Another reason winter mileage bites: millions of snow tires without wheel covers

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

PS: was inspired to post this topic when I saw Tim's wheel-cover-less Prius picture: :O

BUSTED!!!!

Originally Posted by Daox

In my defense, I think my wheel covers are worse than leaving the wheels as is!

I've been thinking about that for while: Is a normal hubcap with lots of holes and spokes better or worse than no hubcap at all?

[Christ]

I'm going to say that the average hubcap doesn't allow too much air to pass across it's surface (to get behind it), and it sticks out enough that if it were smooth, it would look like a mooneye cap, so it probably helps.

Of course, that's my opinion. Can't prove it.

[moorecomp]

I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by moorecomp

I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.

x2. I have a lot more problems with wheels getting out of balance with hub caps than without in the winter.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Cd

I can't help but wonder about the collective fuel consumption impact of hundreds of thousands (millions?) of vehicles that have oversize pimp wheels.

mmm OZ Superleggera's....I miss those rims. Those 17 or 18's probably weigh less than everybody's 15" steelies.

[Piwoslaw]

My car is butt-ugly without hubcaps, so I keep them on. Except when driving in snow chains...

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Originally Posted by moorecomp

I don't think wheel covers in the winter are for me. Where I live and the amount of snow we get (200+ inches sometimes), I have a hard enough time with tires that get out of balance from packed snow and ice.

I have found that smooth wheel covers have helped avoid this problem.

Another reason winter mileage bites: millions of snow tires without wheel covers

[COcyclist]

Originally Posted by tasdrouille

x2. I have a lot more problems with wheels getting out of balance with hub caps than without in the winter.

I had an interesting experience last winter after I duct-tape smoothed my factory wheelcovers. We were doing a 2+ hour drive on powder snow covered roads to go skiing. At the end of the day as we left the resort and got up to speed on the interstate it felt like the back end of the car was going to shake apart. I stopped at the next exit and there were golf ball sized chunks of ice inside both back wheelcovers. The snow kicked up by the front wheels had filled the wheelcovers from the back, melted and refrozen during the day. Shook it out- smooth sailing. Never happened before I smoothed the wheelcovers and hasn't happened since but it's possible.

[sarguy01]

While I understand every little bit helps, there are bigger issues in the ice and snow.

I know with my old car that had snow tires on steel wheels, the big issue was not with the wheels, but with the ice and snow accumulation. When it sticks to everything, it adds a tremendous of weight as well as makes the car less aerodynamic. Plus, the added weight of the snow on the wheels themselves puts more load on the engine when accelerating and staying at a given speed.

My take is to put the wheel covers on. When it snows or when there is snow on the road, take them off.

It would take some testing to see what the real difference is.