How to remove the wheel trim without damaging paintwork?

[emmb]

Can anyone tell me how to remove the centre wheel trim without ruining the paintwork by crudely shoving a screwdriver under the rim and hacking away which is what I would normally do? (Steel wheels with chromed central cover over nuts..help need to change tyre right now and in danger of hacking at it in haste!)

[emmb]

Problem solved by using a garden trowel with newspaper wrapped round the end. .....A new tool to add to the collection of bits one keeps in the boot eh?

[stuarthardy]

Hi

Do you still have the wheel wrench that comes as standard with the car? If so then the other end is usually used to remove the hub caps. The problem I have most concern with is not ruining the paint on the wheels but with preventing damage to the hub caps as they pop off the wheels - I usually try to catch them on my legs as I kneel down next to the car.

Instead of the standard tool I use an old wheel brace I picked up some time ago that has a pronounced bend (almost 90 degrees) of about half an inch on the end. I've never had a problem with paint damage.

A short length of heat shrink sleeving on your tool of choice might help either.

Regards
Stuart

[emmb]

Thanks for thatt suarthardy!