Solid wheel caps (moon discs - where to get?)
 

I'm looking to put solid wheel caps on my Camry. In case I'm not using the proper term for them, these are the hub caps that are just a solid piece of metal or plastic that makes the center part even with the tire so that it's more aerodynamic. I was wondering if people make these or if they buy them pre-made? making them seems like it would be rather hard considering that they are a spinning part that needs to be balanced and so on in order to not be wobbly and fly off.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

You are talking about racing discs. Bonneville salt flat racing discs. Volumes have been written on the subject. Best prices I have found are in: Go-Kat-Go
Go here for a lot of discussion on them:
http://www.gassavers.org/archive/ind...ps/t-1539.html
They also list a place that has them for $38 for 4 or something.

I have them on my Geo and I am presently in the process of screwing them on with stainless steel screws....I lost one, had to buy another of the snap fit ones. They really enhance the look and the FE.

Awesome, I can't wait to get these. I just ordered them so I'll put pics up when I get them!

I'm so excited!

I ordered the wheel caps last week and they should be arriving on Friday!

Is there anything I should know about these wheel covers before I install them?

What you should know........hum, the link that I gave you is almost an encyclopedia.
Me, myself, I am in the process of drilling, tapping and threading my summer wheels to SECURELY hold them in place. If you read the thread, you have seen some complaints about the noise. Your wheel is actually quite elstic and that noise is caused by the prongs moving. Now that is not what I prefer. So screws is a must in my opinion.Stainless, 10-32, no deeper than the thickness of the wheel lip. Make a jig so that interchangeability is possible.
Toodle-de-doo.

I did read that people were complaining about the squeaking that was caused by the clips, but my old wheel covers used metal clips and they never squeaked though so maybe they won't squeak...if they do though, I'm trying to picture what you're talking about with screwing them in...

Looking forward to seeing the pics when you've got 'em.

Good score! I'm in for some pictures.

Well... the look anyway...

Good point, Frank. Let's keep this in perspective.

I'd classify this as a "minor" aero mod, and if I had to guess would say: they probably help, but the effect will be small enough that you won't be able to discern any change above the normal variation in your fuel economy.

Well this is just the beginning. The car is still technically "on loan" from my father who won't let me use my money to get a car until he can't be liable for anything I break...so I'm trying to ease him into this idea of modding for the sake of fuel economy. Starting with these wheels and then some other, minor cosmetic things like the front air dams and the shield to keep the air coming in between the bumper and radiator from underneath where there is currently a huge gap. We will see where we go from there.

Don't get me wrong - not dissing the idea. My car has smooth wheel covers too.

But Frank was right to question the magnitude of their impact on FE.

I installed a set late last year. Here is a pic. I got them from Hubcap mikes.

Where are the 16s?

From what I have found I see 13" 14" and 15" versions but I have not found anything else. That link that was posted up a little ways is a great resource for finding these things, I found mine for just $18 + $15 shipping which from what I have found and read is a steal, they usually sell for that much a piece.

The 16's go by the brand name: "medium size pizza tray"

Those discs look good, Map Man.

Just a medium? Holy smokes!!! How big are your pizzas there?

Imagine those people with the wasteful 24-26" rims. TripleXL style pizza tray. :D

bestmapman -

Beautiful. I'm a big fan of racing disks, especially on the right car.

CarloSW2

NoCO2 -

Yeah, they totally scratched and squeeked on my 1997 Saturn SC2 (RIP). On the front passenger wheel, they also had the unhappy tendency to pop out when I hit potholes. It was always the front passenger wheel, so I think it had something to do with the physics of my Saturn's FWD. Don't really know for sure. If I were to do it again, I would go with the authentic racing disk that is the screw-in type. I have alloys on my SW2 because it came that way used, so I have been hesitant to put screw holes in the wheels. But, maybe I should reconsider.

CarloSW2

i remember reading a HotRod article on their one 2nd gen camaro, they use for land speed stuff, they took it to a windtunnel & tested a buncha theories & stuff & they found out that the moon discs are only effective if the wheels are further out of the car, the camaro...which wheels are somewhat inward, did not pick up any reduction in coefficient drag


keep that in the back of your heads

Come on people, stop calling these noble utensils of fuel economy "pizza discs"....You want to make fun of wheels? Well my buddy brought me back a catalog from Barret Jackson, Asantiwheels.com advertises the world's first 34 inch wheels, also 30 and 32 and their AFS 103 series features REAL bling with 26 000 diamonds and 1 200 rubies for a paltry 2 000 000 dollars. I think that this includes balancing. Customers should be like thes wheels....locked up.

Who's making fun? Some of them ARE pizza discs!

They are great for camping, You can cook in them.

Frank Lee -

Ha ha, yes this is true. One of the best homebrew ones I saw on another Prius were pizza pans. This aluminum perforated one is on my todo list :

Martha Stewart Everyday Pizza Pan Crisper
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_1...sName=Bakeware
http://s7.kmart.com/is/image/Sears/9...sm=0.9,0.5,0,0

From what others have said, the perforations should not make a difference. Anyway, I can tape/cover them as needed to create a balance between Aero and brake disk cooling.

CarloSW2

These have stood the test of time at Bonneville.

https://www.mooneyesusa.com/Store/pr...7df0b8380a422d

I'll keep that in mind next time I go 300 mph.

these caps are stock ss vw which i put in the 20 T press and bulged them out until they were convex.

O MAN!

The UPS tracking number tells me that they have been delivered but I'm at work so I won't get them from the post office until almost 4:30PM...man I wish I didn't have to be at work right now. It's not like I can do anything anyway though, our company's internet connection is down, the only way I'm actually posting this is that there is a coffee shop across the street from my office that I can just barely pick up a signal from to get online.

LOL, that there is dedication... or obsession. I guess they go hand in hand.

Pizza party at NoCO2's place tonight! The platters are in!!!

Hey.....enjoy. And don't listen to some naysayers. They will look GREAT!

Yea, to be honest, I didn't even really get them for their aerodynamic effects (what little there is). I got them because I liked the way that they looked on a Yaris I saw a picture of and said, "Hey, those look good, and supposedly they improve your aero a bit" and even if they don't improve aero, I needed new wheel covers since I lost my other ones anyway.

There were naysayers that said they wouldn't look good? :confused:

Who's naysaying Frederick? Where are the 16s?

I don't think anyone nayed anything, and everyone is confused, :)

Ok, picture is attached. Sorry for the crappy quality.

As for the squeaking. I drove about 1/2 a mile from the post office to my apartment and it's not bad. The only wheel the squeaks is the back left and it's more of a tick, tick, tick then a squeak so it goes well with the wobbling sound coming from the small flat spot on the wheel :thumbup:

Looks good!

NoCO2 -

Woo hoo! Now your cooking with gas! I've loved racing disks since I saw the crummy Stallone movie COBRA :

Cobra (1986)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090859/
http://www.javelinamx.com/carstars/cobra1.jpg


CarloSW2