Plastic covers on the wheels

Rudy, do a search for threads on "wheel trim/rings" Most feel that they are there to improve the mileage but some of us have removed them with no impact on mileage.

Welcome!

 

Their a great waste of petro-chemicals and also look ugleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. .

 

I took mine off too (after waiting a year). Some keep them on as they help to prevent scratches on the wheel itself when hitting a curb.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rudyp @ Jun 4 2006, 12:43 AM) [snapback]265444[/snapback]</div>

and if you look on the energy screen of the info display, you will see that the little wheels on the car do NOT have the trim rings. Take them off - be wild - go ringless!

 

I took mine off the night I got the car.

A few days later I went to a hybrid workshop at my dealer where that very question was asked.

Why oh why are there those ugly plastic wheel trim rings?

The guy didn't know but another PriusChatter who was also at the workshop piped up and said he had heard that they reduced the noise in the wheel well. And since noise = energy, the rings were essentially cutting down on energy loss.

Whether or not it is a significant energy loss is another issue.
It's not.

My wheel trim rings are still off.

 

When I bought my car the dealer I asked said the rings were there to protect the alloy wheels from scratches.
Mine are now hanging in the garage. B)

 

I had my car for about 1 month. I took a trim ring off just to look behind them and what do you think I saw? CORROSION! Already starting because all the dirt and road crap gets behind the plastic ring and sits against the expensive aluminum mag wheel. I took the rings off. There is absolutely NO difference in MPG. I think some people are way too obsessed with keeping a car bone stock. Toyota wasted $$ on those cheap, cheesy trim rings. Hope this helps. B)

 

....same as above above, after reading about it here took the rings off day two, my kids thought the car looked "tight" , the rings now hang in the garage ....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jun 4 2006, 11:11 AM) [snapback]265567[/snapback]</div>

Mine are in storage for hiding the scuff marks when I go to sell or trade

 

I lost 20 MPG after taking them off.....


No, but really, they make the wheels look so small. If your not going to get new wheels, by all means take them off.

 

They are there so you will have something else to hang in your garage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(walt @ Jun 4 2006, 11:28 AM) [snapback]265578[/snapback]</div>

Woo Hoo! I went Ringless Baby. Im free, its like eating a York Pepermint Patty!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

For me, the ringless wheels look rough, unfinished. With the rings on they look high tech.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tumbleweed @ Jun 5 2006, 06:24 PM) [snapback]266364[/snapback]</div>

...right next to my dealership license plate frames... they should know advertising ain't free!

 

I think the wheels look soooooo much better without the plastic rings on them....but I, too, am afraid that if I remove them, I'll scratch the alloy wheels with some curb rash. What should I do?

Just this weekend, had a close call with a curb in DC, trying to avoid a wayward pedestrian--didn't scratch anything...guess I should just take them off and get over it?

One more thing--just received my BT Chassis Stiffening Plate yesterday---can I really slide under the car and install it myself? It seems so low, I don't see how my nose won't scrape the underbelly--and no, my nose isn't that big.

 

Does anyone have before and after pictures of the wheel rings? This is the first I have heard of them. I am getting my Prius in the next few weeks and am interested in what you guys are talking about. Thanks!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tmash @ Jun 6 2006, 07:51 AM) [snapback]266565[/snapback]</div>

photos here
http://darelldd.com/ev/prius_wheel_trim.htm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(walt @ Jun 6 2006, 05:29 PM) [snapback]266977[/snapback]</div>

Hey! I was just coming here to add that! Funny thing - I made that page because nobody else seemed to have done it!