Description: Wheel covers, commonly
called hubcaps, attach to a steel wheel with a series of retention
clips at the outer edge. Steel wheels usually take a full wheel
cover or hubcap. Some upscale wheel covers also use a separate
anti-theft retaining screw with a separate cap or cover. Aluminum wheels
generally use a smaller center cap
that covers the hub and lug nuts and are either
a machined finish or painted finish with a
hard clear coating.
Purpose:
Wheel covers dress
up the appearance of cars with standard steel
wheels.
Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: Wheel covers should be cleaned
periodically when washing your car using a suitable cleaner. When
changing a tire, use care when removing the wheel cover to make sure
you don’t damage or dislodge one of the retention clips. Bent or
missing retention clips are the main reason wheel covers fall off.
When reinstalling the wheel
cover, use extreme care
not to break or bend the
retention clips. This is especially true on wheel covers with plastic
clips. Apply pressure to the wheel cover evenly and gradually;
do not force the cover on. To make sure
the cover is fully seated, use a rubber mallet if possible and
tap gently and evenly around the cover’s edge. When installed
properly, the cover should be evenly seated
around the edge of the wheel. If you should lose
a wheel cover, there’s no need to
go to your car dealer. There are numerous sources of
wheel covers from the automotive aftermarket.
