Ideas for smooth wheel cover on spoked alloy wheel

[NachtRitter]

Originally Posted by Xist

People here have been trying to figure out the best way to attach wheel covers since the beginning and I think those spiked lug nuts are clever.

Do you guys remember the guy who drilled out lug nuts and epoxied nuts inside?

Who was that?

Dropping this here for reference, since it was asked about: Simple Honda VX Alloy Wheel Covers Using Drilled Acorn Nuts.

Sorry, thread tap wouldn't have done any good.

And I know this won't help Ecky, but worked out beautifully on the stock Honda VX wheels, and might help others that come across this thread.

Unfortunately, I no longer have the VX anymore.

[Ecky]

Now that I have these in hand, I'm of the opinion 1.0mm carbon fiber would have been fine, and would have cut 48g. These feel (very approximately) as stiff and rigid as plate aluminum of similar thickness.

For comparison, 150g is around the weight of 3 lugnuts.

A 280mm aluminum disc of the same thickness would weigh approximately 250g. This CF weighs around 40% less, of equivalent thickness and volume.

[j-c-c]

I am totally shocked at the low price these were quoted.
Even though I suggested a thinner option, 48g isn't a big deal, and I am hesitant to say your choice was improper. CF does not like impacts, and it will be interesting to see how the covers hold up to constant road shocks and resist fracture around the mounting holes

[Ecky]

Wheels aren't quite as light as advertised. I believe "2.8kg" was supposed to be for the 4x5.5 wheels, and these are 14x6. Even so, 3.6kg or 7.9lbs is light.

The 38mm lugs were just about the right height. Looks like they're almost flush with the wheel spokes. I'll want some ~1mm washers as spacers, perhaps 1.5mm to prevent rubbing on the face.

I'd like also to get some stickers for the center of the CF discs, perhaps with a bronze "H" emblem.

[freebeard]

Why not the Ecomodder logo?

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Why not the Ecomodder logo?

I'd put it in curved lettering around the edge, but I don't have the skill to make this.

[freebeard]

Letraset dry transfer lettering (duckduckgo.com/?q=letraset+lettering&iax=shopping)

You could apply the lettering and clear coat it, or spray a masking layer and remove the lettering for paint.

https://www.3m.com› 3M › en_US › p › d › b40067410
3M™ Overspray Masking Liquid Dry | 3M United States
3M™ Overspray Masking Liquid-Dry (OML-D) is a water-based sprayable liquid that protects against automotive paint and primer overspray without added time for bulk tape masking. It dries to a clear, non-tacky film that bonds lightly, protecting vehicle surfaces and trapping dust and dirt under the film.

[RBurke83]

I was actually going to go the drilled and tapped lugnut route but by father in law who is a retired machinist said there may be issues with this method-if they aren’t taper thread the screws may back out and it will be difficult to line up the attachment screws to the lugs if the disc has open space between the wheel. I even purchased taller lugs but chose to go a more rudimentary zip tie to the wheel spokes.

[j-c-c]

Imo, that is like hitting a home run, and after rounding third base, stopping to buy a hot dog.

[bandit86]

Late to the party, but I've been thinking about putting smoothies on my VW new beetle but I have the opposite problems I have real bolts. If I had lug nuts I would buy the longest lug nuts with the specialty tools to remove them, cut off the very end so the threads are visible, and make a little adapter to hold that smoothie to the rim, essentially a short tiny Bolt same thread as studs. Because I have stupid lug bolts it's a little bit harder, ideas are JB welding nuts to the wheel, I thought about brazing it. If you got access to a tire balancer you could spin The rim and grind up the excess brazing in the bad spots. I too wish to keep my 16-in aluminum rims