1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Off with the ring! -- Trim Ring Poll

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by cyberprius, Feb 25, 2008.

?
  1. I love the rings, they stay

    35 vote(s)
    15.4%
  2. They stay, only because they protect the wheel

    35 vote(s)
    15.4%
  3. They stay, only because they may aid mpg

    23 vote(s)
    10.1%
  4. I already took them off

    106 vote(s)
    46.7%
  5. I saw what's underneath, how fast can I remove them?

    28 vote(s)
    12.3%
  1. cyberprius

    cyberprius Mtn Bikes don't need foglights

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2008
    185
    0
    0
    Location:
    oregon
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Unfortunately for me (and you people, since I have too much time on my hands...), I did a number on my shoulder while trying to ride my bike over a cliff:rolleyes: so I have been doing lots of "resting."

    That rest includes poking about and finding lots of good Prius information, including Darrell's site with various Prius modifications. One thing he had intrigued me and that was a pix of the Prius wheel without the chintzy plastic ring. It's beautiful naked:wub:

    Prius Wheel Trim

    I've searched PriusChat and found lots of back and forth, but no formal poll...so, what about it? Off with the ring, or "if it's good enough for Toyota, it's good enough for me."
     
  2. donee

    donee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2005
    2,956
    197
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hi Cyberprius,

    I say why have naked rings, rather than naked wheels. When one can wrap the rings in shiny aluminum flashing!
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Pinan

    Pinan Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2007
    173
    5
    0
    Location:
    Murrieta, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    My fugly rings are long gone, and my neighbor ripped his off as soon as he saw mine sans rings.

    I doubt that there is any perceptible MPG loss due to there removal.

    :)
     
    Tboy160 likes this.
  4. mitch672

    mitch672 Technology Geek

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2004
    1,077
    197
    0
    Location:
    Randolph, MA
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    donee,

    have you found any improvement in MPG with that foil wrap, versus rings only? could reduce turbulence around the wheels, I suppose.

    mitch
     
  5. seasalsa

    seasalsa Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2004
    1,278
    20
    0
    Location:
    Kent, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    What protection? They just hide dirt.
     
  6. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Mine are off, but when I finally get the time to mate them with the 'moon' disks, they'll go back on. Not that anyone will see them. :nono:
     
  7. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    485
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    On the Standard Prius, the trim ring should stay on. The wheel beneath it is ugly without the ring because the wheel's indentation and lip are clearly designed to accept the ring. Without the ring, the wheel looks like it's missing something -- not unlike a plain painted steel wheel that's missing a hub cap.

    However, on the Touring Edition Prius, the wheel cover should be removed. The wheel beneath it looks complete and better without it.

    EDIT: IMO, the poll should be simplified to "Looks Better On" or "Looks Better Off".
     
  8. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,188
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I think even the standard (non-touring) wheels look better without the plastic ring. Plus, they trap dirt underneath.

    I pulled mine off the first week I had the car.

    I think they may be a homing device for aliens. That is the only logical explanation of why they would be on the wheels in the first place. :cell:
     
    Tboy160 likes this.
  9. donee

    donee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2005
    2,956
    197
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hi Mitch,

    Have not done the aero-drag test yet. Have not figured out how to do the test! And winter is somewhat variable in temperature, humidity and road conditions. By ear, which is fraught with hopeful delusion, they seem to result in less aero noise.

    But, they also help with corrosion of the brake rotors. Which with the winter we are having here makes them a worthwhile modification. There is still corrosion on some Monday mornings, but the rough braking noise is gone after a few miles of normal driving. Previously, I would need to do Hobbit's neutral braking repeatedly to keep the rotors smoothly braking, on any weekend with precipitation.

    The metal is .009" flashing, which is much thicker and stronger than kitchen foil. They have gone through allot of snow driving, and highway driving next to trucks without any damage. Yes, one could kick a big dent in them easily. But the light weight is advantage to reduce unsprung weight, and keep additional angular moment to a minimun.
     
  10. Grunthos

    Grunthos Senior Azgoth Poetmaster

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    81
    3
    0
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I hadn't seen a picture of what it looks like with them off before, but now that I have, I am seriously thinking about removing them. I can't imagine that they actually affect the gas mileage to any noticeable degree.
     
  11. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2007
    1,717
    144
    0
    Location:
    Out there, somewhere
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    You did not include a choice for those of us who used the rings to mount moon disk hubcaps.

    Mostyl mine are off, since I put the hubcaps on only for shows and photos.
     
  12. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The rim underneath the trim ring on the '04-'05 Prius looks great BUT due to the spokes stopping prematurely and not going to the edge of the rim it makes the whole wheel appear smaller in diameter compared to the wheel with the trim ring on. I do agree that the wheel looks better without the ring but I'm not sure I can get used to the rim looking smaller. 15" rims are hard enough for me to stomach (I used to have 17"s on this car) let alone making the 15" appear smaller. :(

    So I cannot answer the poll as I am as yet undecided. I hate the look of more sidewall and that's the impression I get with the rings off.
     
  13. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,188
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Every time I see a Prius with the trim rings still on, I have an uncontrollable urge to go pull them off. :evil:
     
  14. Pinan

    Pinan Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2007
    173
    5
    0
    Location:
    Murrieta, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Ditto. :D
     
    NedBinCNY likes this.
  15. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2006
    6,057
    389
    0
    Location:
    Northern CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    This has to be the best thing that a woman has said about me in YEARS! Crap! And I didn't even get you anything for Valentine's day. :(
     
  16. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2006
    6,057
    389
    0
    Location:
    Northern CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Double ditto! I didn't even make it the two miles home from the dealership before I had mine off. And the emblems didn't make it until dinner time.

    Folks often talk about how a car maker couldn't do this one little thing better because even if it only cost them 5c, if you multiply that by 10,000,000 cars, it is significant. Well, how much could they save if they didn't put all this crap on the cars that isn't needed or wanted by so many? But hey - we've got THREE switches in the vanity lights behind the visors. That's a good place to spend extra money! Oooh, I'm rambling. I'm still a bit loopy from the OP.
     
  17. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

    Joined:
    May 21, 2007
    6,038
    707
    0
    Location:
    Tumwater, WA USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    We talked about the trim rings, but DH decided that they were staying on...

    [​IMG]
     
  18. Qlara

    Qlara New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    488
    5
    0
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Mine stay on to protect (sort of) the rim edge from curb, and these are paid for anyway. ;)
     
  19. bhaynnes

    bhaynnes Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2006
    225
    2
    0
    Location:
    Belmont CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Good god man! Stop driving immediately you have a terrifically unsafe situation here. The spokes should always reach the edge of the rim. :eek:
     
  20. Jack66

    Jack66 Kinda Jovial Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2008
    766
    6
    0
    Location:
    Stafford, Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    One ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them ...

    Oops..got carried away by the ring thing...