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I'm ready to install the hubcaps on my E28 (spoked) wheels and was wondering how folks have accomplished this. The retention tabs seem very stout. Does a single big hit work best or multiple smaller hits around the edge? How have you protected the cap from damage during installation?

Brian

Do not bend the tabs on that 28 AA hubcap. The tabs will just break off. That's why many that are for sale are missing tabs.

The hubcaps should fit snug onto the wheel. It may require that the hubcap tabs need to be slightly moved to ensure a good fit. I have used a pair of pliers to fit hubcaps.

Obviously it should be done before any plating. I suggest using silicone or caulking of some kind on the inside of the wheel to hold the hubcaps. They are way too expensive and hard to find to lose one on the road.

I tried tapping the hub caps into place, but they just wanted to spring back. So I ended up using two methods that I thought I'd share. Both utilized an adapter (see photo of adapter with blue masking tape) the same outside diameter as the outside of the hubcap. I also placed a circle made from paper plate between the adapter and cap for additional protection.

First method: Used a large press for the smaller front wheels/tires. The caps were pressed (in a very controlled manner) into the wheel. The tires would barely fit on the press table, but this method worked very well. The larger rear tires were too large so I had to come up with an alternative.

Second method: Used a fixture made from two heavy duty channels, one behind the wheel center and one above the hub cap, and with 2 threaded rods secured between them. The fixture would apply pressure as the nuts are tightened to help "pull" the hub cap into place. I found that tapping the adapter with a hammer while the fixture was tightened worked well to help to maintain the pressure.

The hub caps all ended up very secure in the wheel.

Cheers,
Brian

It is interesting that the caps could not be installed without the aid of your installation devices. I wonder how removing the caps will work given there is so much pressure from the installation.

It didn't take all that much force. I don't think it even moved the needle on the press. It mainly needed a centered, steady force to overcome the strong springiness of the tabs on the cap. I wouldn't think removal would be a problem.

Brian