Removing 4x4 auto-lock front hub cover

[Fred93]

Cross posted this on the wheels forum, but thought the 1st gen crowd would have some insight...

Just received new wheels for my 1993 Explorer XLT 4x4 with auto locking front hubs. Possible trouble is, there are covers over the front hubs (the ones that say 4x4 on them) that stick out from the center of the stock wheels, but there may not be a large enough hole in the center of the new wheels for them to fit through (even though the specs said they were adequate size).

Can that hub cover be removed without causing trouble with the underlying mechanism? It looks like it has a bolt plate on the back that goes over the lug nuts. Hoping the cover itself is only cosmetic and can be popped out of that plate. Otherwise the new wheels may need to be modified to fit the hub covers.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[RangerX]

No, you can’t remove any part of the hub. You need rims that have a large enough hole for the hub to fit through.

 

[imp]

No, you can’t remove any part of the hub. You need rims that have a large enough hole for the hub to fit through.

@RangerX

Keep the wheels, find a guy like me with a Bridgeport Vertical Mill, and open up the center hole size. If the hole is not intended to "center" the wheel, that is, centering is achieved by the lug nuts (most likely the case), the holes may be opened up using a large rat-tail or half-round file. Not hard to do if rims are not steel.

Or send the wheels back; if they stated they would fit, stick by your guns.
imp

 

[DeRocha]

As the others have already mentioned you can't remove the outer part of the HUB as it is integral to it's function. As @imp indicated you can either send the wheels back or have them machined so they will fit.

 

[Fred93]

Thanks guys. I pulled off one of the front wheels and saw that the hub is a substantial and integral part, not just a dust cover. Fortunately, I also saw that the new wheels (Mamba M13X) have a second hub cover piece (along with a separate removable dust cap) that is also removable that provides just enough space for the hub. Looks a bit funny with the silver hub sticking out of the middle of the black wheel, but not too bad. Hope to send photos someday soon.

The option of machining the new wheel hub cover is a good one. Wouldn't need to take off much, just the tabs where the dust cap attaches.

Thanks for your help!

 

[RangerX]

I’ve had black rims for twenty years, so maybe I’m used to the way it doesn’t match the hub color, but you could easily take the hubs off and spray paint them, they slip right off.