Function of wheel covers

It does just enough to keep it real, without looking cheap. Works for me. I still think going with custom rims is the real deal. I just don't have the time and effort it takes to maintain them and I have nothing but respect to those who do. All my cars had custom rims, up till now. This will work for me for now.

 

Didn't realize they make that much of a difference!

 

With so many hybrids out there any does everyone hate the prius so much? Just because it don't blow black smoke and go zero to sixty in 3 seconds don't make it a bad car. Don't get the mentality.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Any small improvement in fuel efficiency and drag reduction seem worth it to me,in a car made for just that purpose.

 

Looks nice! Good job!

 

Yes. That's why I leave the covers off for local short trips (which have a lot of stops and hills), but put them back for the 1% aero drag reduction on long trips. The covers weigh about 3.5 pounds total. That plus the weight of the standard wheels is supposedly less than the weight of equally aero bare wheels.

 

What are the center caps size. Like these 57mm sold on ebay and elsewhere?

 

57 mm sounds familiar. Check yours, with a caliper; I believe that’s it though.

There’s a couple of factors: bore diameter, and the location of the groove in the bore, that the cap’s jaws need to lock into. Going from 3rd to 4th gen, the bore remained the same, but the groove shifted. If you’ve got the wrong gen design of cap, they’ll go in but won’t lock properly.

A responsible eBay seller will state what years they’re compatible with. Even then it’s a crapshoot. I purchased some “genuine Toyota” 3rd caps, that were in fact knock-offs. They were not seating properly at first; I figured why, and with a little Dremel work fixed them.

 

I bought those exact ones for my 2010 and they fit fine.... No issues after a year..LOL

 

I went with these. Somewhat shiny, but not as much as the chrome. Looked at the reviews and saw someone with a 2015 Prius that said they fit and several other years with pictures that look like the same wheels I have although "silver" ones vs the black that I have similar to Montgomery's. I'll give a report when these come in along with some pictures. Thanks for the help!

 

These fit nice and tight, use a bit of vaseline to make them push in a bit easier. And have stayed on during one drive my wife took it on this morning. Not great pictures but here they are. Need to clean the wheels a bit to help them go with the centers better.

 

Watch this guy. After that you'd know all what you need about wheel covers and their impact.
In the nutshell, they work..

 

I believe wheel covers are mostly made as a cheap method for aesthetic designs on bare steel rims which all look the same and you would otherwise be unable to uniquely mod them.

Hence why auto manufacturers chose to slap these things onto their cars to give them recognition. The prius doesnt really need these because the bare rims are unique enough.

Also i read somewhere that wheel covers would protect steel rims from rusting but i dont know how true that is. Probably not, spraypaint works a lot better.