Hey guys,

My 240d has these plastic special clips on the hub caps to protect the aluminum wheels.

I bought two sets of stock hub caps for my w123 to change the colors up. Both sets arrived in the wrong color. So I powdercoated them.

My plastic-tipped 240d clips won't fit on the new sets of hub caps I just bought though! The clips seem too long/tall and won't fit into the grooves appropriately.

Are not all 14" Mercedes hub caps the same?!?! So I need to grind these clips down to fit?! Any help would be amazing!!

vwnate just explained this to me at a gtg. I’d never realized the hubcaps on the light alloy 240d rims were different. Not sure what the solution is to your conundrum.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

O.K., the light alloy wheel hub caps are made of stainless steel and *look* identical until you try to use the wrong clips .

To directly answer your question : yes you *can* squeeze these clips in and once in they won't slip/pop out .

I lay the hub cap inverted on my lap and then give the side of each clip a mighty squeeze until I get *one* side *barely* under the lip then I do the other side of that same clip .

It's not fun and my fingers feel mangled when I'm done .

When buying used 14" Mercedes hubcaps I think it's critical to use a magnet before you pay .

I have some spare correct stainless steel hubcaps I need to polish and find someone to re spray white, I feel your pain, most literally .

My car has four steel (magnetic) hub caps that match on it now, what a PIA it was to get those special plastic coated clips into place .

To make thing worse, 20 years ago I had a flat tire on the freeway and the hub cap flew off and rolled away, landing against the edge of the fast lane of the freeway not far past a blind corner .

Luckily (?) it was about 2AM so I was able to run across the empty freeway and grab my rogue hubcap before a drunk came roaring 'round the corner killing me .

Mercedes says 4 special clips per hub cap, I now run 5 each and my fingers hurt just remembering getting those flusherginner clips in place .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Your pain makes me feel better, thank you for sharing haha

I knew the wheel materials were different, but I had no idea the caps and clips would be. Trying to jam the steelie-caps on my aluminum wheels marred a couple of them up too. Ooooof....

I managed to squeeze half of my clips on without too much blood.

The other half of the clips, I had to buy a dremel tool for, and I shaved the end off a little. Shortening the clip got it to pop in better. Now they're on, but what a frustrating headache.

Thanks for listening to me rant everyone haha

For a long time these wheels were hard to find, now I have two sets and nobody wants my spares .

I love my 240D better than my 300 turbocharged coupe or greymarket wagon .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

It is hard to understand why they changed so much but the newer covers with the correct clips really work nicely if all parts match. I struggled with this some years back before doing a close comparison and seeing the difference in them is significant.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.