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Hmmm... smells like frying brakes with a side of cherry-hot rotors
I definately second MadisonMPG on the overheating brakes idea. Blocking the outside of the wheel already reduces the cooling effects that air currents have on your brakes. I'm not saying that the outside in and of itself is bad for brakes, but it would stand to reason that repeated long stops in city traffic may heat them more than normal and cause them to wear out sooner especially if you or one of your fellow ecomodders drive something heavier than a geo or happen to be towing without the aid of trailer brakes.
Overall, there are real proven gains to be had over stock or aftermarket rims or wheels that create an aerodynamically dirty surface by using flat or "pizza pan" wheel covers, but you should always take into consideration all of the options. That, and on most of the vehicles that I've been under - wth the exception of rear drum brakes, there is a neglegable amount of space that could be safely blocked. Maybe that's not such a bad idea for rear drum brakes then? Not trying to contradict myself in the same post, but if it's at all feasable, that's where I would start.
Happy Ecomodding
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