Caps on the wheels of a car: how to choose and install yourself
Content
The easiest and fastest way to improve the appearance of a car with stamped wheels is to install hubcaps on the car. In addition to the decorative function, this accessory also protects the "stamping" paintwork, bolts, brake pads from dirt and dust.
Despite the spread of alloy wheels, stamped ones do not lose popularity due to their practicality and low price. Caps for the car will help to give individuality to ordinary wheels and protect the hub parts from dirt.
Selection of caps for the car
The easiest and fastest way to improve the appearance of a car with stamped wheels is to install hubcaps on the car.
Car hoods
In addition to the decorative function, this accessory also protects the "stamping" paintwork, bolts, brake pads from dirt and dust. And in a side impact, it takes on all its force, saving the rim from damage.
What are auto caps
Auto caps differ in several criteria, below we will talk about them in more detail.
By type of construction
Open ones look more impressive and provide good ventilation of the brakes, however, they protect the disc from dirt or gravel worse and will not be able to hide rust and damage to the “stamping” paintwork.
By material
The most common are plastic. Rubber and metal products on sale are rare.
According to the method of fastening
The most reliable are autocaps that are bolted on, but they cannot be attached to the wheels without jacking up the car.
Way of fastening caps on wheels
Clip-on models with a spacer ring are easier to put on and take off, but if the mount comes loose or breaks, then there is a risk of losing the entire lining. In order for such a disc to hold firmly on the wheel, it must have at least 6 latches.
By relief
Convex ones look prettier, but there is a risk of damaging the lining from an accidental impact on the curb. Therefore, it is best to purchase models that protrude slightly beyond the wheel.
By type of coverage
Chrome looks stylish on a car, but high-quality chrome is rare and only on expensive models. In the bulk, the shiny coating will peel off after 2-3 washes.
Ordinary painted overlays are silver, black or multi-colored (rare), they retain a decent look longer. Regardless of the brand, the paintwork holds up well even after washing the car with chemicals.
Cover type of autocaps
Also on sale are spinning caps for cars - spinners, the effect of which is achieved due to the use of inertial inserts that continue to rotate for some time after the car has stopped. Fans of lighting effects can purchase moving wheel covers equipped with LEDs, which are powered by built-in batteries, or turn on automatically while the wheels are spinning.
How to choose autocaps
When choosing, you need to pay attention to 3 main characteristics:
- The radius of the product must match the same parameter of the wheel. For example, models marked R14 will only fit cars with 14-inch wheels.
- In order for caps that are mounted on bolts or have recesses for them to be properly placed on the wheel, the number of wheel bolts and the distance between them must match the lining.
- Before buying caps, you should check if they have a hole for the nipple for pumping the wheel. Otherwise, in order to pump up a tire or check the pressure, you will have to remove the entire part.
For example, r15 hubcaps on cars with 15-inch wheels will fit even truck wheels.
cheap caps for cars
Inexpensive car caps are made from polystyrene, a fragile type of plastic that is highly prone to chipping during installation or accidental impact.
cheap caps for cars
It makes sense to use such accessories when driving off-road or in aggressive weather conditions to protect the rims, since in case of damage it will not be a pity to throw away the entire set of linings.
Caps of the middle price category
The strongest and most resistant to aggressive environment plastic caps, which are securely held on the rim, are produced in Germany and Poland. Slightly inferior to them in quality are products made in South Korea and Taiwan.
Premium hats
Premium car covers are classified as OEM (an abbreviation for the English “original equipment manufacturer”) - these are products of popular car brands. They are made of ABS plastic, which is more elastic than polystyrene - on impact, it will bend rather than split. Expensive models are covered with additional layers of lacquer, which protect parts from an aggressive environment and give them solidity.
Premium hats
Original OEM wheel pads differ not only in diameter. In online stores, you can select caps for cars online by car make, model and year of manufacture. For example: hubcaps for r15 car, for BMW 5 series 2013-2017.
How to install hubcaps on car wheels
The method of installing protective pads on car rims depends on the method of their attachment:
- The easiest way is to put the caps on the machine, which are snapped in with a spacer ring and clips. Before installation, the part is positioned so that the bend of the ring for the stingray nipple is exactly opposite the latter, after which it is centered and “planted” on the disk with light punches in the region of the latches. Knock on the overlays carefully so as not to split them. If the last clip is not included, you need to lubricate it or reduce the diameter of the inner ring.
- With models on bolts, you will have to tinker longer. In order to properly install such caps on the wheels of a car, you need to lift them one by one on a jack, remove the bolts, press the lining against the disk and screw it on. This method of fastening does not save the bolt heads from dirt and moisture, so it is better to put additional protective silicone pads on them.
Caps on the machine is important to securely fasten. If one of them flies off while driving, then, firstly, you will have to buy a new set (they are rarely sold individually, and these are mostly premium models). And secondly, a bounced part risks damaging another car, the repair of which can be expensive.
All protective pads are divided according to specific parameters - the radius and the distance between the bolts. Therefore, knowing the exact dimensions of your wheels, you can safely select caps for cars online by car brand and order them by mail without worrying that the selected model will not fit on the disk.
