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Gen 4 Center Caps

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by padroo, Dec 16, 2017.

  1. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    2016 Prius Wheel.jpg I have seen this before but it's been a while.

    I removed the hubcaps from my Gen 4 2016 Prius and never plan on putting them back on again.

    I'm sure Toyota had some good reason to install those hubcaps but personally I thought they were ugly.

    The aluminum wheel under them didn't look good either mostly because they had no center caps. I looked

    around and found a low cost solution. Others have done this and now I have too, I ordered these

    1EMR6 Knockout Plug, Hole D 2 In, PK 10 from Walmart. They come in a package of ten and with shipping

    they were just over $8. I think they look OK.

    I used some hot melt glue to make them stick.
     
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  2. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    It was worth $75 to me to get Toyota center caps.
     
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  3. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    1$ each for 1 1/2” electrical panel knock-outs, and some plumbers Teflon tape around them for a bit of friction
     
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just editorial: it's always requires a mental "course correction' when I hear "hub caps", in the typical current usage. The "hub" is that little protruberance in the centre hole, and technically, a "hub cap" is a little cap, on that hole. What you're referring to as a "centre cap".

    A "wheel cover" is more recent innovation, a complete cover over (most typically) a steel rim, to dress it up, to masquerade as an alloy rim.

    Anyways, just rambling.
     
  5. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    I am just using these for my winter wheels, here is what I have for summer.

    Click on the picture for a full size view.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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  7. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah and why the eff would they do that? I know, to tick me off.
     
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  9. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    There's 'just fine' and there's 'refined.' Just me being petty. :sneaky:
     
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  10. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  12. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    I have thought about getting into 3D printing but center caps aren't enough to motivate me. lol

    How do they fit?
     
  13. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    In the old days when painted steel wheels were standard, the hub caps on most cars were expanded out to cover the lug nuts. So covering more than just the hub, but still called a hub cap from what I recall. Meanwhile more expensive cars like Cadillac had fancier stainless steel covers which covered the entire wheel, but still called a hubcap by most people, although I think I remember some people even back then starting to call those wheelcovers.

    I think the term wheel cover may have come into more popular use when plastic covers become the norm. Many people still call even the plastic ones hubcaps, which in a sense they are since they cover the hub, but for a traditionalist it's hard to accept the idea of a hubcap not being made of metal.
     
    #13 Since2002, Dec 17, 2017
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2017
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  14. Locksmith

    Locksmith Member

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    Care to share the printer file?
     
  15. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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  16. xcx

    xcx Junior Member

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    Do you still have these on your wheels? How are they holding up?

    I've been looking for quite sometime for oem or replica center caps that will fit my 4th gen but couldn't justify $80! LOL
     
  17. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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  18. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    I seem to be unable to edit that post, above, but those are the $9.99 center caps from ebay.

    Had to use the Dremel with a cutoff wheel to flatten all aspects of the locking nubs which weren't locking onto anything. In fact, they were pushing the caps out.

    Then used a non-permanent tacky stuff to hold them in. I really like the look of the silver center caps instead of the black & silver official Toyota ones that go for $80, but maybe that is in part because my car is white. With a dark blue Prius the black accents on center caps might be what I'd go for.
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Exactly my issue, with some third gen caps. EBay listing said they were OEM. :rolleyes: Also, when I tried to leave a comment, for some strange reason couldn't: by design?

    Anyways, luckily I have OEM caps as well, and careful comparison and trial fit of both showed the issue: around the rim are four beveled zones. They're supposed to nicely center/secure the cap, but on the EBay ones the bevel is not sufficient, there's a flat zone just under the cap outside, and it raises the the cap accordingly.

    Half an hour patient dremel work:

    IMG_1197.JPG
    The translucent white zone is where I ground off material:
    IMG_1198.JPG
    Material removed:
    upload_2019-9-19_11-9-35.png
    I kept at it, then trial fit, then grind some more. Basically had to go till that zone was completely beveled, before the cap would settle down, sit completely flush.
     
    #19 Mendel Leisk, Sep 19, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    One more thing: the jaws didn't lock positively in the groove inside the bore until I revised this bevel; they couldn't quite reach the groove.