OK, so one of my nice shiny hubcaps fell off as I was about to drive off in my new van. I couldn't get it to stay put at the roadside. So, how do I fit it back on so that it will stay there? Just hit it with a mallet? (I did say it was a stupid question, there will be many, many more...)
Before you put it back on, check that it isn't bent as this may be what caused it to fall off in the first place. Properly fitted, and nice and straight, these hubcaps should not fall off. If it has, then there is something wrong, and you should investigate that first, otherwise it'll just come off again.
you sort of jiggle it over two of them, line it up to the third and ***** it with the heel of your hand.
Have the wheels been recently painted? I found out that the paint (or powdercoat in my case) was too thick on the three lugs moulded into the wheel itself - and after denting three hubcaps had to dremel the paint back a bit. Fit it over two of the lugs, then give it a ***** over the third - if the gap is more than a mil, they will fall off and you'll need to sand the rear surface of the lug back a bit.
Are they aftermarket hub caps? Originals should just fit over the wheel "lumps" with a good whack of your palm. They shouldn't come off.
If it's not warped and simply too big, some duct tape on the inside of the hub cap at the points where it locks onto the wheel might help.
