I'm trying to clean my grande hubcaps because they look like they haven't been shined since the car was bought in '68. The only thing is, they look IMPOSSIBLE to clean without completely disassembling them but I'm stumped. Does anyone know how to disassemble these hubcaps? I honestly don't think there is any way to completely clean then without doing to but I can't for the life of me figure out how. Help is appreciated!

These are the ones I'm trying to take apart. I already removed the center cap.

 

Just get some 0000 steel wool and work it around, you should be able to get all of that surface rust off.

 

There's actually not any surface rust at all.. but it's impossible to clean under the spokes without taking it apart and I'm sure there is a way I just want to know if someone has already done it before.

 

Put the 0000 wool behind the spokes, and pull it until you have a side in each hand and pull it tight (wrap it from the backside.). Then up and down you go

 

I used a bit of elbow grease on the spokes and outer rim which was time consuming but did the job. The centre dish behind the spoke was a real POS job, I ended up putting some fine steel wool on the dish and pushing it around with the tip of my fingers, took forever, but it got the job done.

 

Id try fashioning myself a kind of steel wool rod, id attach it to the end of a rod of some sort then do what derwin did, just move it back and forth. GOod luck

 

You can't. It's welded and riveted. But it's stainless steel (the part you took off is chromed zinc). Wire wheel cleaner and a soft bristle car cleaning brush. I don't even take them off the car to clean them.

 

Thanks for the advice. I ended up just getting in between the best I could with some chrome cleaner. It killed my fingers but it makes a HUGE difference. I can't wait to get new wheels though. In the meantime, these are a pain in the *** to clean.

 

I just bought a really dirty set for my driver. I wet them and soaked with SimpleGreen. Used a toothbrush to get in the tight spaces and it worked pretty well. Then used steel wool on the places possible. Repainted the blue backside of the ford emblem. They look a world better! Still need to polish where possible.

 

I've also heard of people running them through the dishwasher with good results, but you need a really understand wife for that (or a wife that is away for the afternoon)