Wheel covers

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jennrod12

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Messages
234
Location
Santa Clara, CA
I found this link on another forum: http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=473 It's for disk-like wheel covers. Looks aerodynamic, but I question if this would make the brakes heat up too much?

md1141.jpg


Jenn
 
This topic recently came up at mynissanleaf.com recently too.
Here is what I posted there:

Driving a Prius -- or any car for that matter -- for better than EPA fuel economy
typically involves using a tactic called "driving without brakes." Of course you do
have brakes, but you allow for some extra space ahead and try to anticipate stops
well ahead so that you can glide up to it. Better yet, if you're good enough or lucky
enough to time stop lights correctly, you roll right on through.

Driven like this the Prius brakes get hardly warm to the touch.
Granted, regen has a lot to do with it. Driven carefully, the hydraulic brakes only
come into play as the car slows to ~8 MPH. Quite a few Prius drivers have installed
aero wheel covers without brake overheating issues.

Wouldn't this same situation also apply to the LEAF?

It's also a frequent DIY modification at ecomodder.com for non-hybrid
cars. (They prefer flat disks made from Coroplast plastic; think political campaign
signs.) Other than some creativity needed in installing the full covers, I can't recall
any difficulties or reported instances of brake overheating.

At any rate, you pays your money and takes your chances.

FWIW, I drive an '08 Prius with 50.2 MPG over 65K miles.


FWIW, if you look closely at the picture posted, these wheel covers are held on by
drilling and tapping holes directly into the rims. Most folks will not want to do that.
IIRC, MoonEyes also has these covers with the spring tabs around the perimeter
meant to lock into the groove that the OEM covers use. All well and good, but...
I have read on multiple forums that the spring tab covers have a reputation for
coming off when the car is underway.

Just thought that you ought to know.

Here's the whole thread if you want to read more:
Aero Wheel Covers
 
Hi Jenn,
A few years ago I had installed a couple of these on my Gen1 Insight seeking better aerodynamic efficiency. Drilled and tapped the wheel. Over about a year there was enough movement between the disk and the wheel that the disk gradually damaged the finish on the wheel where they were touching on the perimeter. I finally took the disks off. If you install these, I would put some very thin foam insulation on the perimeter to prevent the scratches. To answer your question, with our iMiEV's superb regen, I find it difficult to imagine our brakes ever heating up enough s.t. the restricted airflow would be a concern.
TwoInsightsSR.jpg
 
So I got the spun stainless 'salt flat discs', and not the screw-mounted either, but spring tabs. I stayed away from JC Whitney and spent a bit more for the CCI brand, and am quite pleased with the heavy gauge stainless disc and precise spring tabs with a recess for the valve stem. They locked into the rim quite nicely, and my only worry now is how difficult they will be to remove! I expected the look to be good, but am even more pleased with the result.
11

http://silverslipperimiev.shutterfly.com/pictures/11
 
jray3,

That sounds great, I really want to see the picture, but Shutterfly says it is marked "private" and I need to sign up to see it. Is there a way to mark it "public"?

Thanks!

Jenn
 
Sorry Jenn, I think I got the link fixed now. The wheel covers really grow on ya. From old aero studies I'm hypotheizing that the Cd has been reduced by about 0.017. May have discovered one downside to the solid discs, which is a pebble rattling around inside. :lol: That just happened this morning, hopefully it will fall back out through the slotted wheel before long. At over about 10 mph the pebble stops rattling. See- who needs a fancy-schmancy Electronic Pedestrian Alert System!
 
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