Wheel center trim caps

[Frank C]

Anyone know the brand of aluminum wheels used by Ollie in 2019?   I lost one of the small center caps (see photos).  Looking for a source for replacements.   I saw the tires listed in my owners manual but not any info on the wheel manufacturer.  Or is that little cap a custom part from Oliver?  

[SeaDawg]

I have no idea of the brand, but Oliver installed the same ones a few years back, when our original covers looked terrible.

You could open a ticket.

I'm sure they're not very expensive. 

[Mike and Carol]

I’ve lost a couple over the years.  Check with service, they will get one in the mail to you.  I don’t remember how much they are, but it was less than $10 with shipping.  Mike

[topgun2]

You mean something like THESE ?

Bill

[Frank C]

4 hours ago, topgun2 said:

You mean something like THESE ?

Bill

Yeah, those show as currently unavailable but I’m hoping to find a cheap generic cap on Amazon that I can buy in bulk quantity 🙂 so I don’t have to call Oliver every time I lose one.   And maybe I’ll go with the Mercedes Benz caps to confuse people. 🙂

Sparkle-um 9-Piece Set 75mm MB Emblem Badge Wheel Hub Caps Centre Cover +Tire Valve Stem Caps Cover with MB Keychain for MB. (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y2XXDK7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HZS0T52GDJW8XFHP6SKN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[Townesw]

I removed my wheel centers. Makes it easier to check hub temperatures, torque wheel nuts without a long extension or adjust a spindle nut without removing the tire/wheel assembly after bearing service. 
 

[Frank C]

3 hours ago, Townesw said:

I removed my wheel centers. Makes it easier to check hub temperatures, torque wheel nuts without a long extension or adjust a spindle nut without removing the tire/wheel assembly after bearing service. 
 

I like this idea.  I think I’ll do this the next time the wheels are off.   

[carnivore]

I did the same as Townesw.  I like to feel the hubs to check temperature during fuel stops. Plus I also think they look better with the covers removed. 

[topgun2]

Certainly there is nothing "wrong" with removing these hub covers/caps and there are many trailers going down the road with the hubs "bare".  And, as has been pointed out, the removal does make checking the hub temperature a bit easier particularly if you have a laser guided temperature sensor (better known as a thermometer). 

However, there have been two occasions where these covers have come in handy for me when the grease cap at the end of the hub came off.  When the first one came off I assumed that the shop where I had my bearings repacked simply didn't re-install the cap properly.  But when it came off again (after I installed it) plus another one came off, it became apparent that I had received a couple of caps that were not up to specification.  Upon getting four new caps I have never had another problem.  When these caps came off there is nothing keeping dirt and junk from getting into the grease/bearings.  Until I could replace those caps all I did was put some tape over the end of the cover to help keep things in there cleaner.  While I did lose the little cap at the end of the cover each time, I didn't lose the actual grease cap given that it was caught by the cover.

Bill

p.s.  Just another reason why a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is a good thing to have - it allows you to keep an eye on tire/wheel assemblies even while driving down the road.

[Corvus]

The wheel center caps are made by Lionshead. Mine were chrome plated steel which rusted and pitted in six months. I replaced them with the stainless steel version.

[topgun2]

43 minutes ago, Corvus said:

I replaced them with the stainless steel version.

Ouch - at $22 each (plus shipping) how does one protect them from theft?😄

[John E Davies]

If the small center caps tend to fall out, glue them in from the back side with clear RTV adhesive sealant. That will also slow down a thief, though I have never heard of this being a problem. Unless perhaps the caps have a Corvette or Porsche logo on them. Mine were the old solid kind, thin chrome steel that would dent it you looked at it wrong. I removed them years ago. 

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Geronimo John]

On 5/7/2021 at 2:33 AM, topgun2 said:

However, there have been two occasions where these covers have come in handy for me when the grease cap at the end of the hub came off.  When the first one came off I assumed that the shop where I had my bearings repacked simply didn't re-install the cap properly.  But when it came off again (after I installed it) plus another one came off, it became apparent that I had received a couple of caps that were not up to specification.  Upon getting four new caps I have never had another problem.  When these caps came off there is nothing keeping dirt and junk from getting into the grease/bearings

Bill:  

I also lost two of my "Hub Caps".  The grease caps should not be coming off.  

I spoke with the Service/Warranty Department at Dexter about grease caps.  They are aware of the wimpy metal of some of their grease caps.  They are stamped from sheet metal that is either .021” or .029” thick.  The thinner ones have been known to come loose.  I have the .021” and two of them fell off after my fourth annual bearing service effort.  Recommendation from Jason E. is to replace them with a heaver metal grease cap. 

I looked at dozens of grease caps, often having to call the manufacturer to get the metal gauge.  So if you have experienced this problem, below are two that I would consider using.   The BrakeBest is .030"  .027", and the NAPA is .032". 

16 FEB 2022:  JPR UPDATE:  Just got a follow-up E-mail from Reiley.  They stated that the BrakeBest Select Trailer Parts Trailer Bearing Grease Cap thickness is .027".  As such,  if you have "loose caps", I would recommend the NAPA version.

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Geronimo John
File would not down load. Inserted directly

[topgun2]

Thanks GJ- that's one of the reasons that I carry a couple of THESE caps now.

Another reason is that these are a bit easier to seat versus those caps with a more rounded cap.

Bill

[Geronimo John]

On 5/7/2021 at 2:33 AM, topgun2 said:

 

 

On 2/12/2022 at 2:09 PM, topgun2 said:

Thanks GJ- that's one of the reasons that I carry a couple of THESE caps now.

Another reason is that these are a bit easier to seat versus those caps with a more rounded cap.

Bill

  Those will certainly work well.  I just like having a "Full Metal Jacket".  🙂

 

[topgun2]

6 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

I just like having a "Full Metal Jacket". 

Yes, I didn't initially like the rubber inserts in the centers either.  But, in thinking about it, these are for "emergency use" and since these rubber caps are always hidden from the sun the rubber should last a long time.  I did look into a tool that is used to seat the caps with the "full metal jacket"  but it was $60 on Amazon - simply not worth the price given the number of times this has been an issue.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

45 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

Yes, I didn't initially like the rubber inserts in the centers either.  But, in thinking about it, these are for "emergency use" and since these rubber caps are always hidden from the sun the rubber should last a long time.

 

The grease caps with the rubber center inserts are for EZ-Lube axles. 

They enable you to access the zerk on the end of the axle without removing the steel cap, just the rubber insert.  They came on the new EZ-Lube axles I installed on my raft trailer more than 10 years ago.  Since that time, driving on many rough dirt roads to access river put-ins, the rubber inserts have never come out, so my hubs have not gotten contaminated.  But, as pointed out by Topgun 2, the rubber can dry out and crack over time (in the arid West).

For that reason, I keep a spare set of those grease caps with rubber inserts in a storage tub in my boat shed.  I have replaced them only once in over 10 years.  At $8 a pair, it is well worth the convenience of being able to easily access the zerks for periodic greasing.

On a side note, I am looking forward to seeing how the Dexter Nev-R-Lube axles hold up on the new Elite II we pick up in September.  Never having to clean and regrease the bearings is appealing.

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

Yes, I didn't initially like the rubber inserts in the centers either.  But, in thinking about it, these are for "emergency use" and since these rubber caps are always hidden from the sun the rubber should last a long time.  I did look into a tool that is used to seat the caps with the "full metal jacket"  but it was $60 on Amazon - simply not worth the price given the number of times this has been an issue.

Bill

$15:

https://shop.redneck-trailer.com/p-958-excalibur-wheel-accessories-1986in-dust-cap-driver-290-991.aspx

I installed stainless versions of yours, intended for boat trailers, the steel is much stronger and won’t rust, but the tool is needed on those for sure. It gets them secured with no fuss, bad words or damage, and removal is even easier, just rock the handle sideways and wiggle off the cap. The tool nests neatly inside a hot water heater pressure relief tool in my spares kit. The cap will ooze a little grease where it meets the hub, just add a small amount of clear RTV silicone sealant on the last 1/8” of the surface, drive it flush, wipe off the excess. It stays clean, and it looks perfectly fine to me, as long as the visible part of the hubs are painted black.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[John E Davies]

18 minutes ago, Rivernerd said:

On a side note, I am looking forward to seeing how the Dexter Nev-R-Lube axles hold up on the new Elite II we pick up in September.  Never having to clean and regrease the bearings is appealing.

Research the failure mode and replacement co$$$t before you get too excited. Purchase and carry a spare bearing, so a machine shop can fix your bad one….. if it doesn’t wipe out the drum, brake and spindle at the same time. If the spindle goes, you need a new axle and a new pair of brakes and drums….

You can’t replace it without a press. They are not completely maintenance free, you need to check side play, if that starts to increase the bearing is going Tango Uniform. I suspect that most failures on the road are due to neglecting this step. And you still need to do brake inspections. and make sure the inner seal is not leaking.

I personally would consider these bearings to be a major liability, unless the axles had slip-on disk brake rotors. Then I would carry a 10 pound spare hub assembly and just swap out a failed hub in half an hour, and get the bad one fixed when I got home.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[topgun2]

4 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

The grease caps with the rubber center inserts are for EZ-Lube axles. 

True.  But these still work with the "regular" spindles we have on the Dexter axles.

Without the tool that JD shows above, the "normal" way to seat spindle caps is to place the cap on/in the hub, then place a 2x4 block of wood over the end of the cap and tap the block of wood with a hammer.  If the cap is square in the hub then you have no problem.  But, I've always found that this takes some luck and some practice to get these caps started into the hub.  Once started then getting them fully seated usually isn't a problem.

I've found that the caps with the center rubber plug are made from a bit heavier metal and given the "edge" around the outside of the cap, they are easier to tap into place even without the block of wood.

Bill

Edited February 14, 2022 by topgun2
added detail