Smooth Wheel Cover Discussion Thread

[bandit86]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

interesting

is that glue or magnets?

The centre cap pops out, that's how the wheels are balanced when tires are installed. now all you would need is a a centering washer, also called cone, on the inside and the outside of the middle holel, and you could have a pefectly centered centre stud.

Once you have a perfectly centered stud, all you need ia a hole in the middle of the hubcap, and two nuts to mount the hubcap. If you want to get creative, you can use a connecting nut, basically a really long nut you can thread into from both ends, and use a fender bolt that is contersunk for perfectlt smooth, they even come stainless to match pizza pans.

The connecting nut might be doable on a wheel lugnut too, if enough is sticking out of the original studs. If not, all studs pop right out and longer ones are cheap enough if you buy a lot

This way, instead of wire ties and duct tape it will look more professinal, and people wont get scared off when they hear eco-modding.

[brucepick]

I say, make the covers out of coroplast and use a velcro strap around a few spokes to keep it in place. A small dot of velcro on the back side of the wheel covers will stick to the velcro strap that stays wrapped over the spoke.

Make a compass out of a wood strip with a hole in each end, one for a pin or nail and the other for a pen. Cut it carefully. The cut edge gets hidden where it rests on the wheel lip, so a small slip won't ruin it.

[Vekke]

Here is the serial solution I have been working with:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TunekoLtd#p/u/0/_K4HSD6c0_I

Name is at the moment Ziptie Plug.

[euromodder]

Do these fix onto the loose ends of a regular zip-tie, or did I see that wrong ?

[Vekke]

Yes you first have to attach regular ziptie over wheel spoke and tight it there. The loose end comes through that hubcap and secures it tightly. That regular ziptie can now be designed to different shapes depending on the applications. So regular zipties can be looking totally different and still work OK.

Even that version can still be improved but that will remain secret at the moment .

[alohaspirit]

good one by Daox

attaching pizza plates to a hubcap frame

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post229111

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Vekke

Here is the serial solution I have been working with:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TunekoLtd#p/u/0/_K4HSD6c0_I

Name is at the moment Ziptie Plug.

When/where will these be available retail?

[Vekke]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Hi,



When/where will these be available retail?

Pretty soon if I would have some 8000€ extra money for 10 cavity tooling. Less cavities cost less but part prices are higher. That design is not patented in any way and you can help me getting those to market if you send messages to your local ziptie manufacturers and ask if they are willing to start manufacturing that kind of plugs...

That will only work 100% sure on the ziptie locking it is designed for.

There is not much sense for me to pay for tooling because few months later I can buy same plugs from some chinese manufacturer cheaper :/.

You can easily design over 10 variations of that plug and regular zipties with different situations.

You can make your own "plugs" if you have a lathe. Just mill a plug where you put the locking mechanism from regular ziptie. I am first starting with that before I have money for the tool.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

I much prefer the look of smoothie or Hollywood flipper hubcaps. Homebrew ecomod hubcaps are too tacky, IMHO.

Said by the man with teeth on his airdam!!!

u'da'man!!!!

[donee]

Hi Vekke,

Maybe you know this - natural colored nylon zipties do not last outside, in the summer where the sun gets higher than 38.5 degrees elevation. The UV crazes the nylon and become so brittle, one can just pull them off.

Black zipties will last pretty good outdoors. But then there is the heat issue from the disk. The disks are running at 350 degrees |F in summer normal commuting. I am concerned the portion of the ziptie not touching the aluminum alloy wheel will soften, and stretch.

Panduit does make Stainless Steel zipties. But they are not installable without an expensive tensioner.