Today we make some center caps for JeepyJeep's ride. I have had these on mine for a while, but we documented our work today to share with you guys.



The wheels we are working with are the ProComp 97s. This should work for the Cragar Soft 8s as I believe they are identical, but you may want to double check that the hole in the middle is the exact same size.

Materials and Tools needed:

4x/5x - 7oz. Sterno cans (if you want to do the spare)
1x - can of your choice of paint
Can opener or knife
Tin snips (or tool strong enough to cut cans)
Tape and plastic bags
Goo-Gone or adhesive remove and sandpaper
Rubber mallet and wood block

Here are the sterno cans:



Remove the top of it using a knife or can opener:



Using Goo Gone or similar and sandpaper, remove all of the labeling off of the can. This is probably the hardest part of the whole process. Then give the whole can a nice smooth sanding:



Using your tin snips, cut off the lip that should be left on your can from the can opener. Then, wrap the tape around the can about 1/2" away from the edge of the can and start cutting flaps into the can.:



The smaller the flaps, the easier your can will bend, but don't make them too thin. Then fold all of them outwards:



Now, place it into the back of your wheel tap it in with the wood block on top. It should sit nice and flush on the back of the wheel:



Here is where we did something different for JeepyJeep's Jeep. We agreed that his wheels looked better on his rig with the center caps being bare metal. So, we painted them with clear coat instead of gloss black. Either way, tape off around the edge of the center cap, placing plastic over the rest of the wheel so that it doesn't get any paint on it:



And thats pretty much it! Remove the tape and let it dry.

Here's with and without the center caps:



All done:



And mine in black:



Hope you enjoyed this write-up!

 

I had been looking for hub covers for awhile for the ProComp Rock Crawler Series 97 Black Monster Mod Wheel. Local 4x4 shops that had them said they weren't a "hot seller", because they rattled and fell off when off road. Meanwhile the missus was givin' me the stink eye cause she thought that with the hubs exposed, the Jeep looked as screwed up as a soup sandwich.

I read some other threads suggesting caps from spray cans, etc., but when I saw what axsys had done with Sterno cans, I was starry eyed. So I asked him if he could help me fashion a pair for my Jeep and off we went.

One of the key parts of this mod are the tabs. Be careful when hammering them in so that the remain parallel to the wheel until they reach the lip of the hub hole on the wheel. At this point you can fold them over the lip, just a little. Even if you don't fold them, when you put the wheel back on the hub the tabs will be securred against the wheel lip.

I love this kind of mod because

a) they're cheap

and

b) I'm cheap

Thanks axsys!

 

Those look very nice.

 

Thats very cool looks great.

 

nice work

 

That is a great idea. Do most steel wheels have the same size center hole?

 

very nice axsys

 

Great idea and looks good too. I have been thinking RubyDoo needed something like this.

 

they should if they're made to fit the stock axles on the JK.

 

OK. I guess some one has to be the devil's advocate, here.
Are the tabs pinched between the wheel and the axle? If so, I don't see how that can be anything but bad.