Rob - the mounting surface of my caps wouldn't even get to the same zip code
as the wheel surface when the center bottomed out and the diameter was
really mismatched.

I'll keep the deadblow trick in mind when I find the correct caps.

Thanks

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: Rob [mailto:becida@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 12:21 PM
To: Joe Luther; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Silly question about hub caps

Those metal VW caps wouldn't stay on my front drivers either, the dust
cap/speedo cable got in the way. I put a dab of grease on the speedo end,
put the cap on and found it touched in the center.

I had to push the center of the cap out.

I took some large steel washers (inch or so diameter) and a steel piece to
get them within reach, supported the hubcap on a metal coffee can and
smacked it one good one with a 5lb deadblow hammer (this is pushing the
inside out just a little). It was a nice even push out of the center piece,
another smack with just the deadblow did the trick. From the outside it
doesn't look like it's been adjusted.
I tested it with a touch of grease on the speedo cable end and I had zero
transfer to the hubcap, it's worked great since last July.

Rob
becida@comcast.net