Octavia III 2016 MY - How do you remove the plactic wheel-nut covers

[ZaphodB]

The title says it all really.

 

The tool kit with the car doesn't seem to include the small 'U'-shaped plastic cover "puller" and I've tried with snipe-nosed pliers covered with insulation tape (so I didn't damage the caps) but no luck.

 

Which bloody idiot desigend these and worse still, which bloody idiot's boss signed them off saying "Yep, they're fine!" ??

 

Would love to meet them with a baseball bat in hand on a dark night!

 

Any help (apart from suggesting ebay to buy a "cover puller") would be gratefully received.

 

Zaph

[gav_is_con]

Something with a small hook on the end. Are you sure you don’t have that in the spare wheel well inside the foam. Looks like a key ring on one side. Then you need to ease the plastic covers off a corner at a time. Very hard though. 

[ZaphodB]

Hi Gavin,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes, I have a large (approx inch dia) metal ring with a straight bit that has a hook on the end (looks like a No.6 in profile) but seemed to be the wrong tool for the job as I have seen things that look like wide, flat tweezers.

 

That's what I was expecting to find.

 

Have ordered this from ebay ...

 

Wheel Cap Removal Tool

 

Zaph

Edited 19 April, 2020 by ZaphodB

[shyVRS245]

4 minutes ago, ZaphodB said:

Hi Gavin,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes, I have a large (approx inch dia) metal ring with a straight bit that has a hook on the end (looks like a No.6 in profile) but seemed to be the wrong tool for the job as I have seen things that look like wide, flat tweezers.

 

That's what I was expecting to find.

 

Have ordered this from ebay ...

 

Wheel Cap Removal Tool

 

Zaph

That's the right tool it should have been left in the boot with the spare wheel kit or compressor kit.

[bigjohn]

You need the plastic U shaped tweezers designed for this - some spare wheel kits do have the wrong tool including the one that came with my Skoda Superb. It's impossible to remove the cap with the tool that was in my kit easily but was very easy to scratch the alloy with it.

 

I bought (similar advert anyway) for my Superb:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Tweezers-Wheel-Removal-Tool/dp/B019VUEQ7M

 

This also did the job with my son's mkIII Octavia

Edited 19 April, 2020 by bigjohn

[ZaphodB]

I agree John,

 

The metal ring-type tool is not the correct tool (it is for use with VW / AUDI caps that have a hole in the centre of them).

 

Good job I discovered this now (when it isn't important) rather than on a rainy winter's evening miles from anywhere.

 

Still love to know which idiot designed then and the even bigger idiot that signed them off as being okay.

 

Zaph

[gav_is_con]

16 minutes ago, ZaphodB said:

Hi Gavin,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes, I have a large (approx inch dia) metal ring with a straight bit that has a hook on the end (looks like a No.6 in profile) but seemed to be the wrong tool for the job as I have seen things that look like wide, flat tweezers.

 

That's what I was expecting to find.

 

Have ordered this from ebay ...

 

Wheel Cap Removal Tool

 

Zaph

I had the same problem when I had a Fabia. The wrong tool in the boot I had the 6 rather than tweezers. I used to use the 6 and it was a pain until I realised it was wrong from Briskodans. As my other car was a mk2 octy with Vega wheels it never needed covers. Those tweezers look correct from a distance. I got mine from an Audi dealer on eBay many years back. And it may/may not have been present in my Superb2. I thought you had an emergency hence suggesting don’t ask me to order one off eBay. Lol. 

[ZaphodB]

Hi Gav

 

I came to the swift conclusion that I hadn't got the right/appropriate tool so thought £2.19 from eBay would sort it for (almost) no cost.

 

Ho hum.  Like I said, not desperate but the tyre with an egg on the side will need replacing soon (just not going anywhere because of the C-19 lockdown at the mo).

 

Will just have to use the Rolls to do the shopping run to Sainsbury's next week!

 

Zaph

[stanian]

32 minutes ago, ZaphodB said:

I agree John,

 

The metal ring-type tool is not the correct tool (it is for use with VW / AUDI caps that have a hole in the centre of them).

 

Good job I discovered this now (when it isn't important) rather than on a rainy winter's evening miles from anywhere.

 

Still love to know which idiot designed then and the even bigger idiot that signed them off as being okay.

 

Zaph

I think the metal ring type tool you describe with a hook on is for removing the plastic trim from the rear light clusters.

[ZaphodB]

Hi Stanian

 

This video clip shows the "No. 6" tool in use on a VW.

 

Removing Wheel Nut Caps on a VW

 

Zaph

[pist0nbr0ke]

1 hour ago, stanian said:

I think the metal ring type tool you describe with a hook on is for removing the plastic trim from the rear light clusters.

 

1 hour ago, ZaphodB said:

Hi Stanian

 

This video clip shows the "No. 6" tool in use on a VW.

 

Removing Wheel Nut Caps on a VW

 

Zaph

 

It's also actually designed to be used for removing the left and right lower grilles on the vRS below the foglights, when removing the foglights or changing the bulbs 😊

[stanian]

44 minutes ago, pist0nbr0ke said:

 

 

It's also actually designed to be used for removing the left and right lower grilles on the vRS below the foglights, when removing the foglights or changing the bulbs 😊

Yep same tool, multiple uses it seems, didn't know it was for the wheel nut covers on WV's too!

 

 

Edited 19 April, 2020 by stanian