Technical Wheel removal

[moto748]

Please excuse the stupid question; I am more used to traditional style cars with 5 or 6 visible wheelnuts (or screws). I have a 500C Sport model with alloys.

But I thought, in the event of a puncture, I want to be confident I'd have no prob removing a wheel. So I assume the nuts (or is it one big nut motorbike style?) are behind the central cover. And I note that there is a cut-out in the edge of the central cover, that looks as if you could put a screwdriver or similar in there to pry it off.

BUT, I'd hate to damage anything, so I thought I'd ask first. Do you, in fact, pry that central cover off as I suggested, and is a screwdriver an OK tool to do that, or is a special tool needed, and does that then reveal wheel nuts?

TIA.

 

[chris3234]

Yup screwdriver under the centel trim and lever the trim off
Then undo the 4 wheel bolts

 

[Johnbee]

The screwdriver blade pulls out (as it doubles as a Phillips cross head) and there is a flat head screwdriver to prise the centre cap off.

My screwdriver is under the floor boot where the spare and towing hook eye are.

 

[moto748]

Thanks. Is the central trim 'delicate'? Does it have little tabs on it that might break off, or anything like that?

 

[jrkitching]

Thanks. Is the central trim 'delicate'? Does it have little tabs on it that might break off, or anything like that?

Yes, and a screwdriver might damage or even break it, and will also likely mark the alloy wheel.

All this has been covered before, in this thread, when the 500 range was much closer to launch.

I can only imagine the risks are greater now on older cars, as the plastic ages it will become more brittle.

This is the secret trick:

"Working from the small cutout in the centre cap, slide an old credit card behind it, and with your thumb on the centre cap & your fingers behind the card, a firm pull will get the cap off. It's a bit of a knack, but once you've got it, this works every time."

 

[Farrah]

Hi,

The wheel trim is made up of two plastic parts bonded together. The outer that has the small notch to slide the screwdriver down is a slightly bigger diameter and it is important to ensure whatever you slide down make sure it goes down a good inch and not between the two parts as if you only catch the outer part it is likely you may break the edge.

We actually use a screwdriver but have added heatshrink around the shaft to prevent any damage to alloy wheel paintwork when prising trim off.

Most plastics have to be marked now for recycling and it is difficult to understand whether the markings on the back of the wheel trim refer to both parts as the outer appears ABS(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) which is a more rigid stronger plastic but can break/split/chip more easily and the inner PA(nylon) which tends to be more flexible and a softer material depending on whether glass fibre/bead is added into the mix.

The markings on the rear are >PA+ABS-GF15< ...There are just 4 ears/tabs with a metal split ring that I would assume has been treated to give some spring effect to keep pressure on the ears/tabs but allow them to bend inwards a little for fit/removal. Very doubtful the tabs could be broken off as no action is being done to bend them backwards


What I would suggest though is you check and see if you have the security wheel bolts fitted and that you have the kit and special tool. It is also well worth while every so often removing the security bolt if fitted and keep well lubed as when these sieze in sometimes the security tool can be difficult to get them off.

The design of the bolt fit into the disc/hub the wheel bolt threads actually protude out slightly at the rear and get contaminated with road grime so can rust up on the end which makes them quite difficult to remove so we have copper greased now all the bolts.

Farrah

 

[Ralf S.]

I can confirm that the plastic lugs can and do get broken off.

I managed to accidentally .. (that's my story and I'm sticking to it... ) buy a set of alloy wheels that came with centre caps, and two or three of them had one or more tabs broken.

I bought new caps from a geezer who bought a new 500 and immediately replaced the alloys, as you do... but anyway... I suspect the tabs get broken off when being re-fitted.

My sister has a Renort with similar caps. What happens is the metal spring ring gets dislodged, and if you just hook it round any way that it fits, the tabs can get bent outwards, rather than entering the hole, so bent the wrong way, they snap as you push the cap home.

On the Renort I make sure the ring is in the right place first and that all the tabs are inside the lip of the hole before I apply any pushing pressure to it.


Removing the caps with a screwdriver will mark the alloy. For my Stilo, I use a small stubby screwdriver that I bought just for this job. I've covered the blade in PVC tape.

Ralf S.

 

[moto748]

i had a bit of a go with an old credit card, in fact, I tried two cards at once opposite to each other, rather like using tyre levers on a pushbike to remove a tyre, and got them both well in, so as to speak, but it didn't want to release. Obviously, as said, it is a bit of a knack; I'm sure I'll get the hang on it. But having got myself a temporary wheel, there seems little point in that unless I am confident enough that I can get the cover off in the event of a puncture.

 

[Farrah]

i had a bit of a go with an old credit card, in fact, I tried two cards at once opposite to each other, rather like using tyre levers on a pushbike to remove a tyre, and got them both well in, so as to speak, but it didn't want to release. Obviously, as said, it is a bit of a knack; I'm sure I'll get the hang on it. But having got myself a temporary wheel, there seems little point in that unless I am confident enough that I can get the cover off in the event of a puncture.

maybe side by side but never opposite surely:yuck:

Farrah

 

[moto748]

Point taken!