Author Topic: Winter Rims w/o Center-Caps - is this a problem? (Read 1550 times)

PlanB · « **on:** November 07, 2011, 03:29:35 pm »

I just swapped my stock 06 Impreza 16" rims/tires for my new steel rim/studded winter tires. Just wondering if there are any issues with NOT running any center-caps as I only realized after I had done the swap that my new winter rims don't have any center-cap whatsoever? The axle nut is just exposed, is this a problem? This is not my set-up, but mine looks exactly like this:

Where would I get some center-caps for generic steel rims and how are they sized? (Bought the rims used, or I would have likely asked the dealer they came from)

davidy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2011, 04:58:03 pm »

I have black steelies myself. I believe that most owners with black steel rims (winter use) do NOT have centre caps. I've have only seen a handful of owners who have these rims capped. Most don't even bother.

Dave

rrocket · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:01:58 pm »

Just paint a good blob of grease on the exposed nut to keep the salt from corroding it...

mmret · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:51:18 pm »

WD40 might do the trick?

rrocket · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:52:33 pm »

Quote from: mmret on November 08, 2011, 08:51:18 pm

WD40 might do the trick?

That washes off too easy, but is certainly better than nothing.

mrthompson · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:55:14 pm »

GapBoyPCS · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2011, 09:11:22 pm »

Let's put it this way: Even if you had wheel covers, any sort of road salt or moisture could still get in behind the cover and onto the axle nut.

I guess if there are no centre caps available, then you could look into getting some wheel covers to lessen some of that road salt or moisture reaching that area directly.

Art · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2011, 10:42:44 pm »

Factory steel wheels come with retaining knobs moulded into the raised flange on the outside of the bolt circle. The wheel cover attaches to these knobs usually, some attach with the wheel nuts. The universal wheels usually do not have the knobs to attach a wheel cover. In the winter you are better off without wheel covers.

The wheel cover serves to improve the look of the car by hiding most of the wheel. A wheel cover serves no purpose in protecting the wheel or the nuts or the hub retaining nut from anything. A wheel cover can collect snow that can form ice and cause a very bad out of balance condition.

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #8 on:** November 08, 2011, 11:31:14 pm »

I typically use a full wheel cover. It made a huge difference in NB, where they salt early and often. I've tried with and without covers and there was a night and day difference in the amount of corrosion on the hub centre.

If snow gets packed anywhere, it's usually on the back side of the wheel, where most of the wheel width is. Wheel covers that have too much open areas like those simulating 5 spokes can get snow packed in them.

In Saskatchewan, they use blessed little salt, preferring to use the antifreeze leaking from all the traffic accidents to melt ice on the roads.

Schmengie · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2011, 12:37:13 am »

Not a problem for me, but then they haven't used salt on the roads here for years.

I don't see how hub-caps would help anyway. In my experience, snow can pack in behind them and cause all kinds of problems. I don't think center-caps are very moisture-proof either since they're just held in place by spring-clips and not sealed in any way.

ktm525 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2011, 12:45:38 pm »

I would use a coating af anti sieze and go find some cheapie center caps. Could probably make some out of old beer cans.

PlanB · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2011, 03:47:44 pm »

Quote from: GapBoyPCS on November 08, 2011, 09:11:22 pm

Let's put it this way: Even if you had wheel covers, any sort of road salt or moisture could still get in behind the cover and onto the axle nut.

I'm not certain about this. When I changed my rims over last weekend, I was taking off my factory rims that had all-season tires on them. These rims had not been off the vehicle since I had purchased it from the dealer 3 years ago (I had just used all-seasons for the past three years but changed over this year to full winter with studs). Upon inspecting both the wheel-bearing adjustment area/axle bolt, I could see that the factory rims with center-caps had been protecting this area. There was clean grease (oxymoron I know) applied to the area that had absolutely NO dirt/grime mixed in with it and all of the parts showed zero signs of rust/corrosion (and this would be impossible where I live where road conditions are very bad with dirt/grime unless the area was essentially sealed from the elements).

This made me aware that the factory rims with center-caps had been protecting this area of the wheel assembly and I was just wondering of putting center-caps on the steel winter rims would do the same?

I think I'll just look around for some cheap center-caps and paint them black to match the rims; if necessary I'll put a bead of silicone (or something) to ensure a tight fit with the rest of the rim(no beer can caps for me, but thanks for the suggestion:).

HeliDriver · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2011, 05:34:54 pm »

^^ He's been talking about wheel covers. You're talking about center caps. Two different things.

ktm525 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 10, 2011, 10:49:24 am »

The title says center caps.

Forget the wheel covers, cut some old aluminum beer cans and hammer them on over the axle nut. Use a rubber mallet to form them to the nut. done.

random006 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2011, 01:36:57 pm »

Having grown up using the term "Hubcap" to describe anything that hides the exposed part of a steel wheel, I actually had to look up the terms. It seems all three are now synonymous, owing to the changing automotive fashions over the decades:

http://www.autoamenity.com/FAQ/Hubcap-Wheelcover.htm

As for me, I use 'em to cover the lugs and to provide a nice, finished look to the wheel / tire combo. I had a post with a photo of the wheels already mounted but I can't find it right now. If I can find it on my home computer later today, I will post it.

ktm525 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2011, 01:51:25 pm »

Quote from: random006 on November 11, 2011, 01:36:57 pm

Having grown up using the term "Hubcap" to describe anything that hides the exposed part of a steel wheel, I actually had to look up the terms. It seems all three are now synonymous, owing to the changing automotive fashions over the decades:

http://www.autoamenity.com/FAQ/Hubcap-Wheelcover.htm

As for me, I use 'em to cover the lugs and to provide a nice, finished look to the wheel / tire combo. I had a post with a photo of the wheels already mounted but I can't find it right now. If I can find it on my home computer later today, I will post it.

I would agree that wheel cover and hyubcap are the same but a center cap is still a center cap.

SaskSpecV · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2011, 02:10:06 pm »

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on November 08, 2011, 11:31:14 pm

In Saskatchewan, they use blessed little salt, preferring to use the antifreeze leaking from all the traffic accidents to melt ice on the roads.

Agreed - but at least you live in Regina, where the city actual plows the roads once in a while! In S'toon, they feel the best way to improve winter driving safety is to NEVER clean the streets. Therefore, your car is stuck in 6" snow ruts and can't leave its lane, minimizing the chance of hitting oncoming traffic. It's sort of like being on a hot wheels track. Of course you can still hit the car in front/behind you - and good luck turning...

GapBoyPCS · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2011, 05:34:28 pm »

Quote from: ktm525 on November 11, 2011, 01:51:25 pm

Quote from: random006 on November 11, 2011, 01:36:57 pm
Having grown up using the term "Hubcap" to describe anything that hides the exposed part of a steel wheel, I actually had to look up the terms. It seems all three are now synonymous, owing to the changing automotive fashions over the decades:

http://www.autoamenity.com/FAQ/Hubcap-Wheelcover.htm

As for me, I use 'em to cover the lugs and to provide a nice, finished look to the wheel / tire combo. I had a post with a photo of the wheels already mounted but I can't find it right now. If I can find it on my home computer later today, I will post it.

I would agree that wheel cover and hyubcap are the same but a center cap is still a center cap.

Exactly how I look at it. Then again, I think we could split the two into wheel cover covering the whole wheel, and hubcap covering the area with the lug nuts and centre axle nut. The centre cap is...well...the centre cap

Even now, I'm getting corrected on the use of "wheel" versus the "rim". I always thought the wheel is the rim PLUS tire. Some retailers are just looking at the "wheel" as what I figured is just the rim.

dr_spock · « **Reply #18 on:** November 12, 2011, 09:32:01 am »

Here's what's 13 years of using OEM wheel covers and exposure to good old salty Southern Ontario looks like.

random006 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 12, 2011, 03:55:21 pm »

The trouble with words like center is that they are far too imprecise. One could argue that as long as an object is placed so that its outer edge is equidistant about an axis, that object is a "center" + <whatever the object is supposed to be> (cap, cover, plate, etc...). By that definition, my wheel covers are "center caps".

Ironically, the term hubcap is to me the only one that is explicit enough to work in this instance but it's too late for that term to be redefined.

Here are the photos. As you can see, I use what is now called a wheel cover to great effect.