Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2015 10:01:16 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Plastic wheel covers
In-Reply-To: <CAOBs5F4mFBxCG-v7zG09aVEXicXrfmnA==tGOvhRphd+FgyTpA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
You live in a sunny area, and the UV radiation will eventually make the plastic brittle, which causes it to lose flexibility and eventually break. Those tabs need to be flexible or the caps will be loose. You need four new ones, sorry about that. I’m not sure what Scott meant about pulling out the wheel, it’s just as easy to remove it. I think inserting them from the back is easier on the tabs too, but that’s just me. Last thing I want to do is break a tab on a new cap.
Stuart
From: PB [mailto:pbrattan@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 9:25 AM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: Vanagon Mailing List
Subject: Re: Plastic wheel covers
Very glad to know that there's a justification for those pricey center caps as opposed to wheel covers! :-)
Now, is it true that if I have the tire guy pull the 2 wheels about an inch or 2, the "loose" center caps will fit tightly? I've had all 4 center caps on my van since the day I got it in 2007. I've driven thousands of miles with those caps in place, and don't know why 2 of them suddenly got loose. About 2 months ago, I got new tires, and the tire guy told me that my 2 caps were loose and would not stay on the wheels. So is it the weight of the vehicle that causes the caps to stay put? The tire techs might have put 2 caps on BEFORE remounting the wheels, but maybe forgot the 2 other caps, and then tried to put them on but they wouldn't stay. They don't appear to have broken tabs.
Patti
On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 8:54 AM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com> wrote:
Right, but plastic wheel covers are for steel wheels and won't fit on your alloys, so they are not an option unless you want to replace the wheels. You'll be surprised how nicely they will clean up.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of PB
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 5:06 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Plastic wheel covers
Replacing 2 Center Caps costs the same as buying 4 plastic wheel covers! I still have all 4 center caps, but 2 are so loose that they will fall right off, so I just have them saved. The other 2 are on wheels and fine.
Patti
90 Westy Automatic
On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 4:52 PM, Tony Collins <tonycollin@gmail.com> wrote:
> My apologies. I should have read better. My contribution to the
> conversation only applies to steel wheels.
>
> T.
>
> Sent from my iPod
>
> On Jun 16, 2015, at 4:20 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
>
> > Plastic wheel covers won't fit the alloy wheels you have. Just
> > clean
> them up and order a couple of center caps:
> http://www.airheadparts.com/vintage-vw-parts/hub-cap/center-cap-silver
> -5-spoke-oe-alloy-wheel-251601171
> >
> > These folks had the best price last time I checked, but look around.
> Also, they must be installed from the back side of the wheel, so it
> has to come off. That will make cleaning easier, just go to your
> flaps and get a good quality alloy wheel cleaner.
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf
> Of PB
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 11:29 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Plastic wheel covers
> >
> > What's your take on plastic wheel covers. I have stock 14" wheels;
> > 2
> are missing the center hub. I am not willing to spring for fancy new
> wheels.
> > (I'd rather put that $$$ int other upgrades.) I could clean up my
> > old
> ones and try to find center hubs. (I will be having the corner damage
> repaired when I resolve the settlement with the insurance co.)
> >
> > Do plastic wheel covers generally fall off or get damaged easily?
> > Patti
> > 90 Westy Automatic
> > This is what my wheels look like
> > <
> http://s74.photobucket.com/user/edtech2000/media/WestyAccident2015-02-
> 19164956.jpg.html
> >
> > .
> >
> > --
> >
> > *♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪*
> > If it's not on my Smart Phone, it doesn't exist...
> > ●▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬♥▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬●
>
--
*♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪*
If it's not on my Smart Phone, it doesn't exist...
●▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬♥▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬●
--
♪♫*♥*♫♪♪♫*♥*♫♪♪♫*♥*♫♪♪♫*♥*♫♪
If it's not on my Smart Phone, it doesn't exist...
●▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬♥▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬●
