Wheel Discs...like these? Suggested dealers?

[Matt Herring]

I found these on Ebay but was wondering what you guys thought about them. I'm looking for easy on and off so I can inflate the tires easily. I'm interested in the type that "grip" on the rim and not the kind that have to be screwed in to the rim. This would be for my 2009 Prius.

Where have you guys bought yours? Any suggested dealers to use?

STAINLESS STEEL HOT ROD RACING DISC WHEEL COVERS 15":eBay Motors (item 370188044408 end time May-14-09 19:43:55 PDT)

[cfg83]

Matt -

I've had the exact same ones. Unless all the roads you travel are smotth as silk, they will pop off. It's just a matter of time. They will also get damaged in a car wash that grabs the tire and pulls it along (happened to me). This is because they bow outward. The also puts them at risk when you parallel park at curbs.

You could just get a set of run-of-the-mill hubcaps that are mostly covered and "fill in the blanks" :

Hubcap Haven: Aftermarket Hubcaps 15 Inch 52s Silver Set - $50


Idea that may not work: I don't like drilling into the steel wheels, especially when the tire is still on the wheel. You know those center caps that screw onto the lug bolts of your wheel? They usually come with custom wheels. Start with one of those. Drill a hole in the center of it. Drill a hole in the center of the racing disk. Push a bolt out through the center of the center cap and "cap" it with a cap nut ("acorn" nut). You would have a little "center bump" on the center of the racing disk, but it might keep the disk from flying off. I am guessing, however, that the disk will distort when it "almost pops off".

CarloSW2

[SVOboy]

I've heard the grippy ones in general are trouble because they will fly off.

[aerohead]

These are what I have,along with Summit Racing's 2nd-gen,which were aluminum,like the original MOON Equip.Co..A few have "gone missing".They're not perfect,but easier to live with than screw-in-place style.That's about the price I paid also.Good to see them offered,as Summit dropped them.

[cfg83]

Matt -

PS - They also make a scratchy sound, especially at low speeds. It's because the metal "grippy teeth" and wheel are flexing and scratching against each other. I got used to it, but it can be annoying and you will be explaining it to passengers a lot.

CarloSW2

[Matt Herring]

Thanks for the heads up guys. I was going to give them a try but it sounds like a headache for the possible small mpg gain vs. cost/maintenance/etc.

I read through the thread on here about ABA with the discs and it sounded good but I also don't want to get too deep into altering the look of my car or dealing with losing discs, scratching sounds, etc.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I've not had these issues on my car (save some very minor noises), but on my wife's xD -- she did have one fly off when hitting a pothole, and they used to make noises. They didn't fit tightly, because the "fingers" hit the rim and they did not fully seat.

On my car, the only issue is that while the dome is stainless Steel, the "fingers" are not, and a bit of rust started to show on the outside. That and it is possible to dent them (on snow banks, etc.), but this can be popped out easily. They come off relatively easily for inflation, and as I said, I have not noticed the noise, and I have not had one come off, yet.

Matt, you need 15" ones right?

[Matt Herring]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Hi,

I've not had these issues on my car (save some very minor noises), but on my wife's xD -- she did have one fly off when hitting a pothole, and they used to make noises. They didn't fit tightly, because the "fingers" hit the rim and they did not fully seat.

On my car, the only issue is that while the dome is stainless Steel, the "fingers" are not, and a bit of rust started to show on the outside. That and it is possible to dent them (on snow banks, etc.), but this can be popped out easily. They come off relatively easily for inflation, and as I said, I have not noticed the noise, and I have not had one come off, yet.

Matt, you need 15" ones right?

Neil,

Thanks for the good info...I spoke to you before about the discs and remember you telling me about the rust but it sounds like they are working pretty good for you other than that. Would you say you saw any mpg gain that you can attribute to the discs? I think I remember you telling me that the ones you had screwed into the rim but wasn't sure if they were the ones you have.

They would go on my Prius 15" wheels. I was looking for something that gripped the rim (not screwed in) and came across those on Ebay. They looked like they would be pretty snug with all those tabs. 99% of my commute is pretty well paved roads and I don't drive more than a few miles on the highway each tank so the road conditions are pretty good (to lessen the chance of them popping off).

I know most guys on here don't have them so the consensus must be they don't provide that much bang for the buck but I think they look cool and if the mpg gain (however small it might be) is justified I decided to look around.

[whokilledthejams]

I have the Moon-brand discs, and a bead of caulk around the inside where the fasteners meet the disc quieted them right down. Prior to that, it sounded like I was dragging around typewriters.

Moon discs are a bit pricey (I paid $130 or so shipped), but they will not fall off, ever. They fit so tight, actually, that I need a clawhammer or crowbar to remove them. Plus, they're aluminum, so they're fairly light. They scratch 'n' dent easily, but do well with a coat of wax every so often.

Interestingly, I originally bought them because they look awesome, but the tiny aero benefit is a plus.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi Matt,

I saw ~6% jump up in my mileage when I put them on -- they definitely helped. I am now going to sell my alloy wheels...