Duct tape wheel covers and other possible cheap alternatives

[freebeard]

Swap meet season is on the way. I got these four for $5.00 because the holes were eaten out. Lots of room for new holes. I'll fold aluminum strips double and cover the notches, with new holes, when I find some use.



15" is bead-to-bead not lip-to-lip. Check the tire sidewall.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

I do brake significantly less than the average driver due to hypermiling, but there are still instances where I have to brake harder than I would like to - idiot drivers, a poorly timed light, etc. How much would be too much though? Coroplast seems to melt easily under heat (hence why I'm thinking white instead of black) so wouldn't having no openings pose a risk unless you literally didn't brake at all? I mean, I could do pizza pans, but those are heavier and aren't as flat.

Thanks for the tip on the size! Will definitely do that. At first I thought my wheels were 15" since that's what the factory ones were, and these are factory ones...but they measure 16".. What do you think of the caulk idea though?

I've had coroplast discs on both my Malibu and now my Ion, and I have coroplast under my engine and while it has never melted, it did sag a little under the engine... For street use, regular smooth coroplast discs in whatever color will be fine... For track use I'd take them off though...

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Swap meet season is on the way. I got these four for $5.00 because the holes were eaten out. Lots of room for new holes. I'll fold aluminum strips double and cover the notches, with new holes, when I find some use.

Looking good!

Originally Posted by freebeard

15" is bead-to-bead not lip-to-lip. Check the tire sidewall.

Ah okay, thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

I've had coroplast discs on both my Malibu and now my Ion, and I have coroplast under my engine and while it has never melted, it did sag a little under the engine... For street use, regular smooth coroplast discs in whatever color will be fine... For track use I'd take them off though...

Just looked up the melting point of coroplast - 320 degrees Fahrenheit, much hotter than brakes or wheels should ever get. I guess maybe I'm just a little overly skeptical from when I had that one trip with a dragging brake caliper that made the wheel very hot to the touch until it got replaced.

So looks like now I'll be doing smooth white (a buck cheaper than black, so why not, plus soothes my OCD about heat absorption) coroplast discs then, with white tape over the lug nut and air valve holes for ease of access, and caulk the gaps around the edge of the rim.

Thanks for your patience and input with my questions! I'm sure I'll have more as I keep thinking this out and get my shopping lists made up.

Tryin' to hit 50 MPG by the time summer comes around.

[19bonestock88]

How do you plan on cutting the discs? I used aviation snips on mine because that's what I had available to me at the time... Ideally a compass mounted knife would be the solution...

Another thought, but what if instead of cutting holes for each lug nut you just cut a circle that goes just around the four? Or would your wheel design not permit that?

We have the same goal in mind for summer... I think it's plenty doable given the amount of low hanging fruit you have left to pluck

[mpg_numbers_guy]

I was planning on tracing using a paper diagram, scoring with a knife, and then cutting with scissors. A compass mounted knife would be ideal, but my compass isn't big enough, and mounting a knife to it would be a DIY project in and of itself. Not sure what I'd do for the holes inside the discs; maybe either melt them or puncture them carefully.

My wheels are the stock wheels from the EX trims of the 7th gen civics (image from online, not mine personally; I don't have mud flaps. ):



What advantages would cutting out one single hole have? My current plan is to tape over those small holes and see how that holds up.

Yes I'm hoping so. Right now with just hypermiling and tires inflated to ~38 PSi I'm now getting around 40, give or take depending on drive and conditions. I think 50 is doable for both of us.

[19bonestock88]

Main advantage of the big center hole is less holes to cut, and maybe easier access to lug nuts...

[mpg_numbers_guy]

True, unless one made the holes big enough. But how would one secure the coroplast over the hole to maintain the flatness? Can't use duct tape or zip ties, and I'm not going to drill anything or do something that would ruin the finish.

[hayden55]

Cheap vinyl is surprisingly durable. I wrapped the oem prius wheel covers in fake carbon fiber vinyl and actually had a normal person comment and say he liked my wheel covers and he'd buy them off me. lolol
Couple weeks in and no problems. #knockonwood
Also its extremely light. Crazy how light the plastic wheel covers covered in vinyl are.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Pics?

[hayden55]