Alpina Wheels

[eye4speed2]

OEM Alpina wheels...

So I was driving around with my windows down and heard what is probably the center caps rattling when driving.

Do I need to twist them back in place after locking them?

Or is this normal - thinking the Rolls wheels with floating caps?

[MADEYE]

Had the same problem with mine after been in getting a service. The shop had to remove the wheels to do the brakes.

If you have a staggered set up then the caps are slightly smaller for the front wheels.

Move them around to different wheels until they are rock solid. They should not be moving.

[addy27]

No, wheels caps are identical on the 4 corners. I get the rattle usually if I remove the cap and place it back on and it feels a like it locks too easily, meaning its a little loose. All I do is remove and re position it in a way where the lock feels like it latches on better. My take is this is due to the foam strips around the center caps having varying thickness making some positions to be loser than others.

[eye4speed2]

Originally Posted by addy27

No, wheels caps are identical on the 4 corners. I get the rattle usually if I remove the cap and place it back on and it feels a like it locks too easily, meaning its a little loose. All I do is remove and re position it in a way where the lock feels like it latches on better. My take is this is due to the foam strips around the center caps having varying thickness making some positions to be loser than others.

Originally Posted by addy27

No, wheels caps are identical on the 4 corners. I get the rattle usually if I remove the cap and place it back on and it feels a like it locks too easily, meaning its a little loose. All I do is remove and re position it in a way where the lock feels like it latches on better. My take is this is due to the foam strips around the center caps having varying thickness making some positions to be loser than others.

My wheels are staggered. They do appear to have different sizes.

I put the smaller one on the front (dealer had it switched) and the larger on the rear. Rattle is a little better, but still there.

The design is terrible. Almost all the "scoops" on the cap have foam and a few are missing. Not sure if this is on purpose and causing the poor fit. If it didn't have any foam, one would think it would be a more snug fit.

I'm surprised they don't fly off with that tiny latch. Any other ideas to get rid of the rattle?

[tree]

I had one that rattled, and I wrapped some cloth tape on the tabs that hook into the wheel center. It fits very snugly now, and does not rattle.

[eye4speed2]

Originally Posted by tree

I had one that rattled, and I wrapped some cloth tape on the tabs that hook into the wheel center. It fits very snugly now, and does not rattle.

Thanks Tree. Will give that a try.

[addy27]

Originally Posted by eye4speed2

My wheels are staggered. They do appear to have different sizes.

I put the smaller one on the front (dealer had it switched) and the larger on the rear. Rattle is a little better, but still there.

The design is terrible. Almost all the "scoops" on the cap have foam and a few are missing. Not sure if this is on purpose and causing the poor fit. If it didn't have any foam, one would think it would be a more snug fit.

I'm surprised they don't fly off with that tiny latch. Any other ideas to get rid of the rattle?

Center caps are the same, wheels are staggered. And yes the tightness/snugness of the caps is what makes them quite or noisy. Ideally all spokes on the wheels caps should have foam strips.

[eye4speed2]

Can you confirm if the OE Alpina bolt is conical or ball seat?

Also, do OE wheels (Style 409) take ball seat?