Part number required

[chic0821]

I have an S63 AMG Coupe with the dummy centre lock wheel centres, What a job removing them with the plastic removal tool which kept slipping off. If there is a knack please let me know. Wheels off for Gtechniq wheel armour & calliper repaint. All good until replacing the centre cap which has a plastic thread. Was a bit tight then it broke . Looks like someone, ie dealer has been at it as it looked chewed up (new pads a month ago)
Does anyone have a part number or a source that I could buy one from. Pics of broken one & good one

 

[Blobcat]

@daveenty is your man, he has experience

 

[-raj-]

A 222 400 08 00 7756

not cheap, around £150 inc VAT

 

[chic0821]

Unbelievable for a plastic moulding. Thanks anyway

 

[chic0821]

Surely you don't have to buy the complete assembly. It consists of a cap, black threaded part & metal back plate. They all clip together. I would have thought/hope they would be sold separately. I only need the black threaded part

 

[daveenty]

These things are a real nightmare to me and actually put me off removing the wheels on my last car until I found a good way of doing them. Getting them off is relatively simple, though I always use a 17mm combination spanner as opposed from the car's wheel brace as it sits flat against the cap allowing me more purchase. I then use firm pressure to push them in against the wheel and they come off fine.

Getting them back on is, as you've found out to your cost, a bit more awkward though again there's a knack to it. Looking at your first picture, the cap isn't seated all the way in correctly and it tends to be assumed that tightening the nut will pull it home. In fact this doesn't happen and the correct way is, as soon as resistance is felt on the nut, back it off slightly and then turn the centre section independently from the cap a few mm until it pushes into place. Then you can tighten the cap to no more than 18 lb/ft (25 Nm)

As for a supplier, Wheelbase Alloys used to offer them but, as stated above, they're not cheap...

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Would use a little silicon spray or silicone grease on the thread of the new one, or it will go the same way

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Check this out at ALLOY WHEELS DIRECT ..then look under assessories .

 

[-raj-]

Surely you don't have to buy the complete assembly. It consists of a cap, black threaded part & metal back plate. They all clip together. I would have thought/hope they would be sold separately. I only need the black threaded part

Can you see a part number on it? i can check it then.

From what i can see on the parts catalogue its an assembly

 

[daveenty]

Just whipped one of mine off to have a closer check.

Whilst it does look like the centre hub section may be removable, it's a pressed fit so I wasn't able to strip it for a closer examination for numbers etc. I did have a good look round the whole assembly and there seems to be only one Mercedes part number visible, which is: A222 400 2800. This to me would suggest that it's a one piece item. I've put a picture below, also of the centre section which, whilst having a number on it, it's not a Mercedes part number in the format I'm used to seeing: -

 

[John Laidlaw]

^ Looks like a heat number possibly?

 

[chic0821]

The numbers seem to be
On black bit which I need there are 2 numbers
Pass GF30
ZGS002
And on opposite side 2 T017459

Metal plate A 222 400 0800

Cap G060373

From looking at another one (intact) it looks as though they clip together, cap has three grooves which the black bit clips into and there are tangs in the black bit which clips to the metal plate. Did not want to prise them apart as plastic has no doubt gone brittle & if its £150 ish each, dont want to double that

 

[chic0821]

daveenty, thanks for the tip on replacing the cap. Used a similar method. Firstly after cleaning the threads, I put some silicone grease on the broken threaded insert & wound it in to chase the threads so there would be no resistance when putting in the good one. More silicone grease on good one's thread, put a bit of force on the metal back plate & wound it in by hand . Every time I felt a resistance, backed off while pushing slightly on the back plate. After doing this a few times ie feeling resistance & backing off, the back plate was home. Finally tightened up the nut by hand, put the plastic "spanner" on and turned it by hand until it was tight. Did not want to try torqueing it up to 25Nm, but happy its tight. Will check after a few drives.
Also as a Design Engineer curiosity got the better of me so decided to dismantle a good one. As suspected the 3 parts clipped together. Dismantled & rebuilt, shows there is no reason not to sell the parts separately apart from shear greed.
Not sure if I will buy a new one at that rip off price. I was thinking of drilling 3 equispaced holes in the back plate & tapping into the wheel, fitting M3 button head stainless screws & gluing the outer plastic "nut" in position. I don't think you would notice it unless actually looking for it.
Thoughts please

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Trouble is you guys want everything on a plate ,,,just read my post !

 

[chic0821]

Don't have a clue what your on about. Your first post said use silicon lube, which I did & your second post said check out alloy wheels direct. I don't want "anything on a plate". Just asking a question, thought that what forums are for or is this one different.

 

[mioba]

Unbelievable for a plastic moulding. Thanks anyway

Chump change for an AMG owner

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Mercedes for these items .

 

[chic0821]

"Chump change for an AMG owner"
Bet that took you a while to think that one up

 

[chic0821]

After having a good look at the back plate relative to the wheel, I found that the 5 bosses on the rear of the backplate fit into the counterbores of the wheel stud housings when properly assembled. If you locate the backplate with the bosses over the counterbores it should just screw in without any adjustments & there should be no tight spots when screwing in as it caused by the bosses pressing against the wheel surface so the nut goes tight. The adjustments being made causes the backplate to eventually fit into the correct recesses, then the nut tightens properly.

 

[chic0821]

I decided rather than pay £150+ for a new cap, I would modify the old one, so after throwing away the broken plastic threaded part, I was left with the back plate & nut. Original plan was to tap 3 equi-spaced holes in the wheel, but as there are 5 wheel nuts & an additional 5 holes equi-spaced on the wheel this would not work. 5 equi-spaced holes would work, but thats a bit overkill considering what is to be held on. I decided to go for 2 screws, but they cannot be exactly opposed , so decided to make them opposed as near as possible .
Placed back plate in position & drilled 2 pilot holes through it & into the wheel. Decided to go for M4 x 8mm stainless button head screws. 3,3mm drill into the wheel about 12mm deep, then tapped M4 by around 10mm deep. Opened up the holes in back plate to 4.5mm clearance. Good to go after checking the screws fitted perfectly.
Used JB weld 2 part epoxy glue to hold the nut to the back plate. Let it fully cure over night. Touch of copaslip on screws, then screwed it in position. As I said in previous post, using M4 button heads, they would not be noticed unless you were looking for them. No doubt I shall be called a tight git, who cares. Pics included. Comments welcome