Let me start off by saying, yes, I've already searched for this topic, and yes, I know that it's been done already. But all the information out there on this mod is nothing more than a couple pictures and a few sentences, so I thought I'd share my attempt at installing these TRD Center Caps on a set of stock FJ 17s.
First, you'll need:
4 TRD Center Caps
4 FJ Wheels
Dremel
Low Grit Sandpaper (I used 180)
Exacto Knife
Sharpie
For this mod, I chose to go with the Black TRD Center Caps (Part #
PTR20-35081)
For the other colors:
Gray:
Part #PT904-35071-CC
Silver:
Part #PT904-35070-CC
I got these about a month ago and finally was able to install them this weekend. I bought 5 from toyotapartszone.com for around $55 shipped. I purposely got an extra one to "experiment" with.
The first two days was actually used to prep & paint the wheels a flat black. The third day was when I started trying to get these center caps installed.
1. Take off the retaining rings from the new TRD Center Caps.
2. Take the sharpie and mark off where you'll be cutting. You're essentially trying to line the rim of the center cap up with the inside tab that's perpendicular to where you'll be cutting.
Here's where I marked mine off at.
3. Once you have the lines all marked, use the dremel and start cutting. Remember, go SLOW, I went a bit fast and actually hit the tabs, which you DON'T want.
Here's how it looks after cutting, notice that it is now level with the inside tab.
4. Using the knife and sandpaper, remove all the excess plastic and make the surface as smooth as possible.
5. Reinstall the retaining rings.
6. Using a flat head, pry off the original center caps.
7. Install the TRD Center Caps onto the FJ Wheels. This step is wayyyyy easier said than done. It took me an average of half an hour per wheel to get the center caps on. These center caps simply were not made for these wheels, but if you go at it hard enough, you can (eventually) make them fit.
The tabs on the center caps actually get looser and looser the more you keep trying to push at them and try to force them in, and they'll eventually get just loose enough for you to snap them in.
They should go in pretty tight and would take a strong pull to get them off. I don't plan on taking them off and a bit too scared to pull too hard or else I'd have to go through all the trouble of getting them seated again, so I'm planning on leaving them alone and pray they don't fly off on the freeway.
Here's a couple pictures of them with the wheel, one off the car, one on the car.
Here's some more pictures of comparison