97formula

I use to have a full set of the center caps for my 87 GTA but they keep falling off. Is there something I can use besides glue to keep them on the rim?

BretD 88GTA

They should have metal spring clips that fit inside the caps and hook inside the rim. Without those, your center caps won't last long.

OEM caps can be had on eBay. I picked up a set for around $40. They were officlal GM Resto Parts and included new spring clips.
eBay Motors: PONTIAC FIREBIRD NOS CENTER CAPS SET 4 BGP (item 280047136642 end time Nov-11-06 17:09:57 PST)

My original WS6 caps are tucked away in the garage for safe keeping. I run the resto caps for now, until I design a better method for attaching my spinner/knock-off style caps.
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langss

I use Black RTV. A very small amount on each of the fingers and the area where it actually contacts the rim.They come off very easy just by pushing with a Hammer Handle.But they are retained tight enough that they wont spin or rock.
You have to make sure the contact areas are clean or the RTV wont stick.

injdinjn

What, you expected them to stay on for 50K miles

The metal spring clips are not part of all the caps. And GM does not have a part No for the clips. Some caps came with metal clips, some didnt. And the new ones dont.

You have to think like GM QC engrs. Lets see, 36K warranty, yep plastic will last about that long.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

The aftermarket ones don't have the metal retaining clips and can't use the clips without modification. The inside is smaller in ID and needs to be ground down a bit to fit the metal retaining clips.

Lon

ringo234

I just used "Weld On" so far so good.

BretD 88GTA

eBay, it's a beautiful thing.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PONTI...47136642QQrdZ1

The GM Restoration Caps (these have "Official GM" stickers on them) I bought included the clips and so do the ones I've posted the link to. They are out there.

injdinjn

The ones I bought almost 10 years ago from PMD and my originals did not have clips.

injdinjn

Bret, these are like mine. the clips are plastic of different lengths molded to the end of the cap. And contary to his ad they can be removed from the outside.

The varing lengths of the plastic clips give a tight fit when new but as the mileage builds up the bouncing of the tire breaks the clips and eventually the cap flies off.

Silicone works good to keep them on, but if you want to save the cap remove them before getting the tires replaced.

BretD 88GTA

Actually, look closer at the enlarged version of the photo in the ad. One cap is turned upside down and you can clearly see the shiney metal spring clip inside the cap. You can also see the "GM Licensed" decals on the inside.

I've purchased these before and they do indeed come with the metal spring clips. If they are GM Licensed, they should have the metal clips.

There are aftermarket ones on eBay too and as Lon mentioned, they do not come with metal clips and need to be modifed to accept the clips if you already have them. I know first hand. I have two sets of the aftermarket ones as well.

All the caps have the different length plastic teeth molded into them. As you said, those alone don't hold up very long.

Russ-So Cal

Camaro Performers is building up an early 3rd gen Camaro cross fire car. It has the early IROC wheels that were later put on the Rs when the IROC wheels were upgraded to 16.5. Their car was missing the center caps. A picture of the car appeared a few months later with new center caps installed. They didn't say where they got the center caps or anything else about them, and I can't find that issue now, but it looked to me like they had found a center cap that had 5 holes in the base so that it was held on by the lug nuts. I don't know if anything like that is available for the Firebird or not, but it seems to me that would be the way to go if it is available.

injdinjn

You must be lucky, or the clips are only on the black caps, because GM chrome caps did not come with clips, and my parts buddy at the time could not find any with metal clips.


Ps I type slow but does anyones else think this boards reaction time is slow.

Guest

GM black caps didnt either. I have a full set of OE caps for my 84 Firebird, no metal clips came with them nor were there any on the car to begin with.

langss

The same with my 86TA.After losing three of the four I was lucky enough to find replacments at the local "You Pick Part's" which were in better condition than the one's I had lost.When I crashed the car last year the cap stayed on even though the tire and rim hit that truck. RTV works.

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

FWIW my 89GTA has the metal clips.

Dyno Don

iTrader: (7)

Mine has them also.

Guest

I suspect they didnt start putting those clips in until 88-89 and they didnt come with any caps I ever ordered from the dealer, including a few different styles of black caps.

97formula

Thanks I just order a set of these. Looks good