Pizza separator wheel covers, with Vekke zip caps

[Xist]

Four inches from the center seemed to be the best place to put the zip tie. I clamped all four separators together, measured the holes the best that I could, started with a punch, drilled screws at each point to keep the separators together, and then pulled the screws one at a time to enlarge the hole.

I did not have a bit large enough for the zip caps, but there are larger ones at Mom's house. Also, my zip ties were too thin for Vekke's caps, I could not get them to work together, so instead of looping a zip tie around a wheel spoke, running it through the separator, and through a cap, I ran it through the cap, then the separator, and then around the spoke, which was difficult with a giant aluminum circle in the way.

The caps do not sit flush and I cannot close the caps until I find the right ties, but this is an improvement, right?

I plan on spraying them with black Plasti-dip.

[Xist]

I made it 165 miles to Mom's house. Nothing fell off, so that is good.



351 miles in 70% of a tank? Am I looking at a 500-gallon tank? I have hit 50 MPG, but that was with pulse and glide. I did not do that this trip and it was only uphill, I would hope to do even better downhill.

I just need some of that instrumentation and some of that A-B-something.

I downshifted more to control my speed better, it is nice to actually benefit from gravity for once, but I took great pains to observe the speed limit, which is difficult with all of the hills.

Engine braking never seemed sufficient. I did not want to use my brakes, since, you know, they no longer have abundant airflow, so I downshifted to second gear, and revved to 5,000 RPM.

I am not sure that is good for anything.

Someone asked me something to the extent of "What's the go with the car, mate?"

I did not want to get into it, at least until I get the proper zip ties and do everything properly. I just told him I borrowed it from a weirdo.

[nemo]

Originally Posted by xist

I just told him i borrowed it from a weirdo.

lol

[Xist]

I went to Ace and found these zip ties:

For some reason, they alone were thicker and more rigid than the rest of the zip ties. Tool City Vertical Identification 7.6” Cable Ties, natural pure nylon, rated for fifty pounds, and bundle diameters up to 1.7”. I would provide the part number, but nobody cares. Thirteen dollars for one hundred.

I used a larger bit to make the holes bigger, but they are still too small, and the only larger bit is too large. It should still work, I just do not want to drill a larger hole than necessary. Also, my estimate of four inches from center was obviously off, apparently by a factor of 50%, or approximately many centimeters. Putting the zip ties 30cm apart, with the holes only half that distance apart did not work very well, so I left them loose and pulled them through the caps. I think that it looks better, but not as good as if the holes were the proper size, so the caps sat flush, and still not as good as with black plasti-dip.




Without feedback regarding OBD-II dongle, telemetry software, and cell phone mount, I will go ahead with what I have chosen, and hopefully that is work.

I am tired of spending money! Can I start saving now?

[Xist]

I bought a can of black Plastic Orange Peel Dip:

[j12piprius]

Where did you get the separators, and what price?

They appear to be slightly overlapping the lips of the rims. Is that right?

I'm considering to do the same thing, as 16" separators would be flatter and more durable than 15" coroplast, and would cover the lips with a 1/4" overlap. Hopefully the gap between separator edges and sidewalls would keep them from touching.

[mcrews]

I did a thread on brake ducts on the Q45. Routed the air from the slots in the front bumper
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...kes-18011.html

[Vekke]

For example these ties will work for sure:
Panduit PLT3S-M0

Zipties needed width is 4.5mm to 4.8mm wide.

If you drilled the holes too close to the center of the capsel then you can mount tape to the wheel spokes so the cable ties wont "slide" towards the outer edge.

Needed drill size is 10mm closest is 13/32 in inches and with 25/64 size you only need to rotate the drill slightly to get the plug through the hole.

Hole size is not as important as to get the zipties straigth through the holes.

[Xist]

Sorry, I saw that I had a response and realized that I missed two previous ones!

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Where did you get the separators, and what price?

They appear to be slightly overlapping the lips of the rims. Is that right?

I'm considering to do the same thing, as 16" separators would be flatter and more durable than 15" coroplast, and would cover the lips with a 1/4" overlap. Hopefully the gap between separator edges and sidewalls would keep them from touching.

Yes, they do overlap slightly. Unfortunately, I was not able to center them very well.

I believe that I found the pizza separators through JustMe1969:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post380186
We also discussed them in my thread:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ans-26001.html

They are currently $3.81 each, with $7.99 shipping for four, totaling $23.23. Amazon does not have them and Google Shopping does not show anyone charging less for shipping. I originally bought a 16" disc, I think that was for my Forester, but then I bought my Civic, and saw the fifteen-inch discs in a restaurant supply store.

They also had cardboard disks, although I am not sure what sizes.

Originally Posted by mcrews

I did a thread on brake ducts on the Q45. Routed the air from the slots in the front bumper
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...kes-18011.html

Yes McRews, I remember reading that, you did very good work.

Originally Posted by Vekke

For example these ties will work for sure:
Panduit PLT3S-M0

Zipties needed width is 4.5mm to 4.8mm wide.

If you drilled the holes too close to the center of the capsel then you can mount tape to the wheel spokes so the cable ties wont "slide" towards the outer edge.

Needed drill size is 10mm closest is 13/32 in inches and with 25/64 size you only need to rotate the drill slightly to get the plug through the hole.

Hole size is not as important as to get the zipties straigth through the holes.

It looks like I found those zip ties:

Amazon.com: Panduit PLT3S-M0 BLACK WEATHER RESISTANT STD. CABLE TIE 3" MAX. BUNDLE (package of 100): Industrial & Scientific

I did not have time to redo my covers before I drove home and I left the zip ties that fit at Mom's house.

I brought down the wrong ones!

One of the zip ties broke. I bought a set of drill bits, so one of them should be the right size, but I have not re-drilled yet, I am waiting to get my zip ties back.

I am trying to drill out the outer edge. I do not know what difference it makes, but it cannot help. I am not sure that twisting the zip ties is that good for them.

Mostly I am concerned with removing the generic Plasti-Dip and replacing it with the real stuff. Maybe I will climb on my carport and spray that over my parking spot, it always leaks when it rains.

I also took off my grill block and air dam. I do not know how good of an idea it is, but it would at least look better to have one smooth piece for both, kind of like a mustache.