Anybody have a good way to remove wheel caps from rims without damaging the rims.? I dont want to spend $40 on a wheel cap remover tool to replace old worn caps that i'll hopefully wont have to replace for another 10 years.

 

Don't get too attached to the wheel caps - I go through a set of wheel caps every year or two. The color crests oxidize and soon after the glue separates the crest from the wheel cap and they're done. You can use a wire coat hanger and pliers to remove the old ones. I straighten the curved hanger part and then apply a half to three quarter inch right angle and a slight bend about two inches back. This allows you to fish one end through one of the eyes in the crest and out the other one. Hold onto the coat hanger with one hand and the wire tip with the pliers and pull straight out with about 10lbs of force. You'll hear an audible pop and she'll be free. Putting new ones in: just be careful to align the teeth so that they are all inside the rim and tap it in with the palm of your hand. It's easy to accidentally bend or snap off these teeth if it's not aligned properly. Also, it's good to make sure nobody's watching when you do all this crazy stuff in your driveway.