I am trying to remove the dual center cap to pull a tire and not having any luck. I tried using the tool in the bag with a notch to pull on and the cap just peals. Tried using a puller and it cut into the cap. I see no mention of it in the owners manual. They are even off set from the holes in the rim so I can't get to it from the center of the tires. I'm glad I'm not on the side of the road or I would have shredded it by now. What is the secret to getting these nice looking caps off without destroying it.

 

Good luck. I have spent hours trying to get the rear cover come off and in the end I had success with a S hook ratchet strap. I destroyed the first center cap by trying various methods and they damaged the cap but still it wouldn't come off.
Ratchet strap is the way to go.

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I'm just glad I'm not on the side of the road. I tried every tool I could think of and the cap holes just keep getting bigger. I will probably leave them off.

 

Ratchet strap with 2 nylon coated s-hooks and a bar or board across the wheel... off in 30 seconds.

I always have straps in my truck and the tire iron can serve as the bar.

 

After a little trial and error and a piece of 3/4 flat bar I made a tool that works with the tire iron. Now the cap pops off with a tug. Now why in the world could Ford not produce something that works. Oh well. I'm happy, no more torn up caps trying out tools to fit. I think the strap would have worked fine but I wanted something I can keep in the Ford tool bag.



Tool for removing the rear center caps.

 

My tool thanks to a tip from this forum...

 

I am going to try to pull the caps off this weekend or next. When the cap releases, do I need to be ready to catch it? Or is there enough tension holding it on to keep it from falling away?


Are the front caps just as difficult to remove?

 

Are you saying there is a supplied tool from Ford for this purpose? and it wasn't working for you

or you used a tool you found in the bag assuming it could be used to pull the cap off?

 

Mine strait from the factory were actually loose. I lost my rear driver side in the first day, dealer had to order me a new one.


When we got he new one and tried to put it on, the dealer couldn't get it to seat, I had to push him aside and kick it on, it takes a good jolt to get it on.


So then we walked over to the passenger side and that one came right off, in other words it wasn't seated from the factory either, I had to kick it as well, glad I did or I would have lost it too.


So everyone check your caps on new trucks

 

I tried over the weekend. I have a cheapo ratchet set, and the S hooks wouldn't fit in the small holes of the front caps? How or what should I use to pop off the front caps?

My cheapo ratchet straps have the ratchet close to one of the S hooks so when I attached it to the rear wheel center cap, the metal from the ratchet was coming in contact with the center cap. I figure I need to get a different ratchet strap. Stopped by two stores and the packaging made it impossible to see whether the ratchet was loose from the straps or already sewn on one side close to the S hook. I noticed in the picture here that that ratchet strap, its ratchet looks like it is a separate item from the straps. Is that a particular brand?

 

Just an FYI, they are not installed at the factory and installed by your dealer as part of the PDI, so your dealer is to blame, not the factory.

 

I took mine to a large semi local tire dealership today and they could not get rear caps off. They tried using the supplied factory wrench on top of some their own tools. Even pulled out the owners manual to make sure Ford didn’t come out with some new technique they were missing. They finally gave up and didn’t want to risk damaging the wheels. They said I need to takeout to Ford to have them get it off, and if I learn of any tricks to let them know. They’ve worked on my 2012 450 plenty of times so I know they are familiar with dually. Makes me worry what would happen if I was out on the road!

 

Now that looks like an ingenuous solution! What kind of ratchet strap is that and what's on the end under the cap - an S hook?

 

It's just the plastic coated hook that comes with the strap. Most any ratchet strap should work. They carry them at Home Depot, Walmart, TSC, etc. I keep these straps under my back seat to secure loads anyway. I don't carry the 2x4, but figure I could use the tire iron as the cross piece.

BTW, someone else on the forum had the idea. I just verified that it works great and posted a picture to help explain it.