I have a 13" steel rim that is OEM. I want to use other car's full covered hubcaps. So will a 13" geo metro or Toyota tercel or Pontiac hubcap clamp right on? Are the clamping points designed to be the same?
full covered hubcaps are they a universal fit
- Thread starter alcyon
- Start date
- Status
Typically, NO!
Many wheel covers use the vehicle's wheel lug nut to hold the wheel covers onto the wheel.
But, there are instances that this can be done! And usually the only wheel covers that will fit another make of car, are the ones that snap/pound on!
But, most vehicles wheel covers and the black OE Steel wheels are designed as a unit that(sort of) sandwich together as one!
This is something that you'll have to test fit for yourself and see. Good Luck, hope this helps!
Many wheel covers use the vehicle's wheel lug nut to hold the wheel covers onto the wheel.
But, there are instances that this can be done! And usually the only wheel covers that will fit another make of car, are the ones that snap/pound on!
But, most vehicles wheel covers and the black OE Steel wheels are designed as a unit that(sort of) sandwich together as one!
This is something that you'll have to test fit for yourself and see. Good Luck, hope this helps!
Depends on if you want the snap on plastic ones or real metal ones. I'm not sure if there are real metal wheel covers anymore. Pep Boys , did in years past have many selections that snapped on your existing metal rim wheels. Most are plastic there.
Originally Posted By: alcyon
I have a 13" steel rim that is OEM. I want to use other car's full covered hubcaps. So will a 13" geo metro or Toyota tercel or Pontiac hubcap clamp right on? Are the clamping points designed to be the same?
Sort-of and maybe.
Rim-wise, they are interchangeable as long as the wheel size is the same (13", 14", etc.).
BUT... you may find that it's the center of the wheel cover that doesn't fit properly. Sometimes the wheel and cover have different "dome" profiles, which may interfere with each other.
Sometimes the cover has little tabs near the center that are designed to contact parts of the wheel in order to stiffen the center of the cover. If those tabs are in the wrong place, the cover may not slide on far enough to clamp in place properly.
Aftermarket covers generally have exaggerated "domes", and are missing the little tabs in the center. That's what makes them universal.
Your only solution: try them and see.
I have a 13" steel rim that is OEM. I want to use other car's full covered hubcaps. So will a 13" geo metro or Toyota tercel or Pontiac hubcap clamp right on? Are the clamping points designed to be the same?
Sort-of and maybe.
Rim-wise, they are interchangeable as long as the wheel size is the same (13", 14", etc.).
BUT... you may find that it's the center of the wheel cover that doesn't fit properly. Sometimes the wheel and cover have different "dome" profiles, which may interfere with each other.
Sometimes the cover has little tabs near the center that are designed to contact parts of the wheel in order to stiffen the center of the cover. If those tabs are in the wrong place, the cover may not slide on far enough to clamp in place properly.
Aftermarket covers generally have exaggerated "domes", and are missing the little tabs in the center. That's what makes them universal.
Your only solution: try them and see.
First, a terminology clarification. Hub Caps cover only the center of the wheel. Here you will find the most variation from manufacturer to manufacturer. Wheel covers cover the entire wheel, more or less.
Back in the 80's, styled steel wheels with hub caps were common on new cars. Now the auto industry seems to be leaning towards cheap steel rims with wheel covers, or a full upgrade to alloy wheels.
The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims prevent my OEM Corolla wheelcovers from being mounted. (I purchased them for a new set of Winter tires).
I've considered getting aftermarket wheel covers, but didn't get around to it before Spring came. Maybe this coming Winter.
Back in the 80's, styled steel wheels with hub caps were common on new cars. Now the auto industry seems to be leaning towards cheap steel rims with wheel covers, or a full upgrade to alloy wheels.
The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims prevent my OEM Corolla wheelcovers from being mounted. (I purchased them for a new set of Winter tires).
I've considered getting aftermarket wheel covers, but didn't get around to it before Spring came. Maybe this coming Winter.
Originally Posted By: HangFire
First, a terminology clarification...
...The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims...
If we're going to get pedantic, then we'd better have another terminology clarification: A wheel is not a rim.
A wheel assembly has a rim, but is not a "rim" when considered as a whole.
Better be careful when correcting others' mistakes.
First, a terminology clarification...
...The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims...
If we're going to get pedantic, then we'd better have another terminology clarification: A wheel is not a rim.
A wheel assembly has a rim, but is not a "rim" when considered as a whole.
Better be careful when correcting others' mistakes.
Thanks so much for the replies. The problem with terminology is some companies use the term hub cap and some use wheel covers. In order to get complete choices i have to search for all possible keywords.
i intend to use the plastic modern ones that have the multiple spoke style. I found some older 60s and 70s chevy corvair steel ones on ebay but i am afraid those might not fit since they clamp on the middle.
i intend to use the plastic modern ones that have the multiple spoke style. I found some older 60s and 70s chevy corvair steel ones on ebay but i am afraid those might not fit since they clamp on the middle.
Last edited:
ok here is more info.
My car is a 80s Mitsubishi econobox. This is how the steel rim is.
Whatever that will fit on a 1980s Nissan sunny 130Y will fit on my rims.
I want to fit one of these 13" sets.
Pontiac sunbird
Pontiac 6000
Ford mustang II
Oldsmobile Calais
If you guys have any experience mounting any of these covers on a Nissan sunny..please let me know your experiences.
My car is a 80s Mitsubishi econobox. This is how the steel rim is.
Whatever that will fit on a 1980s Nissan sunny 130Y will fit on my rims.
I want to fit one of these 13" sets.
Pontiac sunbird
Pontiac 6000
Ford mustang II
Oldsmobile Calais
If you guys have any experience mounting any of these covers on a Nissan sunny..please let me know your experiences.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: HangFire
First, a terminology clarification...
...The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims...
If we're going to get pedantic, then we'd better have another terminology clarification: A wheel is not a rim.
A wheel assembly has a rim, but is not a "rim" when considered as a whole.
Better be careful when correcting others' mistakes.
But, I do have an aftermarket rim. It's part of the wheel assembly!
Originally Posted By: HangFire
First, a terminology clarification...
...The exaggerated dome of my aftermarket steel rims...
If we're going to get pedantic, then we'd better have another terminology clarification: A wheel is not a rim.
A wheel assembly has a rim, but is not a "rim" when considered as a whole.
Better be careful when correcting others' mistakes.
But, I do have an aftermarket rim. It's part of the wheel assembly!
well, after a lot of analysis, I found that wheel covers from the mid 80s Pontiac grand am should fit. After a few weeks of ding dong emails with Lennie of hubcap heaven in the US, I finally got my Grand Am 13" wheels covers.
After a lot of huffing and puffing to install them, you guys were right, they fit.
However, these wheel covers do not fit evenly like the universal fit I had on earlier.
The universal fit ones uses a consistent circular spring with supports all around. They can be hand pressed to the rim without too much effort and the gap is very even, and they wont fly off.
The grand am ones needed a mallet, as well as bending of the 3 sharp springs. Worse part is the gap isn't equal, because of the super tension of spring, its close at the springs and a gap forms at the areas without springs.
The springs are very brittle too, I tried bending them with a pair of pliers and snapped a tab. I am really sure the Grand Am wheel covers wont fly off at high speeds, but a wobble may be visible when the wheels are spinning, which will look pretty horrible. Maybe I should have went with the chevy celebrity hubcaps. Oh well...
After a lot of huffing and puffing to install them, you guys were right, they fit.
However, these wheel covers do not fit evenly like the universal fit I had on earlier.
The universal fit ones uses a consistent circular spring with supports all around. They can be hand pressed to the rim without too much effort and the gap is very even, and they wont fly off.
The grand am ones needed a mallet, as well as bending of the 3 sharp springs. Worse part is the gap isn't equal, because of the super tension of spring, its close at the springs and a gap forms at the areas without springs.
The springs are very brittle too, I tried bending them with a pair of pliers and snapped a tab. I am really sure the Grand Am wheel covers wont fly off at high speeds, but a wobble may be visible when the wheels are spinning, which will look pretty horrible. Maybe I should have went with the chevy celebrity hubcaps. Oh well...
Last edited:
I miss the baby moon caps I had on my '75 Ford. The chrome was a nice contrast to the black wheel, esp. with a whitewall tire.
Your new covers look very sharp, especially the gold, which matches up with the body color.
Your new covers look very sharp, especially the gold, which matches up with the body color.
http://hubcapmike.com/ You can get a variety of 13" caps and/or trim rings I believe
- Status
