3 buck alloy wheel center caps!

Sure! I hope you find it.

 

Thanks for posting the picture of the paint UPS. Unfortunately, the picture is too dark to be identify the UPC numbers. Can you just type the UPC code number and post it again?

 

TheLOOP82 - SCORE for you big time!!! I was done with this MOD in under fifteen minutes and the best $2.68 I've spent on the Prius so far!!! This should be a STICKY at the top of page for all NON V owners!!!

You SIR are a GENIUS!!!

 

020066190545

 

Just did the mod myself.
Took the wheel covers off (not sure why they put them on) and viola! nice wheels! Saw this thread about the mod, and wohoo!
I feel like I got a set of nice wheels for "radar" for free!!! (yeah, I named my prius radar)

Thanks for the post!

 

Thanks for the suggestion from THELOOP82. I bought the caps at Home Depot. Today, I went to a car accessory shop and had them cut me four vinyl Toyota logo. Each logo costs $2. For a total of under $15, now I got myself the "Toyota Center Cap" - a lot cheaper than the factory originals.

Also thanks to n1n018 for posting the UPC code of the paint but I couldn't wait for your posting to appear before I got the vinyl logos. Those who wish to use the same paint color as yours can refer to your posting.

 

First off, thanks to TheLOOP82 for figuring out this mod and starting this thread.

I've found the plugs at my local HD, but they all have the same issue: they're all stamped with "1 1/2" roughly (and deeply) in the center of each plug.
Where has anyone found plugs NOT stamped with the size?
All at our local HDs are Halex brand. Lowes doesn't carry the size; neither does Ace or True Value.
I've tried to find something to cover the stamping, to no avail.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Dan

 

Menards

 

Thanks Kimoy, but the nearest Menards is about 500mi away- in Ohio.
I need to find them a bit closer to New Jersey.......

 

Hi Danvee, the caps that I picked up from HD were stamped very shallow. It's almost invisible... If you can't any, let me know and I'll be glad to pick up a set of 4 for you and ship it out to NJ... I'm here on Long Island non issue espeically for the price...

why?

Because I believe in good will and payback... it's the least that I can do to pay back everyone on this forum for the great advice...

 

Hi LW69!

I looked through all of them at my 2 local HDs and all were pretty heavily stamped. Even primed, sanded, topcoated and cleared the stampings stick out like a sore thumb.
Thanks for the generous offer; I'm also a believer in goodwill and payback. I'll keep that in mind if I can't solve this any other way.
Back when I was in the Speed Shop business, there were companies that made center cap inserts with car manufacturers' names on them. They sold (20 years ago) for about $5/set of 4.
They were about 2" diameter and would be perfect to fit the cap and cover the offending stamping.
I've not located any in the US as of yet, but I'll post the results if I find them.

Thanks Again,

Dan

 

Hi Dan,

I'll send you a picture of mine with them installed and you can see if it passes muster for you...! Hopefully my "tolerance" for being stamped meets your expectations...

 

Thanks LW69!

PM sent.....

Dan

 

Just bought some of these things, look great. going to paint them white to match my wheels. i'll post pictures here in about an hour or so. gotta wash my wheels first.

 

May I ask why going through all these trouble finding the center cap without the stamped recess center? Personally, I think a matching paint color to the wheel looks great. I had a vinyl Toyota logo put on it too. Some just like the plain chrome cap. I guess it is just a matter of personal taste. If you have a special mod plan in mind with the flat surface cap, we would like to hear about it.
P.S. In case you missed my picture with the Toyota logo on it, here it is again. I also posted another picture with the cap on the wheel on 08/10/2010.

 

Hi TL!

I really like those vinyls (I did see the original post): I've got to find somebody out here who would do that relatively inexpensively.
My objection is not with the recessed center, but the heavily stamped '1 1/2"' dead center in them. All of the caps that I've found locally have those numbers stamped deeply into them.
I'm working on a solution and will post if it works.

Thanks,

Dan

 

You can get a small can of two part auto body filler in a hardware or car parts store for about $4.00. You need the skills to be able to sand the cap lightly first, then sand the filler after it has set.

Or you could use a one part acrylic autobody filler, about the same price in a tube, because the indentations are so shallow.

Either would require painting afterward.

 

I got the caps from Home Depot. UPC # 622538172426. It doesn't have the "1 1/2" marking on it. I threw away the plastic bag and I don't recall the name of the manufacturer. If you want, I can go and take a look there. Can you order online from HD?

 

Hi XS650,

I gave that a thought-even using spot putty.

Two problems:

1. The indented area doesn't give you much room to work.
2. I did VERY poorly in Auto Shop class when it came to doing body work.

I think I have a solution using the Rustoleum Metallic Silver Textured paint. 2 coats seem dense enough to fill in the stamping, and a couple more coats of regular metallic silver followed by 2 coats of clear ought to smooth things out enough to match the wheels.

I'll post the results when/if I pull this off to my satisfaction.

Dan