Ford dually rear center cap removal

[ACZL]

Took our new steed to tire gurus to have them check things out as to why we had a slow leak in RR outside tire. Purchasing dealer is 1/2 hr away, tire gurus--several minutes. The center cap posed one heck of a problem for them as they couldn't get it off---but did eventually but in process scratched up the rim near the cut out/slots you are supposed to use to pry it off. Not sure what they did use, but know that tool kit in truck from Ford didn't have anything that would work. So my question is, what tool will work best?

The leak BTW was a very badly corroded TPMS. Was built in Oct '17, went to MA originally, then here in NY. Had 300 mile on it.

[Planning]

On my Ford dually I use the vinyl coated hook on the end of a ratchet strap, and wrap the running end (just long enough to clear the tire wall) around a tire iron or axe handle (I keep a fiberglass one as a non-marring light duty pry bar).

I lever the bar against the tire sidewall (with the hook of the strap attached to the center cap) and it pops off with very little effort.

[Cummins12V98]

Larry-D wrote:
RAM dually. Rear inner tire on one side got a nail. Local tire shop where I go all the time fixed it for free. Within 400 miles I lost the center cap. My daughter who is apparently a dually expert said they were hard to remove and the tire shop maybe broke some tabs. New cap - $126.00.

I put a dab of Permatex "The right Stuff" on 4 lug nuts where the cap makes contact and since doing so have not lost a cap. I ALWAYS RnR the caps my self when having tire work done.

Not my Dually but you get the idea.

[Larry-D]

RAM dually. Rear inner tire on one side got a nail. Local tire shop where I go all the time fixed it for free. Within 400 miles I lost the center cap. My daughter who is apparently a dually expert said they were hard to remove and the tire shop maybe broke some tabs. New cap - $126.00.

[Learjet]

I use the claw on my small hammer inserted at a 45 with a rag or glove between it and the wheel to pop them off...like shown above.

[ourjeeps]

Yes that OTC 5758 tool would work, thanks for posting. We created something similar by modifying a pry bar tip by heating it and bending the tip over at 90 degrees.

d rocs wrote:

ACZL wrote:
The center cap posed one heck of a problem for them as they couldn't get it off... So my question is, what tool will work best?

This tool: OTC 5758 solved my problem with center cap removal.

https://www.otctools.com/products/hub-cap-removal-tool

Here's a YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1hTRC6-IHM

[d_rocs]

ACZL wrote:
The center cap posed one heck of a problem for them as they couldn't get it off... So my question is, what tool will work best?

This tool: OTC 5758 solved my problem with center cap removal.

https://www.otctools.com/products/hub-cap-removal-tool

Here's a YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1hTRC6-IHM

[ourjeeps]

Getting off F350 dually (decor) center caps is tough. There are 6 very stout/grippy hex-sided steel lug clips attached to the backside of plastic chrome center caps. The OEM lug wrench has a notched end but the deep dish of the dually wheel makes it useless (works fine on SRW trucks).

On the backside of the dually center cap are six stout steel hex clips in six of the eight lug positions. I'd post a photo of the centercap back-side but could not determine how to upload it to the forum. We're thinking of removing two of the 6 clips to make center cap removal easier while still having a god amount of retaining grip for the dually center cap.

For a removal tool, we heated the flat tip of a medium-sized crowbar and put it in a metal vice and used a 5 lb hammer to bent the top 1/2 inch over at 90 degrees - to use as a center cap removal tool. Using the vinyl covered notched flat tip (also tried the bare tip) of the OEM Ford lug wrench didn't grip the dually center cap for us. SRW center caps are no issue. The deep dish of the dually wheels makes the OEM lug wrench useless but again works fine on SRW F250/F350 SRW trucks.

BTW, the center caps "Made in China" as are the aluminum OEM Ford dually wheels. I could not locate a country of origin stamp on the Ford OEM steel dually wheels). Our high-performance 2016 Shelby GT350 wheels are also made in China...

[ACZL]

Well as fate would have it, the left outside tire TPMS went south in course of 1 week. Same exact thing as the right side......corrosion! Inside wheels are steel. Only the front are left!

[Cummins12V98]

Placing the rag behind changes the angle and keeps from damaging the wheels.

[FishOnOne]

ACZL wrote:

stickdog wrote:
A couple things: first there is a known problem with the TPMS on the 2017 Ford DRW's with corrosion. There is a thread on a ford fourm about it. I had one go bad on my 2017 replaced with a non TPMS as they were back ordered. Only reason they were back ordered was they can't keep them in stock.

Second I couldn't get my rear hubcap even tried the ratchet straps wound up ordering hubcap removal tool still had to remove the rubber mallet head but it works.

Thanks for the replies again folks!!

Ironically, the tire shop did have the same tool and just couldn't get enough leverage between the cap and rim to pry the cap off. Almost like it was "super glued" on.

Also, thanks for the heads up on the bad batch of sensors. Will advise tire shop so they can look into getting me replacements---unless Ford is replacing them free of charge.

I would have your local Ford dealer replace them that way if any damage is done they can replace the parts with genuine Ford parts.

[ACZL]

stickdog wrote:
A couple things: first there is a known problem with the TPMS on the 2017 Ford DRW's with corrosion. There is a thread on a ford fourm about it. I had one go bad on my 2017 replaced with a non TPMS as they were back ordered. Only reason they were back ordered was they can't keep them in stock.

Second I couldn't get my rear hubcap even tried the ratchet straps wound up ordering hubcap removal tool still had to remove the rubber mallet head but it works.

Thanks for the replies again folks!!

Ironically, the tire shop did have the same tool and just couldn't get enough leverage between the cap and rim to pry the cap off. Almost like it was "super glued" on.

Also, thanks for the heads up on the bad batch of sensors. Will advise tire shop so they can look into getting me replacements---unless Ford is replacing them free of charge.

[Cummins12V98]

Brake pawl and rag.

[Garry_Gayle]

I use a brake adjusting tool wrapped with electrical tape to keep from scratching the wheel.

[stickdog]

A couple things: first there is a known problem with the TPMS on the 2017 Ford DRW's with corrosion. There is a thread on a ford fourm about it. I had one go bad on my 2017 replaced with a non TPMS as they were back ordered. Only reason they were back ordered was they can't keep them in stock.

Second I couldn't get my rear hubcap even tried the ratchet straps wound up ordering hubcap removal tool still had to remove the rubber mallet head but it works.