Equip05 Center Caps---Restoring

[Dre_S2k]

Hello,

i have a question, I have a set of equip center caps that need some love... they have pitting on the finish. I was wondering if these could be polished out like the lips? If not, what or how have you restored your caps with?

thanks in advance,

My equips are polished lips and the centers are like a black chrome finish...

[1badg35]

pictures please

[Beware]

Following this thread as I just got some Equip 05's myself. All caps are there, but the paint is quite bubbly and flaky and it must be due to some corrosion under the paint. I haven't paint stripped the caps yet as I only got them yesterday, but I'm hoping some paint stripper and a soda blast or something similar that's very lightly abrasive, if not just a light sanding will hopefully get them nice again.

Can you buy these new from anywhere(?) as you see some sets with perfect caps and I know there's a few different style of caps(older and newer) as the EQUIP logo on some is raised while others are stamped in and some also have just the WORK logo under EQUIP, or say Work Co LTD. around the bottom. Some are also flatter with a very slight dome shape, and others sit a bit proud of the wheel centre and then the middle sinks in.

[Oxer]

Equip 05s can be a nightmare. Ive bought 3 pairs to make one complete set of 16"s, and every set had different size centers, and different size/amount of bolts. Luckily i managed to get a complete set of caps along the way, but i havent polished any of them so i cant really help op. As far as i know the early caps were cast, not sure about the later ones.

There was a company that started making repros, but thet were different to the originals.

05s are one of my favorite wheels of all time. Especially larger diameter, lots of dish and full polish. Mine are the complete opposite of that though haha

[zoo]

I bought a set of these on Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WORK-EQUIP-WHEEL-RIM-CENTER-CAP-REPLACEMENT-EQUIPS-Qty-4-Pcs-/331640293116?hash=item4d374d46fc&vxp=mtr

[Dre_S2k]

Thats it right there....

I did buy a set of those rep's as backups since these caps seem to be extinct. He is actually down to 1 set of the Version 1.


This is my all time favorite wheel. I just finished polishing out the lips... The caps are all i have left to restore.

[Dre_S2k]

[Oxer]

Have you looked into having the electroplated? Yoibwould lose the detail on the equip text though.

[Beware]

One of my favourite wheels too, mainly because they're a simple design that looks great and will suit almost anything(kind of like the ever so common FR here in Aus).

I actually don't love them in anything much above 18in(unless they're in proportion to the car size, then 19's look good) and I also prefer the stepped dish version to the flat dish. Of course the deeper the dish the better, but I think these work in almost any width/dish depth, but I do agree that full polish is best...I just don't know if I can stomach the upkeep.

[FirstGenZq8]

i'm pretty sure VR wheels is making milled billet equip 05 center caps now, too.

[Dre_S2k]

I picked up a set of those version 1 and they don't look bad at all.

I do still want to restore the originals...Just something about having originals on.

I'm gonna dig into them soon. I will keep you guys updated on progress.

So you know, if you have the original cap as pictured above a little heat and the word "Equip" comes off of the cap. Its a plate that is double sided taped in.....

[Beware]

Where'd you get the version 1's from? Off ebay?

[Crankey]

if it's raw aluminum, sure it can be sanded and polished again. be prepared to glue that Equip logo back with high strength double stick tape or some JB weld.

if you remove the logo, it would make sanding the cap easier. but hand sanding, like 800 grit>1000 grit>1500 grit. then some flitz blue creme polish will get you there.
starting with more coarse grit will remove the deepest pits faster but the harsher lines will take more time to remove too...so best to start as fine as possible.

[Dre_S2k]

Where'd you get the version 1's from? Off ebay?

ebay...I believe the seller got a new batch of V1's and V2's

Sorry for the late reply