i just bought these new rims and tires from a private party and i went home to install them and found out i have no clue how to install the center caps.

Here is a picture of the rim before install.



i'm not sure if there is a trick to installing these or if special lug nuts are needed. The guy who sold them to me told me they just pop on i think. but when i put them on they just slide around all the lug nuts loosely. I'm not sure what i'm missing...

 

Should put the wheel on then these should just snap on. That's how it looks anyway. I can't remember if I've ever dealt with those wheels or not. I dealt with soo many when I worked at a shop that did tires and other stuff but I had to often take the wheels off. If you break anything it's not my fault so be careful with it but they do look like they snap on. Any pictures of the back of the center cap?

This is unless those lug spots on the center caps turn which they don't look like they do. On some of the Chevy's you just twist those on over the lugs. Like tighten it to the lugs but those don't look to be that style.

 

I know for my dads F-250, he needed a certain type of lug for the center caps to fit. Thats why he had to keep the old lugs when he swapped wheels, so he could keep the stock center caps.

 

that "might" not be the right cap for those wheels. I have that set of wheels but they are a five lug pattern. the cap actually has five holes in it that the lugs go thru and the lug nuts tighten over. You can see a pic of mine in my album. That cap might be for an eight lug wheel that attaches differently.

 

I think its because i have the wrong lug nuts. the guy who sold them to me showed me a picture of completely different looking lug nuts and mine are aftermarket. Sorry if this was a silly question and thanks.

 

ya you need the special lug nuts for those rims...i have the same ones. you need the cone shaped lug nuts in order for the center cap to snap on and stay on. just go to NAPA or some auto place and they should hook you up with the stock lug nuts

 

yep,2500 center caps.

 

Even when they are installed properly, you still run the risk of lossing one. I replaced 2 when I ran the stock rims. I thought they just poped into place, I didn't realize they were attaching to the lug nuts.

 

I've got the 5 bolt rims where the cap goes on before the nuts. I've been getting a clicking noise from the front end and it's been driving me crazy. I went out on a dirt road nearby got out and left it in drive so it would roll and I could listen close. Turns out the clicking noise is actually a creak when it is going real slow. I figured it was the darn center caps so I took them off and sure enough the click/creak is gone. Anyone else had this problem?

I'm sure it's cause I didn't tighten the nuts down just right but I don't have a air gun around all the time and I just use a 4 way.

 

Well, you don't want to use an impact wrench anyway! Using the 4 way is fine , but you are really suppose to use a torque wrench.