1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Does 2010 Prius NEED wheel covers???

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Stealth Prius, Nov 10, 2011.

Page 2 of 2
  1. dz302

    dz302 Prius Rookie

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2011
    41
    4
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    That looks great. Any tricks to get the wheel covers off easily? Also, did the tabs on the wheel covers leave any scratches on the wheel?
    Thanks.
     
    #21 dz302, Nov 12, 2011
  2. phoenixgreg

    phoenixgreg Senior member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2010
    1,157
    290
    66
    Location:
    Phoenix
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thanks - some here have also gotten Toyota emblems that they attached to the finished face of the knockouts. Me, I don't need to overstate the obvious and just went plain-Jane.

    Nope - there were no scratches left by the original covers that I could find and they pry off fairly easily.
     
    #22 phoenixgreg, Nov 12, 2011
  3. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    4,539
    1,433
    9
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Just grab roughly opposing spoke on the wheel cover and give it a yank. No tools required

    I didn't notice any marks on my wheels.
     
    #23 xs650, Nov 12, 2011
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,242
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Well each cover has an area where you can wedge a flat-blade screwdriver if you wish but I usually just grab two of the spokes and yank it out.

    Just don't let the service technicians pull it out (e.g. tyre rotation or swapping tyres). They use the same tool they used to remove the wheel covers off steel rims but the difference is that they leave a mark on alloy wheels.
     
    #24 Tideland Prius, Nov 12, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  5. dz302

    dz302 Prius Rookie

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2011
    41
    4
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
     
    #25 dz302, Nov 12, 2011
  6. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The bare 15" alloy wheels have an obvious look that they are designed to have hubcaps on them (the groove near the edge of the rim). I suppose the basic advantages would be -

    Don't have to remove hubcaps to clean the wheels.
    Much easier to unscrew valve stem caps (which can only turn with fingertips)

    disads -
    Hit a curb and you've scraped the wheel
    Have to put in center caps
    w/o center caps, they look pretty bad.
     
    #26 cycledrum, Nov 12, 2011
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,242
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Yeah it's double the work for me with the covers on - I have to clean both the covers and the rim itself. I tend to leave it off during the winter because it can get pretty dirty behind the covers if I had them on with the sand and salt and so forth. It's a little easier to maintain in the summer so I put them on whenever I feel like it or if I take a road trip (why not maximise mpg while i'm at it, eh?)
     
    #27 Tideland Prius, Nov 13, 2011
  8. Feri

    Feri Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    761
    144
    0
    Location:
    Maldon Victoria Australia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I'm attaching some piccies with the oem centre caps. yep they were $86.00 AUD but I don't spend much on frivolities usually.
     

    Attached Files:

    #28 Feri, Nov 14, 2011
  9. Yogi56

    Yogi56 New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2011
    156
    26
    0
    Location:
    Escondido, CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Has anyone swapped the 15" OEM's with a chrome exchange company? Just looking for some pictures to see if it's a good look or not. Love the 15's ride with more air between the road and the seats but the 17" look is nice.
     
    #29 Yogi56, Nov 14, 2011
  10. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2010
    4,539
    1,433
    9
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I saw a Gen III Prius with chromed 15 inch wheels a few days ago so they exist.

    My personal dislike of chromed aluminum wheels side... Chrome tends to make wheels look smaller. If you scrape a chrome wheel on a curb it's basically trashed. If it's polished aluminum or painted you can repair it and have it look like new.
     
    #30 xs650, Nov 14, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  11. dz302

    dz302 Prius Rookie

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2011
    41
    4
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    Ok, I bought 1 1/2" covers and they are way too small. Looks like it will take 2" covers. I have a '12 Prius v with the larger wheels so I guess that's why. I should get them on later tonight and I'll post pictures.
     
    #31 dz302, Nov 14, 2011
  12. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2010
    1,371
    335
    0
    Location:
    Waianae, HI (Oahu)
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    The wheel covers enhance the Prius's stealth. If you want a stealthy Prius you should leave them on. Just Kidding on or off its your call. If you do remove them please get some center caps.
     
    #32 dustoff003, Nov 14, 2011
  13. dz302

    dz302 Prius Rookie

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2011
    41
    4
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    Took off my covers and put on center caps today.
    The new v takes 2" covers.
     
    #33 dz302, Nov 14, 2011
  14. swoodchuk

    swoodchuk Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    11
    1
    0
    Location:
    Bel Air MD
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    If you remove the hub caps on your Prius, does this affect the dealer's Warrenty in any way?
     
    #34 swoodchuk, May 22, 2012
  15. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    No.
     
    #35 F8L, May 22, 2012
  16. Jrz

    Jrz New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2014
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Annapolis, Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
     
    #36 Jrz, Mar 6, 2015
  17. Jrz

    Jrz New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2014
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Annapolis, Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I removed mine and am now hearing a lot of road noise from tires at about 55 mph - 65 mph. I believe this is cause. I'm putting mine back on to check and see if noise stops
     
    #37 Jrz, Mar 6, 2015
  18. EddieDesigns

    EddieDesigns Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2015
    78
    42
    16
    Location:
    Hilliard, OH
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    Mine:

    [​IMG]
     
    #38 EddieDesigns, Mar 6, 2015
  19. phickson

    phickson Tron Pod Occupier

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2012
    89
    31
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Here's what I did with my 2012 wheels... photo.jpg
     
    #39 phickson, Mar 7, 2015
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 2 of 2