Good Practical Robust Flat Wheel Covers

[mikeyjd]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Fabric over cheap plastic wheel covers is the best - so far - but even when I buy 8 and double up on the springs in each, they fall off. I know that wheel covers in general fall off, and that's why I think we need a mechanical fastener. Welding a Dzus nut, or a regular threaded nut to the wheel, and fastening them with 3 around the perimeter seems close to ideal.

I've done 2 sets or coroplast/zip tie covers and haven't had any issues in about 10k miles.

[NeilBlanchard]

Mike, can you remove them? Do they have holes to get at the lug nuts and valve stem?

Here's a candidate for 15" wheels:

1975 Chevrolet Caprice<BR>15" wheel cover, HUBCAPS ON WHEELS - Center Caps | Wheel Covers | Hubcaps | Trim Rings | Wheel Trim



Are the Lumina covers domed?

http://hubcapsonwheels.com/product_i...oducts_id=1540

[Frank Lee]

IIRC the only "hubcap" I've ever lost was one of those little center caps from the old-school GM Ralley wheels- it was die-cast and way heavier than the plastic ones that came later. Never had a full cap come off.

[freebeard]

Installing Moon Discs - Street Rodder Magazine All Pages

How it's done. The jig they rent with the sale of their product can be substituted by accurate work.

[backpacker3]

I've never had a issue with any of the plastic covers on my car and my parents van has gone over 125k and not lost a cover either

[brucepick]

Meebo,

Can you put up some pics of how this went together? It sounds good but I can't picture it yet. Thanks!

Originally Posted by meebo001

I picked up a set of Stanley rubber chair feet from Walmart. The insides area a hexagon pattern and match my lugnuts. I cut the ends and then re-glued the bulbus end back on but rotated it so the inner pattern was offset and would grip between the rim and the taper of the lugnut. On the other end I removed the felt pad and made a hole for an M6 10mm stainless steel bolt to poke outward. The rubber cup is held onto the lugnut with a gear clamp/ hose clamp/ circular clamp, whatever you want to call it. The aluminum pan has 4 holes for the bolts to pass through and is held on with a stainless steel washer and lock nut. You just need to pick a bolt length that will clear the rim so it will fit and look nice.
I've had them on for about 3000 km through winter and rough roads and the highway. No problems except a little bit of rust on the bolt I rubbed off with a brass brush.

[PaleMelanesian]

How about a smooth-modded Honda lugnut-attached hubcap? They won't fly off because they're actually bolted on. Also the 90's ones are fairly aerodynamic to start with. Of course, only certain sizes and bolt patterns available.

[brucey]

Have you tried using foil tape with a plasti dip cover? It worked great for me in snow, off road, and 40,000+ miles.

[tvbd56]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Yesterday, one of my flat wheel covers fell off. This is getting maddening - I have tried stainless dome covers (the springs are not stainless, so they rust and fail) and pizza pans riveted to plastic covers (too heavy to stay one with only one spring, and eventually they fall off with two springs), and this latest one was fabric and glue and paint over a plastic cover with 2 springs - and it came off, as well.

So what does a determined ecomodder do?

ABS plastic fatigues, as do steel springs. How do we make a secure mechanical connection to hold a flat cover in place on a car wheel? It obviously has to let us fill the tire, and to change the wheel; either with holes, or by coming off relatively easily.

Is there something new and better for smooth flat wheel covers?

I'm confused on how you're using springs to keep the wheel covers on.

[meebo001]

Originally Posted by brucepick

Meebo,

Can you put up some pics of how this went together? It sounds good but I can't picture it yet. Thanks!

I don't really have time to fool around with my car for a while, but here's a rough diagram of the lugnut cap idea instead.