Steel Wheel/Center Cap/Lug nut match

[Howard Otty]

I purchased 4 steel wheels for winter tires for my son's 2016 Tacoma 4x4. I purchased OEM center caps on line and 24, "Bulge" 12x1.5 lug nuts (Generic?). I wanted to try the center caps before I sand blasted and painted the wheels and found that the clips barely hold the caps to the wheel. The caps are like new and the clips are all there and in good shape. Are these clips meant to hold the caps on or does the OEM lug nuts secure them to the wheel? The lug nuts I got fall through the holes in the cap. I noticed an edge at the bottom of the lug holes in the cap about 3/4 around the hole. Do the correct lug nuts have a surface that catches this edge?
Numbers on wheel-T16X7J DOT GMG7 08KJ28
Numbers on Cap-4260B-04010 PPE CAV4 08-03
HELP!!!!
Thanks,
Howard

 

[WiskyT]

I don't know various part numbers etc but I can tell you the system toyo uses to hold the center cap on the steel wheels is ****. No, the lug nuts do not hold the caps on, the spring clips do. And, the spring clips are not confidence inspiring. On my '08, I either lost or had one stolen within 2 weeks of delivery. The new ones from the stealer were like $50.00 each! No junk yards had them since they were too new to the market and not available as salvage yet. When I took one off to bring into the junk yard I damn near had to break it to get it off, then it didn't want to stay on again! The springs are **** and it's a ****ty sytem.

I just took the other 3 off and left them off until I turned it in 4 years later. I got a 15 now with steel wheels and so far so good, they haven't gone missing. Maybe the newer ones are finally done right and the lugs hold the caps on, but I doubt it.

In all seriousness, I would return the center caps if you can and just leave the hubs naked. You could even hit them with a rattle can with a color of your choice. The center caps are nothing but a way for toyo to sell you $5.00 pieces of plastic crap for $50.00 each. I really should just go ahead and take mine off.

And yes, pretty much every other car on the market uses the lug nuts to hold the caps on with steel wheels.