40 ford hubcap removal w/o paint damage?

Hey there, I just blasted and painted my steel 40 ford wheels.. They turned out perfect.... I want to know how you guys remove the hub caps from the wheel without scratching or chipping the paint? Or do you hope to never remove a wheel once everything is put together?

 

I use a "bone", windshield installation tool, on my 32. Just jamb it between the cap and wheel and the cap pops off without harming the paint on the wheel or the stainless cap.

 

After I painted my rims, I decided not to run the caps. Anybody need a set of 42 caps? LOL This way people can see my Walden front hubs and Winters axles and double sided lug nuts. Ya, I'm show boating. The trim tool is used if you drill a hole on the cap by the edge and bend a hook to go in the hole. You still loose the paint on the hubcap tabs, but not on the face of the rim. Randy

 

A credit card works.

 

Drill a small hole in the edge of the cap and use a old dent pulling tool (or similar hand made item) to remove the cap by sticking the 90 degree end in the caps hole and pull off. If I remember right there was a thread about this on here before.

 

I thought bout removing all paint and lil metal from the tabs that keep the cap on?

 

harbor frieght has a hubcap remover. I use a prybar and a block of wood.

 

Get a "hubcap removal tool" and wrap the business end of it with electrical tape to prevent a damage to the paint. Works like a champ.

 

ok thanks
ive used a large screwdriver in the past and damaged paint.

 

A plastic squeegee works great. Just wedged enough to pop it loose and will not hurt the paint or cap. The Gold 3M ones work the best because they are pretty stiff, but I'm sure others would work too. Any sign shop should have them laying around.

 

Harbor Freight non marring s****er set - made of plastic. Round off the corners and voila - absolutely perfect tool for hub cap removal. Item#95832 $12.99 set. I have used these for several years with perfect results....

 

u guys r great

 

I took an old flat bladed screwdriver, heated the tip with a torch and bent it on a 90 degree angle, into a little "L" shape. I wrapped everything but the last 1/4 inch with black electrical tape, and then I force that L shaped part under the cap and pry it off. Sometimes you still get a little nick in the paint, but it is under the edge of the cap, so you don't see most of it.


Of all the early Ford caps, 40's seem to be the worst to put back ON of all of them. They dent so easily on the edges if you use your fist or rubber mallet to tap them on. We have found that if you use two people, one to hold the cap on an angle and the other guy with a cotton glove on to smack the edge and seat it, that works the best. I have 46 caps on my 27 and my other Son has 42 caps on his T bucket, but the 40 caps on Dan's rpu dent so much easier than the other years.

Don

 

I just tape a screw driver.or I just use it plain and take a lil chip.it's a hotrod for God's sake.

 

......Well said.

 

Bend an old,thin shaft screwdriver to shape then slip a piece of fuel line over the shaft.

 

I have never used this, but I saw it in the catalog

http://www.bobdrake.com/ItemForm.aspx?Item=TL-110

 

I use a brake s**** with a paint stirring stick. The s**** pulls the cap straight up away from the wheel with the paint stick between the s**** and the the painted wheel.

 

'40 Fords and all '36-48 Fords came stock with a tire iron with a rolled end that is perfectly shaped for the task...the part that goes between cap and wheel and the fulcrum were both designed for this. If you add in the credit card to prevent chipping right at the cap as the thing goes in and cover the fulcrum on the bar with a bit of electric tape you are all set.
I'm sure Henry would have included the credit card with each toolkit if they had been invented...