Car wheel covers – what are they? What are they? How not to make a mistake with your choice? How to properly install wheel caps? We will consider the answers to these and other questions in detail in this article.
If all these questions are not interesting to you, and you just want to buy yourself wheel covers, then welcome to the catalog
The author's view is presented, based on 20 years of experience in the field of sales of car hubcaps. We have installed hubcaps on more than 1,000 cars with our own hands and received feedback from hundreds of customers . They held it in their hands, installed it, broke it during installation, operated it on their cars, tested it for strength, checked the coating with high pressure pressure, with a finger and a coin, compared in practice models of different shapes, materials, methods of coating and mounting on disks...
- Short story
- Why are wheel covers needed (main functions)
- How to choose wheel covers (which ones to buy - manufacturers, shapes, materials, methods of fastening and coating)
- How to install on disks so as not to lose for a long time
- Main questions
So let's go
Etymology of the word
The word “cap” is borrowed from Turkic languages. "Kalpak" means headdress. In technology, a cap is a cover for various objects. Accordingly, car hubcaps are covers for wheel rims that perform both decorative and protective functions. In English, we come across the expressions “wheel covers” - a cover (covering wheels) or “hub caps”, and there are both variants of separate spelling and merged “hubcaps”, which means hub caps. By the way, what is usually called hub caps in Russia is usually called hub caps center in English-language resources.
Description and meaning of caps
Wheel covers are a very popular accessory today. These devices perform a decorative and protective function. They protect the brake system from slush and dirt. Such protection is important during the cold season. At this time, the load on the brakes increases.
Wheel caps are made from various materials. The most commonly used material is plastic. But such material comes in different qualities. Therefore, not all products have high viscosity and elasticity. Accessories with such characteristics resist shock, deformation and cold well.
Caps are also made of metal. Such products are durable and reliable. But it is very difficult to give such material a beautiful and elegant shape. Metal caps rust quickly. This spoils the appearance of the car.
There are rubber products. They adhere perfectly to the wheels, do not break, and also visually reduce the rubber profile and increase the radius of the disc. Metal and rubber caps are very rare.
The configuration of the caps is different. It depends on the shape and number of knitting needles. There are also products:
- open . Used for decorative purposes. They allow you to hide disc defects without the risk of brake overheating;
- closed . They protect brake pads and discs well from dirt. They reduce the flow of air to the brake system when driving, which can lead to overheating over long distances.
The shape of the caps is made convex and flat. Products of the first type protrude beyond the plane of the wheel. Therefore, they are easy to lose when driving. But they look impressive. Flat accessories are functional and easy to install.
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When did wheel covers appear?
The ancestor of true full-size car wheel covers was the center hub cap. Even when using wheels with wooden spokes, it became necessary to protect the hub assembly from dust and dirt. This is how the first center caps appeared.
In the 30s of the 19th century, car hubcaps began to be made of brass and polished stainless steel, the manufacturer’s brand stamp was placed on them, and the size of the caps gradually increased. Thus, wheel caps performed not only a protective, but also a decorative function. They have become a symbol of luxury. You can read more about the history of the caps on our website page
Why do you need wheel covers?
And really, what is the function of these trinkets? They do not affect the speed of movement on gasoline consumption either. “Casting” is another matter, oh beauty, and that’s all. Let's try to figure out whether things really are this way.
Casting or stamping?
As for alloy wheels, well, firstly, the cost of high-quality branded alloy wheels is not comparable with the cost of hubcaps and “stamps”, it can differ by an order of magnitude. In addition to cost, alloy wheels, as a rule, have greater rigidity than stamped ones, and since the quality of our native Russian roads sometimes leaves much to be desired, especially in the outback (hey, where are you gentlemen, provincials, do you agree with us?), then this This circumstance negatively affects the chassis elements and leads to their premature failure, and consequently to financial costs and loss of your precious time.
Even those who are relatively in order with their finances, and who, as a result of many years of experience, have learned to avoid potholes and potholes, often prefer to change their shoes to stamps in the winter. Firstly, the process of changing shoes (when winter tires are already on stamps) is much simpler, cheaper and faster. Secondly, there is less chance of scratching expensive castings on snowdrifts and ice.
What if they are stamps?
Let's start with the function for which hubcaps began to be used in the automotive industry. Wheel caps protect against abrasive getting into the hub and onto the brake pads. Wheel bolts protect from dirt and ice formation, thereby ensuring ease of installation and dismantling of disks when the need arises. Agree, when you need to put on a spare tire due to a puncture or cut in the tire, you don’t really want to waste time cleaning the dirt from the bolts.
And most importantly it is a decorative function. Car hubcaps greatly change the appearance of the car, hide visible imperfections on the wheels, and give the car its individuality.
Agree, the option with caps is much nicer.
So, the main functions of wheel covers :
-protective – protect wheel rims and bolts from dirt and ice,
-decorative – improves the appearance of the car,
- pre-sale preparation - hide stamping flaws: chips, traces of impacts, rust, abrasions, etc.,
- stylization – give the car an individual and unique style (for example, aggressive, dynamic or, on the contrary, retro style),
-attract attention, for example, spinner hubcaps rotate when the car is stopped, -advertising hubcaps remain stationary when the car is moving,
-often used as interior elements - the cap is often used as a circle (watch dial) when styling a cafe as a garage. Bright, large enough, multi-colored chrome plated – a wide scope for designers’ activities.
You can even talk about introducing car hubcaps into art.
Brighton sculptor Ptolemy Erlington uses lost caps to create sculptures of land and aquatic wildlife. The cost of the most complex work reaches up to 2.5 thousand British pounds.
You can give examples of works by Russian authors. In the “Gallery of Garbage” in the city of Gelendzhik, in the center of Nina Nikiforova’s work “The Pursuit of Happiness,” a plastic wheel cap with a chrome-plated center of the Volga “Gaz 31029” car was used.
How to choose wheel caps or what types they are
There are countless classifications of car hubcaps. Let's look at those that may influence your choice. In foreign online stores, wheel covers are often classified into OEM and Customs.
OEM & Customs
OEM (from the English original equipment manufacturer - original equipment manufacturer) is a method in which a product is sold to retail customers under an original brand. Those. in our Russian understanding, these are original hubcaps of famous automobile brands: Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, etc.
When it comes to OEM products, they are usually selected not only by car make and wheel size, but also by model and production time interval. For example, Toyota Corolla, R15, 2004-2007.
Due to the number of requests “buy hubcaps for Volkswagen”, “wheel hubcaps for Toyota”, “Ford hubcaps”, it is logical to apply a classification by brand.
Customs – custom, non-standard custom-made. This term refers to the majority of non-branded samples produced by Russian, Polish and Asian suppliers, which, due to their lower prices and widest range, occupy the lion's share of the market in Russia.
According to the installation size on the wheel rim
Of course in size. Big and small. Large ones for trucks and small ones for cars. Although this is not always the case. Currently, the installation size of wheel caps for passenger cars ranges from R12 to R17. For trucks from R15 and above. So the sizes of passenger wheels are sometimes larger than those of trucks. The seat size R is the diameter of the disk rim in inches.
By material
Most car hubcaps are made of plastic or metal. There are also caps consisting of both plastic and steel elements. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that for cheaper models polystyrene is used, and for expensive ABS plastic. Polystyrene is more fragile, ABS is more elastic, therefore, the risk of breakage during installation is reduced; such products are less susceptible to chipping.
By type of coverage
Chrome plated. This coating is used for both metal and plastic products. The quality of such coating, especially for plastic products, varies greatly. It depends on the coating technology. From the production technology of the cap itself. Depending on the materials used and the number of layers. Low-quality chrome quickly falls off, not even withstanding a couple of washes. High-quality chromium can only react to strong chemicals in high concentrations, but, as a rule, this rarely happens. At the moment, the highest quality, in our opinion and experience, is on caps made in Taiwan.
Painted . Everything is clear here. It should be noted that even Russian Customs manufacturers have learned to coat the caps so that the paint does not peel off and withstands all existing types of washes. Painted wheel caps can be divided into one-color (usually classic, silver, less often white, black, and other colors) and the popular two-color ones. Premium segment models are usually coated with an additional layer of varnish, which not only protects the coating, but gives the cap a more expensive look.
By departure
Flat, concave, convex, volumetric (embossed). If we ignore the aesthetic function, then the most practical are flat, smooth and closed caps. They are less likely to be scratched on the pavement (curb), are easy to clean, and there are no problems with them during installation.
According to the type of fastening of the caps to the discs
Let's start with the rarest examples.
For bolts (or nuts)
We are talking about caps that are fastened with standard wheel bolts (or nuts, for example, like on a Niva car).
The principle of fastening is simple. One hole in the cap is larger than the others. All bolts (or nuts) except one are unscrewed from the wheel. It is through the larger hole that the cap is placed over the head of the remaining bolt. After this, it is carefully and evenly tightened with the remaining bolts. The bolts must be tightened in stages (not immediately to the end, in order to center the cap together with the wheel rim on the cones of the wheel bolt head). Taking into account the difference in center distances, offset, and the overall shape of the disk, we can say that the caps for the bolts need to be selected not only according to the diameter of the disk, but also the make and model of the car, as well as the year of its manufacture, must be taken into account.
The advantages of this type of fastening include reliability. Disadvantages : complexity, labor-intensive, does not protect the bolts from dirt, which complicates dismantling.
On hook
The caps are attached to the disk using special hooks and hooks. Since caps with this type of fastening are quite rare in our country, we have not yet had time to collect statistics on the reliability of their fastening. However, we know for sure that every installation and dismantling leaves traces in the form of small scratches on the disk.
Claws (or clips) with spacer ring
This is perhaps the most universal and most common type of mounting wheel covers. Caps with this type of fastening are selected according to the size of the wheels and fit on almost any stamped wheels.
But a lot depends on the claws (clips) themselves, their shape, material, quantity, and method of fixing the spacer ring in them.
The more tabs (clips) the more reliable the fastening system is, other things being equal.
The cap on the left (made in Taiwan, model 2123) has 12 tabs (clips) on the right, only 6. Naturally, the first option is preferable, even if you break one tab during installation, in the first case the cap will hold securely in the wheel.
It should also be noted that in the figure on the left, the spacer ring is attached on both sides (supported by a thin tab). With this method, it is attached more clearly and does not dangle.
The foot on the sample on the left is solid, yet quite thin in cross-section (this ensures the elasticity necessary for installation), and its strength is guaranteed by several stiffening ribs.
The clip on the sample on the right is thick in cross-section, it is difficult to direct it inside the disk during installation. In addition, it is assembled from two parts, one is inserted into the other and placed on glue; sometimes such connections dry out and, when dismantled, fall apart and are lost.
On OEM hubcaps, the tabs are usually solid, flexible, with a double-sided spacer ring fastening
By the way, on the right, the hubcaps of the Lada Kalina car are made quite decently from the point of view of the fastening system. Let's say hurray (or like) to the domestic manufacturer. You should also pay attention to where exactly the fastening clip is located.
On the model on the left, the foot is located on the beam, and on the sample on the right between the beams. And where do you think the nipple valve will go? I didn't guess either. You will have to remove the cap every time to pump up the tires.
You can also give classifications of auto hubcaps by style, design, covered area of the wheel rim, but perhaps we won’t bore you, since we believe that we have already listed the most important and useful points for choosing.
How to Remove Wheel Covers from Lada Granta
Replacing the rear wheel bearing of a Grant Lada
At the very least, some car owner should take care of his own “iron horse”. You can check the serviceability of a particular part without the help of others.
For example, to find out what condition the rear wheel bearing of a Lada Grant is in, you need to hang the wheel in its free state and turn it manually. As standard, the steering wheel should be rotated moderately and smoothly, without tapping or squeezing.
But it happens that the car owner hears extraneous noises while driving, such as a buzzing or whining, or the swinging of a hanging wheel, signifying significant free play. In this case, we can say that the failure of support grants is most likely the wheel bearing of the rear wheel.
If we talk about the durability and reliability of Lada Grant automobile bearings, we must admit that many motorists, operating their own vehicles within the first thousand kilometers, noted a malfunction or breakdown of the hub.
In the future, this error may be corrected by the Lada Grant manufacturers, but for now we will begin our own repair and replacement of the bearing on the rear wheel hub of the Lada Grant.
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In Lada Granta, the front wheel bearing also sometimes requires adjustment and modification, but here we will talk about the rear wheel bearing.
The hub is equipped with a double row ball bearing which, as you will see, requires no maintenance at all. no lubrication, no adjustment.
navel
Granta liftback wheel covers
1.6L 16-cell, 5AMT, 106 years old When all cars look the same. When the eye looks for something unique.
As you take off and place the capital letters in the wheels. Issue 6
Hello everyone) Now we will take off
and install cosmetic plastic
headgear
on steel.
hub Rear wheel of Granta Lada contains:
nuts for fastening the hub,
Lada Grant enrichment plant,
To repair and replace the bearing, you will need the following tools:
ring puller,
wrench (head) 30,
puller for rotating the bearing.
Repair and replacement of bearings Grant rear hub
So, let's move on specifically to replacing the bearing:
1. Remove the protective cap .
2. Open the hub nut 5.
3. Engage first gear and install the front wheel support.
4. Loosen the nut and wheel hub mounting bolts. Typically, the hub nut is tightened with a large torque, so a section of pipe can be used as a lever.
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5. Raise the rear of the vehicle and place it on secure supports.
6. First remove the wheel from the replaced bearing, and then the brake drum.
7. Finally, unscrew the hub nut and remove the traction washer.
8. Install the puller and carefully press the hub away from the axle.
9. Tighten the hub and remove the ring from it.
10. Remove the bearing from the hub using a puller, clean the inside of the hub, press the new bearing and install the retaining ring. Make sure the retaining ring is fully seated in the groove on the hub.
11. Applying force to the inner bearing race, press the hub onto the axle, resting on the appropriate frame. Next we install the brake drum and wheel. Before installing the drum, the burnt surfaces of the drum and hub must be thoroughly cleaned of scale and rust.
This must be done because even the smallest foreign body caught between these surfaces will cause vibration during braking and drum beating. Use the correct size mandrel to press the bearing. If not, you can use old bearing rings.
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12. Last step. tighten the hub nut as well as the wheel bolts and this should be done on a ground machine. The best thing to do is make a new nut or a nut from another wheel.
13. Secure the nut and install the protective cap.
How to install wheel caps or more accurately on rims
Many instructions have been written on the topic of installing car hubcaps. We strongly recommend that you read the installation instructions published on our website
Let us briefly pay attention to the following main points:
— the instructions should be read before installation, and not when the consequences of the problems are difficult to fix;
- install the caps on previously cleaned discs;
-it may be useful to make sure that the diameter of the cap matches the diameter of the disk;
-in winter, it is advisable to install hoods in a warm room;
— by bending the nipple on the spring ring you can adjust its diameter;
-you should be especially careful when snapping the last one, the clip, it must be directed to the center (inside), if it doesn’t fit, you can lubricate it or you can just spit on it (folk method), if that doesn’t help, then adjust the diameter of the spacer ring. You can hit the caps only if you don’t need them at all.
Installation of caps on stamped discs
Install the spacer ring on the caps
So, let's start with the simplest thing - make sure that the radius of the hubcaps matches the radius of the wheels of your car. After this, we remove the caps one by one from the packaging and install a spacer ring in each. Its function is important - thanks to it, the wheel caps are held very firmly. On some manufacturers' hoods, spacer rings are installed on the conveyor. We will assume that you happened to buy wheel caps without installed rings. It should be noted that the fact of installed/uninstalled rings does not indicate (in our experience) the quality of the caps themselves.
The ring also needs to be installed correctly. Firstly, you need to pay attention that there is a bend on the ring itself. It should be aligned with the nipple valve. On some caps (most often the closed type) there is also a designated place in the plastic itself, which should be aligned with the nipple valve. If there is no such clearly indicated place, then the bend on the ring can be placed opposite any slot in the cap.
Now we would like to draw your attention to the next point - the ring is mounted in the cap in such a way that the bend on the ring faces the cap, and in no case vice versa.
The degree of bending of the ring in the valve area - what the bend should be, you can estimate from the following photograph:
Installation rules - first we place the valve under the nipple in the hole where we plan to release it, then we move the tab away and insert it and see that the spring is clearly fixed in the groove. Then we continue placing the spring in all the other legs.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the special support system is carried out on higher quality, factory-made caps, which have proven themselves both in Europe and throughout the world, and are becoming widespread in our countries. After we have installed the spring, we try to see how securely it is fixed, and see if it is in the grooves everywhere. After this, we can proceed to actually installing the wheel covers on the car.
