The badges in the centre of BMW wheels have a hard life being so
close to the road surface. After a time, they will start to look tired.
The clear surface lacquer may start to lift and the badges will need
replacing from time to time.
Depending upon the wheels
that are fitted, the badges most often are stuck to a plastic centre
cap which is pushed into the centre of the wheel. This cap needs to be
removed in order to make it easier to detach the badge from the cap.
If
the wheel is off the car, this can be done by pushing the cap out from
the back of the wheel. If the wheel is still on the car then the cap
needs to be prised off by inserting a small flat implement or a
screwdriver between the edge of the cap and the wheel surface.
Screwdrivers
are often used for this task but levering against the wheel surface
may cause small areas of damage to the wheel surface. If possible, use
something plastic such as the edge of a credit card or similar. Once
the edge of the badge is lifted a little, it may be possible to pull it
out with your fingers.
With the cap removed, a small
but strong flat bladed screwdriver is required to prise the badge off
the cap. The screwdriver needs to be forced between the edge of the cap
and the badge, being careful to not allow the screwdriver to slip and
injure yourself. You will probably need to work all the way around the
cap until the badge becomes free. The old badge often gets destroyed in
the process.
Once the badge is removed, it is
important to remove as much of the old adhesive from the cap as
possible. If the adhesive is hard, it may be difficult to remove but it
can be attempted using the ubiquitous screwdriver again. Clean the
surface of the cap as much as possible, being sure to remove any dirt
or loose adhesive. An alcoholic cleaning wipe is useful for this
purpose if available. If not, any sort of suitable cleaning fluid
should work. If the surface is in particularly bad condition and won't
clean up sufficiently, then a new cap may be required. It is worth
noting that certain sizes of badge are only available already attached
to the cap, therefore requiring the whole cap to be replaced.
When
buying your new badges, it is best to ensure that you purchase
original BMW badges. These are made from a flexible aluminium. Various
replica badges are available but apart from being fake, the design of
the BMW logo often looks a little odd and the colours are not always
accurately reproduced. Some of these badges are made from a clear
plastic and are quite thick, making them look a little out of place once
fitted. It has even been known for fake badges to be made from paper.
Original
BMW wheel badges are available in a variety of sizes, most of which
have a self adhesive backing. It is important to measure the diameter
of the centre cap accurately to identify the correct size of badge as
they are measured in millimetres. Be sure to measure the surface where
the badge fits onto and do not include any lip that runs around the
outside of the cap.
Also, it is important to decide
whether your centre cap is flat or slightly raised. Some badges are
available as either flat or convex (raised or domed). Some sizes are
only available as either one type or the other. If you have original
BMW wheels, it should not be a problem to identify the correct size and
profile of badge that you require. However, if your wheels are none
BMW, then it can be a little more tricky as some after market
manufacturers have centre caps that are not suitable for any size of
original BMW wheel badges.
Before peeling off the
backing of your new badge, try it against the centre cap to ensure that
the size is correct. If it is, then simply peel off the backing and
stick the badge on to the cap, making sure is is centrally located.
Press the badge firmly around the edge where the adhesive is located.
Avoid pressing the centre of the badge because not only is there no
adhesive there but it can put a dent in the centre and ruin the new
badge. After this is done, then simply push the cap back into the wheel
and the job is done.
Some original BMW wheels also
have a small M-Tec badge near to the centre. These badges are stuck to
the surface of the wheel and are very easy to remove with a screwdriver
or credit card. Once again, clean the surface before applying the new
self adhesive badge.
A new set of wheel badges can
easily give your BMW wheels a new lease of life. Be sure to change them
as soon as they start showing signs of wear to keep your wheels
looking fresh and new.
No comments:
Post a Comment