Any way to tighten loose center caps?

[400Magnum]

I know the obvious answer is to just buy new ones, but I don't want to spend that kind of money on something that's just going to end up loose too. Is there anything that I can do to modify the center caps to keep them from being so loose that they rattle around when driving slow? I figure if they're that loose they're going to fall off when I hit a bump or something one of these days, and they just sound bad driving around at slow speeds.

Any thoughts?

 

[jham]

First thing that come to mind is a piece of metal that will push the tabs on the center out to hold it in place. But there's not alot of material to attach it to.

 

[AtlWrk]

If the Envoy caps are similar to the TB caps:

You could try CAREFULLY heating the tabs near the base and gently coaxing them a little farther out.
Or slip some large diamater heat shrink over one or more tabs?

 

[Wooluf1952]

I was going to suggest wrapping some electrical tape, but I like the shrink tubing idea better.

Harbor Freight has the tubing pretty cheap.

Just be careful, when shrinking the tubing, that you don't melt the cap.

 

[Hatchet]

Its been a long time since i had my stockers on. But mine were loose to. I fixed it, i forgot what i did to the caps tho. I need a pic of one. I think i bent the tabs back some or tightened them up or something. I forget, and i dont know where my stockers are at to look at them.

 

[Mark20]

You should be able to bend the tabs out a bit. You shouldn't have to go overboard doing it.

 

[400Magnum]

Thanks for the ideas guys! My first thought was just superglue some thin rubber to the outside of the tabs, but I like the idea of the shrink tubing better. Maybe do a combination of bending the tabs just a little and the shrink tubing. I'll give them a look to see what I can do.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it.

 

[jmlock]

You could try CAREFULLY heating the tabs near the base and gently coaxing them a little farther out.

I will say that your method does work for the plastic tabs that go over the screws on the drivers side kick panel.

 

[kardain]

when in doubt, jb weld the cap on.... Won't be loose anymore