Wheel Center Cap Alternatives

[jbluther]

I'm thinking the stock Gen1 5-spoke wheels would have an overall more shiny "chome" look to them just by swapping the grey painted center caps with billet/chrome center caps.



I believe the stock center caps are 1L5Z-1130-AA



Can any of the following caps be swapped with the stock caps?



YL5Z-1130-BA

F87Z-1130-DA

4L24-1A096-BA



I'm thinking they might not because these alternative caps snap on to the lug nuts whereas the original cap snaps on to the wheel itself.

 

[Yardsale]

My OEM center caps have a chrome look and snap on to the lugs.

 

[jbluther]

Thanks, Yardsale. Just to be sure, are those caps on the straight 5-spoke wheels or the XLT wheels (that have teardrop kind of shaped openings)?



I like those XLT wheels too. I've thought about finding a set of those instead of aftermarket.

 

[swshawaii]

Jared- IIRC, the XLS model came stock with the "teardrop" rims, mine did. The XLT trim level came with the five "spoke" design.



Were you the original buyer of your 2003 XLS? If not, the rims were probably changed. I do see both styles on Craigslist often.

 

[Yardsale]

My '01 came with the bargain-basement "inexpensive" steel rims. I could not find a picture until I searched for Ranger OEM rims. This might explain why I got four silver and one black rim.

Apparently, they came in chrome, too.

 

[EddieS'04]

Yardsale, are your rims the 15" ?

 

[Yardsale]

The OME were 15".



Oops - OEM.

 

[Duane Foster]

I've seen 3, maybe 4, Sport Tracs with the wheels Yardsale pictured.



Jared, there are several variations of center caps that should work. Sorry I can't tell you which ones. If you look at various Fords, there are variations of the 5 spoke wheel, and some do have "chrome" centers. I've not seen the 5 spoke wheels in person except on a vehicle, so I don't know how the caps attach. My ST had aftermarket wheels on it when I bought it, and I have 5 spoke Ranger wheels on it for winter. The Ranger wheels are similar, but the lugs are recessed and exposed.



Regarding the teardrop wheels - my son's '97 Mountaineer has those wheels, (15" though) and the inner part of the teardrop is painted a dark metallic gray. Really looks sharp on a green and gray Mountaineer! Seems to be factory-done, but I've not seen any, or many, others that way.

 

[Yardsale]

And I am beginning to think mine came with Ranger rims (four silver and the spare black - whatever they could find).