Sold Hubcaps / Wheel Covers - 15" - off of a 2011 Prius (Free + shipping)

I was thinking about a set of hub-caps for the winter steelies I just put on my 2009 Gen II Prius, and found these on-line: Hubcaps Plus After Market Parts and Accessories For Cars, Trucks and SUVs: Set of Four Universal 15 inch Hubcaps - Wheel Covers With a Silver Finish
- so, looking at the price you're asking, and the price at which I can get them from HubcapsPlus (with free shipping to CONUS), I'm wondering if perhaps you might be asking rather a lot - I don't want to rain on your parade, but there it is! Anyway, welcome to PriusChat, and good luck in your venture! - Wil

 

Let me think about that, and thanks for the reply - BTW the generics don't have the holes for the lug-nuts to poke through. My Gen II has the touring trim (16" alloy rims) for the summer, and the lug-nuts for the alloys are blind, but the ones supplied and recommended to be used with the steel rims are open, and so the threads are exposed to all sorts of salt/moisture/gunk from the road, not that it really matters, but I de-hub-capped my old Corolla DX Wagon (thought it looked nicer) and noticed that the studs and wheel centres acquired quite a coating of rust! Anyway, thanks again for the reply, and I'll get back to you soon - Wil

BTW the original ones I was thinking of ordering are these: http://www.wheelskin.com/8823-15u.html
(the ones in the link I posted were different)

 

@WillDavis: I've been trying to nudge my snow tires on Corolla steel rims into more decent look. First I capped the hubs with 2" ABS end caps. I pushed a "rubber band" cut from a bicycle inner tube over the center hub on the rim, then sorta "screwed" the end cap down onto it, then pushed it the rest of the way.

I've also been toying with getting some chromed (or anodized black) acorn nuts, but so far held off. This morning I put just a hint of wax/oil rustproofing oil on the tip of each stud, then toothbrushed it around. Very sparing, don't want it migrating when the wheel rotates.

Better pic uploaded:

 

Nice job! Looks great, and given me an idea or two! I swapped the wheels last week (here's a before:

Chuggy_fall4 by WilDavis posted Nov 13, 2015 at 5:25 PM

and an after:

WinterWheels1 by WilDavis posted Nov 24, 2015 at 10:34 AM

- you may notice on the "before" that I've fitted the small chrome centre caps (from eBay - (Chinese)) but they won't fit the steelies/Blizzaks. Thanks again!

 

Yeah, it's very frustrating trying to find centre caps. Honda steel rims have a higher centre lip, with a bit of of a groove I think. Back in the 'eighties the rims were silver (hey, why not), and you got these nice chromed steel caps that tapped down onto them. There was 3 or 4 dimples around the inside of the cap, sort of an interference fit, tensioned the whole thing.

Anyway, those 2" ABS caps (inside diameter is 2.375") have worked well so far. Been on for about 3 weeks with varied driving, look solid. On the front rims they bottom out on the end of the protruding axle just before touching down, but still seem to work fine, and look ok.

 

I thought I was the only person to use old inner-tubes to make customised rubber-bands! I see in your post you mentioned "nudging" your snow boots onto Corolla rims, does that mean you remove and fit tyres every season? I was curious as the main reason that I have a set of winter rims is that doing to avoids multiple removals and tyre fittings (and balancing) as each time that occurs, it put great strain on the tyres' beads which can easily get damaged over time, as well as the need to re-balance each time the tyre is removed. What is the source of your ABS caps, please? - Wil

 

Hi Will. I have two complete sets of wheels/tires. The OEM 17" rims with Michelin Pilots, and for winter the 15" Corolla steel rims with MIchelin X-Ice2. Traditional, no tire remounting.

The ABS caps are widely available, at Home Depot or wherever. Google "home depot 2" abs permanent cap" for instance, will find this:

2 in. ABS DWV Cap-C5817HD2 - The Home Depot

The caps continue to stay on fine. This is with Corolla steel rims, with the center hub opening just the right size for the hub. The rubber band is needed, without that they'd be slightly loose.

 

Many thanks for the information. I just visited my local HomeBoy Despot, and found they didn't have the black ABS caps you talked about, however they had some white caps which looked fairly similar to yours, however when I tried them, found their inside diameter to be about ¼" too small, so I went on-line, and have ordered the black caps - so we'll have to wait and see if these fit! The steelies I have look very similar to yours. Thanks again for the useful information! - Wil

 

Your rims are generic? The hub centers will be different than Corolla I'm sure, larger, one size fits all. That kinda skipped my mind. FWIW, corolla rims are a near perfect fit with 2" ABS cap. The ABS pipe has ID of 2", and OD ;of 2.375", and the end cap correspondingly has ID of 2.375".

The other wrinkle is even though the caps have decent height, the front axle shaft protrudes enough to JUST bump it a bit, but not enough to dislodge it, at least with our case. It's maybe 1/16" gap because of this.

Still, I think you're having generic rims will be a deal breaker, the ABS caps won't work, and likely next size up is too big. Get a caliper, check the OD of the rim center lip. Also, it should have some height, the more the better.

 

I got the steelies from TireRack.com, and they look to be a nice fit and I think TireRack wouldn't have recommended them if they're not been a good/perfect fit, but I take your point, and I'll dig out my calipers and take it from there. If the new ones are not the right size, at least I'll be able to return them. The rear hub-centres are pretty well sealed, but the fronts have a large nut & split-pin all exposed, and I hate the thought of salt, water, and all manner of road-crud getting in there! We'll see…

 

I ran our snows without any covers for 5 winters, and they look like heck. I finally dealt with them a bit while a had the wheels off, with a wire wheel and brushes, then some wax/oil proterant, a bit better.

 

Are these still available? If so I’m interested.

 

@UoD's was last on the site in January 2017, I wouldn't hold out much hope. Check EBay?

 

Still available? Interested, very much. Thanks!!