Hubcap removal - '04 DRW plastic center

[wild-t]

I can't get my hubcap off!



The owners manual says to use the J hook in the jack kit under the seat. My trucks' kit does not have one! I guess the vender that supplys the kit changed the parts and left out the J hook.



There must be a way to take off the center cap on the dully without going to aftermarket/homemade tools.



Going to the dealer on Mon... any ideas before I embarrass myself?

 

[Dean Upson]

The J Hook is a section of the jack handle, and the center hub is a real stinker to take off. You have to hook it and keep inward pressure on it and give it a real hard tug. I would recommend pulling yourrims and putting never sieze on the hubs between the wheel and the hubs, they can be a bugger to get off when they get a chance to rust together. Might save you a real devil of a time trying to hammer them off later on.



Dean

 

[GerryDrake]

Using the J hook is such a pain that I just pry the larger portion of the wheel cover off and stand with my leg in front of the center so it doesn't hit the ground and get scratched. The larger portion, both on the front and on the rear(s) will push the center part off.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I pop the front hub cap off using a big screwdriver/pry bar in the little slot on the side. On the rear I do the same as GerryDrake. . . pop off the wheel liner using the big screwdriver and the hub cap comes off with it.



I tried using the J-hook in the jack handle, but it's too much trouble to dig it out and put it back up. I can have all the wheel liners and hub caps off using my big screwdriver in the time it takes to get the jack handle out!



Also I made a tool to raise and lower my spare tire and don't mess with the tools that came with the truck. With our 11'6" slide in camper on the truck, and if I had to get to the spare, the factory supplied tools are useless. Don't ask why I know... happened several years ago.



Bill

 

[wild-t]

Thanks guys... I'll try thoes techniques.



Looks like no company designed straight foward way to remove them.