A question on moon discs and alloy wheels

[Frank Lee]

Where is crexcrex when you need him???

[aerohead]

I don't know if Moon Equipment Co. ever thought their wheel covers would end up with"cold-rodders",but they were intended for screw-attachment to a steel wheel.------------------- Since aluminum is prone to fatigue fracture,I would never consider drilling it.And since the wheels weight is pretty insignificant,considering the overall mass of the car,I'd say that if you're going to run Moonies,do it on steelies and be safe.If you can come up with a non-destructive means to attach them the the alloy wheel,that passes the safety test.Let us know.

[MetroMPG]

Make 4 brackets per rim that "clamp" snugly around the spoke. Then screw the wheel discs into the brackets.

The only really tough part is figuring out how much space there will be between the disc and the bracket - you may have to incorporate a stand-off.

EG:

[SVOboy]

Many ideas indeed. I will try to play around with something when I get home from bike racing this weekend. Starting another thread with a different idea now.

[Blue Bomber Man]

Could make a sort of magnet clamp if you were crafty with it, just make sure it is more then strong enough to resist the shocks of a bumpy rode.

IMHO I would not switch from alloys to steels just for moondisks. Alloys perform significantly better than steel rims. Lowers mass, lower unsprung weight all translates to better handling and vehicle performance/acceleration with less draw on the engine. Additionally its rotational mass which means you are wasting that much more energy when braking with steel rims.

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

I likey how you thinky. I am imagining a clamp with an out-facing screw for easy attach/disattach :



The compromise is that the bolt sticks out, but I think it becomes worth it for the sake of practicality. Dzus fastneres might come in handy too.

CarloSW2

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[MetroMPG]

Nice - that makes the problem of the standoff (if needed) easier to deal with. Just put a "washer" spacer of the right height on the bolt beneath the wheel cover.

But how do you hold the head of the bolt in place when tightening the nut?

[Frank Lee]

If you use a nyloc nut on the back, or a nylon bolt, or screw it into a block of plastic, you needn't worry about it loosening or falling out even if it doesn't get "tightened down".

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Nice - that makes the problem of the standoff (if needed) easier to deal with. Just put a "washer" spacer of the right height on the bolt beneath the wheel cover.

But how do you hold the head of the bolt in place when tightening the nut?

Here's another rendition using Tee Nut Fasteners :





As Frank suggests, maybe the screw could be nylon, or a lock washer could be used to keep it snug.

CarloSW2

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[Shawn D.]

Originally Posted by Blue Bomber Man

Could make a sort of magnet clamp if you were crafty with it, just make sure it is more then strong enough to resist the shocks of a bumpy rode.

Magnets don't work on aluminum.