Removing center caps

After having 2 sets of wheels redone (at great expense) to get rid of the corrosion from wheel weights, and from the nicking from tools used removing the center caps, I still have not found a really good way to remove the center caps. Whatever I find that is strong enough to pry the cap off is either too thick to go in the slot, or is hard enough to break the clearcoat at the edge of the recess, and the corrosion begins.

Does anyone know of a good way to remove the center caps without damaging the clearcoat on the wheel?

The set of American Racing wheels I bought came with reinforced plastic blade tools (one per wheel-4 to a set of 4) for this purpose. What type of clear coat was applied to your wheels, for any toughness and resistance to this sort of damage it has to be a two part coating like todays' acrylics.

Sounds like Greg has the real answer. I am going to try to contact American Racing to see if available separate. I have been useing "shoe horns/s" ... 2 of them but anything I imagine will do some damage unless you strip the wheels and go the Klasse route....

I too had my wheels refinished... I have found that using a plastic spatula (like to flip pancakes with) placed between the wheel and the cap protects the wheel. I then use a small putty knife wrapped with a thin wash cloth to pop the cap.

I keep all of these items in the spare tire compartment, and of course remove the caps myself before she goes into the mechanic for anything that could possibly result in the removal of the wheels.

I found the perfect non-destructive hubcap remover at a local auto glass shop. It is a piece of plastic that they use to put chalking in corners.

They usually get them for free and I got a handful for a Coke.

Put one in every car and gave sone to the my tire Guy. He loves them.

Masking tape on a screwdriver.

Use the knock-outs from the handles of 1 galon MILK JUGS, these can be found for free at your local grocer. Get a bunch and sell 'em on eBay!

They also make great detail/cleanup scraper tools!

I have used the blade from my pocket-knife protected on both sides by tuff cardboard that is thin like a posterboard or the backing from a blisterpack. There is no good way to go about this, good luck.