil Swift has approved this message!

 

[Roushracing1]

They look good!

 

[Boatwaco]

Final three assembled and glued. I’ll leave them clamped for 2 days and allow 7 for total curing, as per the Flex Glue label. Can’t wait to pop them onto the truck after that!

 

[Boatwaco]

Finished! And by the way, a .024 metal feeler gauge is the perfect tool to quickly pop off old center caps!