Center caps, Hubcaps & Wheel covers oh my!
When it comes to wheels there are a variety of styles you can choose from like OEM Original, Replicas or Aftermarket ones. As for Steel wheels, there’s not too much going on in terms of style let's face it, it's a bit bland and boring of a look. Well, I have the solution for you on how to jazz up your steel wheels or even some alloy ones. To achieve a nicer look to your wheels, it's as simple as adding a hubcap, center cap, or wheel cover. Now, I'm sure you’re asking yourself “But Heather, which one is the best choice for me, and what's the difference?” Well, just read on and you will soon be able to answer that question yourself.
Hubcap:
A hubcap is a decorative disk that will cover the hub of wheel, hence the name hubcap. These are mostly seen on steel wheels to provide a clean and aesthetically pleasing look to your wheel. Composed of either plastic or metal, these decorative faces connect to the wheel with clips, or they are hammered on for better grip and security. Besides being used for aesthetics, hubcaps cover the lug nuts as well as help to keep the wheels safe from certain weather conditions, salt and road chemicals since steel wheels can be a little more vulnerable to those elements. In the event the hubcap does become damaged, it isn't the end of the world or going to be a big hit to your wallet luckily, since hubcaps are affordable, the only issue you may run into is finding a matching replacement if it's an OEM version. Most of the time its recommended to just purchase a new set if you can't find a matching one and would prefer them to match.
You don’t see hubcaps too too often anymore since they're becoming less common and being replaced by nicer looking alloy wheels. There are a few vehicles that include hubcaps on them but they're going to be a cheap plastic, which most people end up replacing with a shiny metal hubcap (mostly seen on classic cars). Another reason why they’re not as common is due to wheel covers (I will cover those shortly ;) keep reading on).
Center Cap:
On most wheels you will see a hole in the middle, that is the center bore, over the center bore is where the center cap would go. Again, hence the name center cap. Most of the time when you purchase a new or used OEM wheel it doesn't come with the center cap so you will need to purchase it separately. There are OEM as well as replica center caps you can purchase (we sell a wide variety of both :D). Center caps are designed to keep dirt out of the lug nuts and bearings and if you lose the center cap, it leaves the spindle nut and bearings exposed. Over time, with its only line of defense missing, it can lead to corrosion on the spindle nut and failure of the seal on the bearing since it’s exposed to impurities and contaminates that your vehicle comes in contact with while driving. Center caps can last the lifetime of the vehicle but occasionally do fall off if they were installed incorrectly after a tire repair or rotation. Like hubcaps though, if you do need to replace a center cap, it is inexpensive which is best since it's a good idea to fix asap to keep your wheels in good shape.
Wheel Cover:
A Wheel cover, unlike a hubcap, it covers the entire wheel, again, as the name implies. They fasten onto the wheel similar to how a hubcap does, with either clips or hammered onto the wheel. Wheel covers are becoming more popular than hubcaps since they provide more protection of your wheel since it covers more of the area as well as they are a more universal fit opposed to hubcaps or center caps since those are designed to only fit the diameter and wheel pattern for specific wheel(s). Wheel covers protect the entire wheel instead of just the lug nuts, it is better protected from abrasion, rusting, natural elements and any other issues wheels typically come into contact with. When it comes to aesthetics, you have many options with a cover and can make even the cheapest wheel look pleasing to the eye. For those who like to go over the top on their designs, there are styles such as all chrome, non-rotating hub caps, and ones that spin. Besides looking fancy and extra, there are some covers that can help improve your vehicles performance. Developed by BBS, a prominent company that specializes in performance wheels, the wheel cover channels airflow, so it increases downforce which improves stability when driving at a high speed (typically seen on road and track raceways).
Comparison/Summary
Alright, so now that you've dove deep into the differences, lets wrap it up and summarize all we learned today. Center caps cover just the center, Hub caps cover the center area as well as a little bit more, and a wheel cover covers the entire wheel. If you ever forget then luckily the name pretty much says what it covers: Center cap=center of the wheel, hubcap= most but not all of the wheel, wheel cover= covers entire wheel. All provide some sort of protection as well as aesthetics so when deciding which to put on your vehicle, it will just depend on the style you're going for or how much of the wheel you'd like to cover up/protect.
Hope this helps in your future vehicle needs!
- Heather Jarkow