Attaching Wheel Covers - To drill or not to drill?

[alohaspirit]

I am going to make wheel covers very soon.
I might use coroplast or pizza plates (undecided)

I read about people using fasteners, tape, screws, zip ties and magnets.

I was thinking about tapping the rim using screws in 3 spots to keep the covers on evenly.

Here is the picture of the rim Im using.
Its pretty flat once I remove the center cap.
Tap sites are in green.


Any dos/donts to drilling into a rim? Suggestions on which screws to use?

[vtec-e]

I'd try anything else before drilling. zip tie them on to see what gains you'll get. Maybe it might not be worth doing at all.
But fixing the wheel covers on with bolts would be the most secure. Drilling into the spokes would weaken them. By a small amount yes, but......

ollie

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

I am going to make wheel covers very soon.
I might use coroplast or pizza plates (undecided)

I read about people using fasteners, tape, screws, zip ties and magnets.

I was thinking about tapping the rim using screws in 3 spots to keep the covers on evenly.

Here is the picture of the rim Im using.
Its pretty flat once I remove the center cap.
Tap sites are in green.


Any dos/donts to drilling into a rim? Suggestions on which screws to use?

Your wheel is already flat. All you need to do is cover the gaps with tape. Why bother to make a cover and drill holes?

[alohaspirit]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Your wheel is already flat. All you need to do is cover the gaps with tape. Why bother to make a cover and drill holes?

Mostly to keep it looking clean

I get enough looks from my inlaws as is


Providing the tests come back good, should I drill?

and...

If I want to use tape, which tape is best?

[Christ]

No drilling... use PC7 Epoxy, and epoxy some threaded stand-offs in the deep places around your rim, then get it re-balanced with the hardware installed. This will keep your original rim integrity, not damage anything (except the finish, maybe), and allow you to remove them later if you wish, without permanent effects to the wheels.

[chuckm]

Since I have cheap plastic hub caps, I drilled and attached my pizza pans with pop rivets.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

Mostly to keep it looking clean

I get enough looks from my inlaws as is


Providing the tests come back good, should I drill?

and...

If I want to use tape, which tape is best?

Packing tape would be pretty inconspicuous. Aluminum tape that they sell for gutters and stuff like that would also blend in

[RobertSmalls]

Drilling into decorative plastic covers is fine, but do not drill into structural members that are subjected to millions of cycles of loading. A drilled hole creates a stress concentration that opens the door to fatigue failure.

[alohaspirit]

Originally Posted by Christ

No drilling... use PC7 Epoxy, and epoxy some threaded stand-offs in the deep places around your rim, then get it re-balanced with the hardware installed. This will keep your original rim integrity, not damage anything (except the finish, maybe), and allow you to remove them later if you wish, without permanent effects to the wheels.

This is a good idea which I havent seen much of. I will most def keep it in mind.


Tape might win on this one. Bleh