Wheel cover lock removal

[IL_pilot]

Anybody have any experience trying to remove those plastic wheel cover locks? It's a threaded plastic device that screws on to hold the wheel cover in place.

 

Mine is on so darned tight it's stripping off while using the plastic tool in my glovebox. There isn't enough clearence around the opening to get a pair of pliers around it or on the edge. I'm tempted to just drill the sucker out, but want to know if there're any other alternatives out there.

 

This thing is really pissing me off, I wanted to get my brakes done tonight, since my LF side is making a nasty grinding noise, and the rotor has a nice deep gouge in it, probibly because of that grinding noise

 

Thanks,

[mfewtrail]

What wheels does your regal have? I don' recall seeing any that use the black plastic lugnut covers..my parents regal has the removeable center cap that you take off w/ a rubber tipped screwdriver(to avoid scratching it..a regular screwdriver will suffice)..anyways, those black plastic covers come off easily on my GP(I take the lugnut socket and turn them off using my hand) so I have no clue why you're having a problem with them.

[IL_pilot]

It's got the wire wheel covers- underneath the Buick logo cap is a threaded stud with a plastic nut on it that uses a special tool, circular hole with another offset circle inside.

 

The stud is on a plate that mounts underneath 3 lug nuts. The stud is hollow and open at the end, so if all else fails, I could drill it out with a woodboring bit, but I kind of like the security of securing the wheel covers.

 

Thanks