Hi all,

I need help replacing the plastic bit in the middle of my wheel centre caps with metal so it can be mirror polished to match the wheels.

I can't do it myself but have no idea what sort of company should I contact?

Anyone have any ideas who to contact and maybe how expensive would it be?

I attatch some pictures of the centre caps to give you an idea what needs doing.

The gray bit in the middle is plastic and needs replacing with metal. The circle would have to be cut out precisely to match it well.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

i would take the audi badge off. fill the indent where it sits and then get someone to do a decent job of chrome painting it. will be close enough to mirror polish without spending big bucks. i would sort the marks on the outer rim out as well. :)

Is chrome plating possible on a plastic?

not sure but chrome paint does look very near polished finish if done well.

Yer, but I thought this is not possible on plastic that's why I said the plastic needs to be replaced. :)

yep you cna use chrome paint on plastic. :)

the better the prep the more like polished finish the chrome looks honest. ill look for the 3 series bm that was completely chrome painted.

plastic can be chrome plated. it often looks a bit tacky though. you could easilly make some replacements out of some sheet ally. use the plastic centre as a template, then get a router with a metal cutting bit to cut the shape out. not sure how you would attach it though as it wouldnt have those little lugs on the back

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http...%26tbs%3Disch:1

painting is a lot less time consuming :) sheet ally could always be tiger sealed onto the cap once beat to shape and polished.

id never plate plastic. looks poop.

The problem is that the plastic is convex in the middle. :( I'm sure I wont be able to make it exactly the same myself. Someone who has the right tools would have to do it. However I don't know what company I should look for.

dude seriously its really not worth the hastle if they annoy you that much just take them off and run the wheels without them. the wheels are total killer anyways and the centres look good plastic imo.

Well, I will decide this weekend coz I'm getting them sprayed black so I might just leave them as they are, but really wanted to have it all mirror polished. Will still try to find out who can do it and how much would it cost to see if it's worth it. :)

the wheels are total killer anyways and the centres look good plastic imo

Cheers buddy :)

like i said chrome paint. sounds pap but does look good done right.

So you want chrome. Slightly domed. Had a look at many designs of tea/coffee/sugar jars lately? Or more the point,the chrome stainless lids on some of them..?

Could even use '70s aircooled hub caps for the raised VW logo.

You'll keep the clip-on plastic backplates,you're only looking to replace the aluminium bit with the relevant diameter circle of domed stainless cut from whatever object you find it,then bond it on to the plastic backplate so it clips onto the wheel as normal.

thats a good idea.

So you want chrome. Slightly domed. Had a look at many designs of tea/coffee/sugar jars lately? Or more the point,the chrome stainless lids on some of them..?

Could even use '70s aircooled hub caps for the raised VW logo.

You'll keep the clip-on plastic backplates,you're only looking to replace the aluminium bit with the relevant diameter circle of domed stainless cut from whatever object you find it,then bond it on to the plastic backplate so it clips onto the wheel as normal.

That's accutally a great idea mate, cheers. But where could I source some '70s aircooled hub caps? Give eBay a try? :)

okay well nobody seems to have told you how to do it if you did get them made so i will :)

take the plastic peice to an engineering firm and show them, ask them if they could mill you them out of stainless or what ever material you want, they will be able to do it easy, the only problem would be the clips ( you might have to tiger seal the caps into the wheels or something )

you might have to tiger seal the caps into the wheels or something

Well, I surely can't do that because if I do, I wont be able to put the wheel on or off (depending when I would seal it) because the caps are covering the wheel bolts.

Cheers mate, currently bidding on some VW Hub Caps so will see how that goes.

If you want this does i would try someone that does CNC machining...

Edited 14 January, 201115 yr by dachma'84

Thanks for help.

I will try few engineering companies today and see if they're able to do it and how much would it cost. I'm just looking through yellow pages now.

Edited 14 January, 201115 yr by rzezin

surely mt idea would be cheapest, easiest and least complicated?

It doesn't have to be the cheapest but I want to make sure I will get the right finish. :)

I went to talk to CNC machining company today and it will cost me about £5 each, depending on what material I want. Now, here is the question, I have a choice of three; steel, aluminium and stainless steel. I am thinking whether to go for aluminium or stainless steel?

I am not sure if this stainless steel will give a 'mirror polished' effect.

If I go for alumiunium then I will have to polish it, which is not as difficult if it's not painted. :)

What are you suggestions?