Smooth wheel covers for the Prius

[Daox]

Its been a couple months, so the Prius was due some attention. I'm also the one driving the Prius on a daily basis now that me and my wife got new jobs (she wanted to go back to a more 'fun' manual trans car, the Paseo). So, this time around it got smooth wheel covers.

I went the route of pizza pan covers bolted to the trim rings on the Prius wheels. However, I didn't want fasteners sticking out of the smooth covers (dunno why, just wanted it that way), so I did something a little different.

First, I took the trim rings and drilled some holes in them for the attachment points.



Next, I screwed some rivet nuts to the back side of the trim ring. I then put a blob of JB weld on the backs of them and then set it down on the pizza pan while centering it.





After that cured, I put another layer of JB weld on top of it to secure things better.



The last thing I had to do was kind of a querky thing. I had washers that I put under the heads of the screws on the trim rings. To get everything to fit up nice, I had to grind pretty big flats on the washers to get them to clear the wheel when they are installed.




Overall, it worked out quite nice though.

[alohaspirit]

nice write up

[MetroMPG]

NOW I get what you were trying to tell me about those washers being a problem.

Nice writeup & pics!

[bennelson]

I dub thee "Pizza Pan Prius"!

Seriously though, it looks really nice.

I wish I still had my smooth caps for my S10, I really liked the look. Too bad all those dirt roads took their toll. I will have to attach them with something better than trim rings next time...

The Citicar would look really cool with these too.

Tim, what size rims on your Prius? I thought you mentioned that you changed the size a while back.

[cfg83]

Daox -

Extremely well executed. I agree with the no-fastener look. Even though JB Weld is fantastic I would be wringing my hands that it would come undone. My "basis for worry" would be that the stress on the JB Weld would be a "shearing force" against the JB Weld.

On the other hand, you have 6 fastening points, so you are extra strong.

CarloSW2

[3-Wheeler]

We use JB Weld on things at work, and any flexing or vibration will allow it to unstick.

I would try *ensuring* that the JB Weld do it's job by drilling some very small holes from the outside for #4 flat-head screws that would be drilled and tapped into the some custom standoffs on the inside.

The combination of screws and JB Weld will give me the peace of mind that those covers are staying put no matter what.

Jim.

[BamZipPow]

You know...you could put some sort prismatic tape on the cover so it has some "flash"...

IDENTI-TAPE - Colored Prismatic Tape

[Daox]

Originally Posted by 3-Wheeler

We use JB Weld on things at work, and any flexing or vibration will allow it to unstick.

I would try *ensuring* that the JB Weld do it's job by drilling some very small holes from the outside for #4 flat-head screws that would be drilled and tapped into the some custom standoffs on the inside.

The combination of screws and JB Weld will give me the peace of mind that those covers are staying put no matter what.

Jim.

That is my worry as well. We'll see how it holds up though. The pizza pans cost a whopping $3.50 each or something like that. If I loose one (and don't notice it) its not the end of the world.

It is too bad I don't have a way to weld aluminum... Hmm, I wonder about perhaps brazing them?

[Daox]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Tim, what size rims on your Prius? I thought you mentioned that you changed the size a while back.

I have the stock alloy wheels which are 15". Two winters ago I had my Matrix's 16" wheels with snow tires on it. This past year I picked up a set of 15" steelies and got new winter tires. I'm hoping to find a way to attach the smooth covers to those wheel covers as well.

[Tango Charlie]

Very nice clean, smooth look, Daox!
I would seriously investigate brazing those rivnuts.