How to prevent and protect wheel covers from being removed. We install and fix the caps on the wheels How to securely fix the cap on the disk

We welcome you, dear visitors, motorists, in the driving lessons section, we will talk about the caps that are installed on the wheel rims of your cars. Of course, the caps do not affect the movement of the car in any way, but they have some protective functions for both the disc itself and the brake system. While driving, dust, dirt, gravel gets on the wheel disc, which can lead to contamination of the disc itself and the brake system. The author of the training video tutorial will tell you how to properly install wheel covers, but also remove them.

In most cases, the caps on the wheels of the car are placed as designer accessories. Depending on the manufacturer and the caps themselves, you will be able to notice how your car has changed for the better. If you have not installed yet, you can look at the caps for your wheels and choose depending on the design.

Another feature of the protection of the cap is that it is located on the surface of the disk and is ready to take the blow all on itself. Let's say you accidentally hit a curb with a wheel, or perhaps during other impacts. In this case, the cap itself will be damaged, and the disk will remain untouched.

From all this, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Caps decorate the car very well - it's like an additional tuning.
They protect against dirt and dust.
Help protect against flying pieces of stones from under the wheels of other cars.
The caps are the first to take the entire side impact on the wheels, thereby protecting the main disk from damage.
Also, caps for cars are not expensive and everyone can buy them.

The author of the video lesson will tell you how to properly remove and install caps on your car. Find out what features of the installation have caps on the disk. Also, what are the possible consequences if you do not properly install and secure. But when removing the cap from the disk, you should also not forget that you need to remove it carefully, as there is a chance of damaging the cap itself.

Watch the instructional video lesson "How to properly install caps on wheels" at any time convenient for you.

Domestic car owners are well acquainted with such an accessory as caps for car wheels. They reliably protect the rims from dirt, snow and stones and give the car an attractive and individual look. The choice of decorative caps today is quite wide. But there is one problem: sometimes they get lost. This is quite annoying, because as a result, as a rule, you have to change the whole set. Therefore, a considerable number of discussions on automotive forums are devoted to the question of how to securely fix the caps on the disks.

The simplest (and therefore quite popular) fastening of wheel covers is with the help of latches. 6, 7 or 8 "legs" and the spacer ring included in the kit allow you to quickly install the cap and just as quickly remove it if necessary. However, very often they are removed so simply that it happens spontaneously, on bumps and potholes, and sometimes just like that. In addition, caps are often stolen in parking lots or in yards. To solve this problem, motorists have come up with a number of tricks.

The most commonly used cable tie is plastic clamps. They can be easily found in any hardware store: black, white or transparent, 50-100 pieces per bag. Having installed the cap on the wheel and trying, if possible, to combine its holes with the holes of the disk, grab a couple of ribs with clamps. Then cut off the ends, then turn the clamps a little so that the locks are hidden under the cap. If you choose the right color, such a mount will be almost invisible.

However, if you try, it can be made completely hidden. To do this, you will have to hold the clamps under the stiffening ribs on the inside of the cap, leaving long “tails”, then put the cap in place, clasp the disc ribs with the clamps, tighten them and cut off the excess ends. Someone also likes to use fishing line instead of collars, passing it several times in a circle through the holes on the cap and disk, imitating sewing with a needle, and tying it in a knot. If you need to remove the cap - the clamp or fishing line is bitten with wire cutters (which are good to always have in the trunk for this).

However, it should be noted that not all car owners approve of the methods described above. For example, some believe that clamps do not look very aesthetically pleasing. In addition, in cold weather they become quite brittle and can crack. An alternative is to fix the wheel covers with bolts. Of course, for this you have to drill a cap (and sometimes a disk). But the mount will turn out to be reliable, there is no doubt.

Which option you prefer is, of course, up to you. But before installing the caps in any of the ways, do not be too lazy to thoroughly wash the discs. It also does not hurt to treat them with an anti-corrosion compound to protect the metal from moisture accumulating under the caps.

Currently, most car owners prefer to install forged or alloy wheels on their car. Of course, firstly, it is beautiful, and secondly, forged and alloy wheels are lighter, but it is important to remember that not all car owners have enough money for such expensive beauty, since forged and alloy wheels are distinguished by their high cost, unlike simple “stampings” . Therefore, to add beauty to the wheels, car owners find a way out of situations and simply install caps on stamped wheels. Cheap and beautiful, but this has a significant drawback. Often wheel caps are removed by “not good people”, so car owners are looking for all kinds of ways to protect against theft of these wheel elements. But it is important to remember that there is no way to give a 100% guarantee against not removing the caps, but there are only tips and recommendations that contribute to and increase the chances of keeping the caps from being removed.

Tip one

The first method is to fasten the cap to the stamped disc with a simple cable tie. You can buy them not only in a computer store, but also in a car accessories store. Some car owners are skeptical about this method, but in practice, in real life, this method has retained a lot of hubcaps. Since there were cases that “thieves” at night, trying to pull off the cap, not noticing these couplers, caused the car alarm to go off. Moreover, such ties, having a certain strength, cannot always be cut without a knife or scissors. It is important to remember that the above method will not only increase the time for dismantling the caps, but also protect them from arbitrary removal while the car is moving. Figure 1 shows how the cap can be fixed to the disc with a tie. For reliability, you can use several screeds.

Figure #1

Tip two

The essence of the second way to protect the cap is the hidden fastening of the cap to the rim. It is important to note that in this case all the same nylon ties are used. When installing the cap, it is necessary to first pass this screed into the hole of the disk and through the holes for fastening the cap. Then snap the cap on and tighten the tie to the end through the holes, and then cut off the ends. It is important to remember that this method is applicable depending on the design and type of wheel cap. With this method of protecting the cap, thieves will also not be able to quickly dismantle the cap from the disk, and there is a high probability of an alarm being triggered. By this method, you can watch the video from the public domain.

Tip three

The most interesting, but at the same time time-consuming way is to paint the cap. The essence of this method is that after buying the caps, you need to remove the native paint and paint the caps in the color that is necessary and will match the color of the car. The main advantage of this method is the lack of demand for such caps in the market of thieves and car owners looking for "free" caps.

Tip Four

The fourth method is also used in practice, but not for everyone. Its essence lies in what needs to be done, as described above in the third method, caps that do not attract interest. Namely, you can paint with paint (suitable and not very different from the main color of the cap) on the cap the registration number of your car or car model. This is advice that car owners use in real life. But still, which method to use is up to each car owner to decide individually.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that in order to reduce the percentage of easy dismantling of caps from a car disk, you can use these methods, but this will not give a 100 percent guarantee. And just either interfere with the removal or increase the time of this process.

How to prevent and protect wheel covers from being removed was last modified: October 15th, 2018 by Administrator

Wheel covers are a very popular accessory today. These devices perform a decorative and protective function. They protect the brake system from slush and dirt. Such protection is important in the cold season. At this time, the load on the brakes increases.

Wheel covers are made from various materials. The most commonly used plastic. But such material is of different quality. Therefore, not all products have high viscosity and elasticity. Accessories with such characteristics resist shock, deformation and cold well.

Caps are also made of metal. Such products are durable and reliable. But such material is very difficult to give a beautiful and elegant shape. Metal caps rust quickly. It spoils the look of the car.

There are rubber products. They perfectly adhere to the wheels, do not break, and also visually reduce the rubber profile and increase the radius of the disc. Metal and rubber caps are very rare.

You may also be interested in the material on how to make.

Cap configurations are different. It depends on the shape and number of spokes. Also products are:

open. Used for decorative purposes. They allow you to hide disc defects without the risk of overheating the brakes;
closed. Well protect brake pads and discs from dirt. They reduce the flow of air to the brake system when driving, which can lead to overheating over long distances.

The shape of the caps is made convex and flat. Products of the first type are issued outside the plane of the wheel. Therefore, when driving, they are easy to lose. But they look impressive. Flat accessories are functional and easy to install.

How to choose

The range of car covers on the market is huge. Therefore, you need to know what to look for when choosing such an accessory.

First you need to decide on the size. If the wheel has a size of 14 inches, then you should choose an accessory marked R14. The dimensions of the cap must necessarily be identical to the diameter of the disc. The most popular sizes of accessories are from R12 to R16. The holes for installing products must match the grooves on the disk.

When choosing, the design features of the wheels and disks are taken into account. If the discs are black and do not have obvious visible defects, then you can buy open-type caps of any pattern. Aggressive design accessories are suitable for sports cars. For standard cars, it is better to buy classic products.

When choosing a material, plastic should be preferred. The rest of the options have many disadvantages.

You need to know how to choose a reliable plastic model. Rigid and hard plastic is brittle. Therefore, it will quickly collapse. Soft products do not adhere well to discs. The ideal solution is plastic of medium hardness. You can determine the stiffness of the material by slightly pressing the foot of the accessory. If it bends easily, the plastic is soft, and if it is difficult, it is hard.

When choosing autocaps, you need to consider the following points:

disk status;
the cost of products;
fastening method;
material;
configuration.

The appearance of the caps is the most diverse. The choice of design depends on the individual preferences of the car owner.

How to install on disks

Caps on the wheels of cars can be installed in several ways. Let's consider each method in more detail.

With latches

If you purchase an accessory in a company store, then most likely it will be attached using latches. Fasteners are placed on the inside in the amount of 6 - 8 pcs.

The spacer ring is first put on the fasteners. It must have the same diameter as the disc. The spacer ring has a spacer. It must match the nipple.

The process of installing caps with snaps is reduced to mounting a spacer ring between the inside of the product and the clamping fasteners. Next, the holes are aligned with the nipple. It then takes a little effort to press the structure against the wheel. If everything was done correctly, then the expanding ring will take the desired position in the groove of the disk. As a result, the cap is firmly fixed on the wheel.

Some car owners use plastic clamps to increase the reliability of this method of fastening. How to install them will be described below. Also, special loops and rims can play the role of insurance.

This method of installation is considered simple if the products are equipped with at least 6 latches. The stiffness of the fixing springs is also important. If it is small, then the fasteners will loosen over time. If the stiffness is high, then the caps will be difficult to remove.

Bolted connection

Fastening with bolts is considered the most reliable. But it is the least convenient in terms of mounting and removing accessories. The wheel must be completely removed from the machine to install bolt-on hubcaps.

There are models that have special grooves on the reverse side. They correspond to the location of the wheel bolts. During installation, the grooves are aligned with the heads of the bolts and are firmly fixed.

On collars

If none of the above methods of fastening is suitable, plastic clamps may be used. They are pulled through the holes in the wheel disk and cap at the fixation point. Further, the clamps are simply tightened. Installation takes only a few minutes. If you need to remove the accessory, the clamps are simply cut. Therefore, they are considered disposable fixatives.

Instruction

To get started, figure out, in fact, the caps on the wheels and why. Wheel covers have two main functions: protective and decorative. The first is excellent in the use of motorists in the winter. Caps will surely take a hit in the form of dirt, ice, reagents and other troubles typical of this time of year. Naturally, they will lose their appearance, but it is much easier and, importantly, cheaper to replace the caps than to purchase them. If we talk about the decorative function, then the caps are purchased as an alternative to alloy wheels. The cost of such discs starts from 100 USD, but caps can be bought at a price of five times less, that is, the difference, as they say, is obvious.

If you follow the instructions, then the scheme for removing the caps from the wheels is as follows: take a jack and use its handle to remove the caps from the wheels.
Do not attempt to remove caps with your hands alone, as this can cause serious and serious consequences.

In order not to damage the cap during dismantling, use a piece of cloth, put it between the wheel and the jack handle. Try to work carefully so as not to damage or scratch both the cap itself and the wheel.

Experienced motorists also offer the following method. Take a screwdriver, hook the ledge with it and start pulling the ledge towards the center of the wheel, while pulling the cap towards you.

Try also using another screwdriver, pry the cap itself with it, that is, place it in the hole between the wheel disk and the cap. However, be careful, carry out all manipulations very carefully, as excessive efforts can damage the cap.

When purchasing a car, each owner takes care of it and considers his "swallow" the best. It is for your own car that good acoustic equipment is bought and fashionable tuning is done, which includes such actions as installing alloy wheels or decorating wheels with branded caps.

Instruction

Often, having installed caps on his car, the owner is faced with the problem of losing them right when the vehicle is moving. Surely, many noticed fallen off parts (caps) on the roadsides. What to do in such situations, how to fix the caps so that they do not get lost on the road, even at maximum speed on the highway or when overcoming obstacles in the countryside.

First of all, we want to note that wheel covers have two important functions - protective and decorative. Thus, caps reliably protect wheel rims, especially in winter, from impacts of stones, dirt, ice, snow, water, etc. and in addition decorate the car with its exclusive look. That is why it is important that these devices are always on wheels, and for this it is necessary to perform a number of simple steps to secure the caps.

Buy a 300mm cable tie. You can buy such a screed in absolutely any computer store or radio parts store. Cable ties are sold in packs of 50-100 pieces. A small pack is enough for you.

Install the purchased caps on the wheels of your car. Remove one cable tie. Pay attention to the locking connection that the tie has, it is this connection that allows you to fix a small twig (cable tie) into the ring and close it.

Insert one cable tie into the hole in the hubcap and slide it until it wraps around the hole in the metal rim itself. Make a loop around the disc and cap. Grab the second end of the tie with your hand.

Connect the lock of the cable tie and pull until it is firmly pressed against the cap.

Take scissors or nail clippers. Trim off the excess tie.

Try to shake the cap, you will see that it is fixed firmly and securely.

Hide the tie lock under the metal disk. To do this, you just need to turn the resulting loop clockwise or counterclockwise.
Ready. Step back and evaluate the work done visually.
We want to pay attention to the fact that it is not worth tightening the screed too tightly, as it will rub the cap and over time an unwanted erased strip will appear on it.