struggle bus with center cap stock wheel LC100 (1 Viewer)

[KBO in NC]

Hey team. A real "high tech" post. Upgraded to some beautiful Cooper Stronghold AT LT275/65 R18s for my daily driver. Love the look but Discount Tire smashed one of my center caps. I ordered a new one (painfully expensive). Tried putting it on. Same number and looks the same as the busted one but can't get it to snap on. I certainly don't want to bust this expensive plastic bauble. Any tips or tricks from anyone else who struggled with this? Thought about sanding down the tabs. If I can't get it on it's a perfect excuse to buy new wheels - haha.

"stock picture - not my tires"

 

[menancyandsam]

I had to dremmel just a touch, 1 or 2 tab in the back.

 

[excessive]

i would first try a dab of grease on all the contact points, and a rubber mallet for the install

 

[SteveH]

Careful with the rubber mallet. Do this the hard way: remove the wheel from the truck and test fit and study so that you can see what's really going on. A dab of grease on the tabs is a very good idea to try, before firing up the Dremel.

 

[KBO in NC]

Careful with the rubber mallet. Do this the hard way: remove the wheel from the truck and test fit and study so that you can see what's really going on. A dab of grease on the tabs is a very good idea to try, before firing up the Dremel.

I can see how it locks in around the wheel with the tabs. Could just be that it's new plastic and new wire. On the other (20 year old) caps the plastic may be worked in a bit. Even the old ones have a definite "snap" when putting them on and aren't in any way loose. Thanks guys, hopefully I won't have a sob story after this weekend. Shocked by how pricey these things are.

 

[KBO in NC]

Fixed it. Just used some 100 grit for about 10 seconds on each tab (by hand) to round the edge of the tabs and applied some silicone lube to the tabs. Snapped in with some healthy palm tapping.