What's the point in hubcaps?

Random

Other than making it take 20 mins longer to take the wheel off when you have a puncture which invariably ends in getting some clean clothes covered in lots of dirt on your way somewhere that you need to be in clean clothes for.

It also ends in a damaged hubcap because of the poor and shoddy design of said system.

I'm gonna just take mine off. Why shouldn't I?

TomMc

Purely decorative. Although it might look like a special branch vehicle with them off.

colm_mcm

Hubcaps cover pressed steel wheels and generally make the car look nicer. the dirt that gets on your hubcaps (brake dust) also covers the wheel underneath, so your hands will get dirty either way.

most hubcaps can be removed in a matter of seconds, and most manufacturers have a chisel type end on the wheel brace (see picture) for prising the hubcap off

On that basis, though. it'll take you an hour and 20 to get the set of 4 off, best not to bother

Buffman

Random wrote: »

Other than making it take 20 mins longer to take the wheel off

20 mins:eek:, are you only using 1 finger.:D

Modern hubcaps don't have any mechanical purpose.
Take them off if you want. As a bonus if you have a D reg mondeo people will think you're a cop!:D

Random

Take them off if you want. As a bonus if you had a D reg mondeo people will think you're a cop!

What about a country reg Corsa? Yah .. I'm the ERU outta my way

The hubcaps on my car have 4 things in the middle to screw them on. There's some fancy thingymajiggy (that's the technical term of course) that you have to use to take them off.

Mailman

some hubcaps reduce the drag co-efficient of the car but most are decorative.

Buffman

Random wrote: »

The hubcaps on my car have 4 things in the middle to screw them on. There's some fancy thingymajiggy (that's the technical term of course) that you have to use to take them off.

A ye, that's the thing for the yoke.:D

After my last NCT I left them off for 6 months, and only put them back on when I needed the space in the boot.

Keano

Hubcaps are only there for people to steal... Like mine were a couple of months ago!

ElBarco

So people can't see your nuts

Random

If only someone would steal mine (PM me for the location of where the car will be at 2pm tomorrow LOL) then I wouldn't have to go to the effort of taking them off.

colm_mcm

and they're not held on with the wheelnuts?

Random

colm_mcm wrote: »

and they're not held on with the wheelnuts?

No. There's screw on things above the wheelnuts specially for the hubcaps.

colm_mcm

is there some kinda special tool attached to the petrol flap for getting them off?

Is that what that thing's for?

Alzar

colm_mcm wrote: »

and they're not held on with the wheelnuts?

Cable ties :D

Al.

Zube

I lost one, and took the other 3 off until I'd get a set of 4 matching, but then I never bothered.

Car looks like sh!te now, but it's a Kangoo, it's supposed to look like sh!te.

O.A.P

ElBarco wrote: »

So people can't see your nuts

:D

L1011

Never sure why bolt-through hubcaps like Fiat and some others use never took off. No extra time to get on/off for a puncture and you can leave them on for the NCT.

bazz26

MYOB wrote: »

Never sure why bolt-through hubcaps like Fiat and some others use never took off. No extra time to get on/off for a puncture and you can leave them on for the NCT.

My dad's old Honda Civic had these type also. Dead handy and less chance of one coming loose and disappearing unless the whole wheel goes with it. At stage you have bigger problems.

Wishbone Ash

Lads, you are confusing hubcaps with wheel trims (i.e. tacky plastic wheel covers). Hubcaps can only be found in older motors!

Donnelly117

Mailman wrote: »

some hubcaps reduce the drag co-efficient of the car but most are decorative.

how?

Zube

Donnelly117 wrote: »

how?

I don't know about decorative, but I do appreciate it when lads keep their nuts private.

tc20

colm_mcm wrote: »

is there some kinda special tool attached to the petrol flap for getting them off?

Is that what that thing's for?

we had an 02 Corsa a few years ago and that tool was for removing the tyre cap without getting your fingers dirty

maidhc

bazz26 wrote: »

My dad's old Honda Civic had these type also. Dead handy and less chance of one coming loose and disappearing unless the whole wheel goes with it. At stage you have bigger problems.

The old Rovers (i.e. from the 70's) were like this too.

peasant

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Lads, you are confusing hubcaps with wheel trims (i.e. tacky plastic wheel covers). Hubcaps can only be found in older motors!

Indeed and then they usually have the purpose of protecting the centre wheel nut (or hub) from dirt and muck ...hence the name.

Metal hubcaps ftw

Mailman

Donnelly117 wrote: »

how?

smooth full-face wheel trims make a contribution to drag coefficient at high speeds, by reducing the turbulence in the wheel area.

Short of enclosing the wheelarch it's the best way of reducing drag from the wheels.