Cheap inferior alloy dust caps for tyres - Warning

samuel · Post by **samuel** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:56 pm

If you have fitted alloy dust caps to your tyres, like i did, then you may have a problem later on removing them. I filled up at Asda recently and when i came to check my tyre pressures i couldn't get the dust caps off. When i got home it took a pair of pliers and an adjustable spanner to get them off. In fact one of them i cannot remove at all for fear of damaging the rubber bit that comes from the tyre.

The alloy is so disimilar to the brass portion that corrosion occurs and the end result is what i have just decribed. Stainless steel or plastic caps are the answer of course.

trevd01 · Post by **trevd01** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:28 pm

or even plain old plastic ones...

Josh N Sarah · Post by **Josh N Sarah** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:46 pm

We had this problem. I ended up taking it to ATS & they got them off with two pairs of pliers. They said it was due to the two different types of metal corroding together but sprayed it with a penetrating oil & said they should be fine now.

Scott & Gillian · Post by **Scott & Gillian** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:59 pm

Would a drop of oil - 3 in 1 for example, stop them corroding and sticking together?
Or is there anything else which would be suitable? Any ideas?

Richard D · Post by **Richard D** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:08 pm

I wouldnt bother with them had some a few years ago and ended up ripping a valve out. I will stick to plastic ones at least if they stick a stanley knife will cut them off fairly easily.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:08 pm

Agree with above - don't whatever you do go for the bling LED type - they have a habit of ripping the valve out due to centrifugal force

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:55 am

Could you not ask a passing kid on a bike? They seem to get mine off really easily

Biddy · Post by **Biddy** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:45 am

BidDaddy your comment has made me laugh and laugh...

It is OH SO True that the little herberts criusing on their bikes seem to think they are duty bound to remove your dust caps, some unwritten code compels them to do so... And if you are really priviledged and have the pack leaders they will even let the air out of your tyres for you as well. we used to have a FOUR year old that did ours. Fair enough he did his mothers car as well. Dave told his mother that if he found him doing it he would crack his arse... she said you do that with my blessing I wondered why my tyres were always going down.... the little lad was warned and left our cars alone, we did hearthat for a while the little monkey went into the next street to satisfy his habit.....

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:18 pm

Bless em eh? The last time i caught the little cherubs,I was exiting my local leisure centre with my kids,when the three of them went running from my car ( the scrotes, not my kids! )Ha ha, they didn't expect me to catch em

Of course they started to cry and blame each other,then the leisure centre manager came out to see what all the commotion was about

Amazingly, she quite agreed with me chasing the little darlings,and ordered them to recover the dust caps (they threw them in the grass) She had them looking for them for about half an hour! ( really cracking the whip) I only chased em to give em a fright!... The lady said that they had lost about 25% of their custom because of vandalism to parked cars,and thats with the CCTV!... The other time they got pinched was from my bongo,by a middle aged man, whilst i was watching, whilst parked on southport beach... I thought he was just admiring my bongo,but when i got back all my dustcaps had gone! I thought he was admiring my wheels a little TOO closely...