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Hubcaps - sometimes referred to as wheel trims or wheel covers - are used to hide basic steel wheels, and are often considered the poor man’s option when it comes to modified cars.But in this article I will make the case that alloy wheels for road cars can be over-rated, and that standard steel wheels with hubcaps are the best kept secret in the modified car world. I know this is a controversial claim, so please allow me to persuade you with this list of 10 reasons why you should consider changing your mind about basic steel wheels and aerodynamic hubcaps...
1. Steel wheels aren’t actually that heavy!
Steel is inherently a stronger material than aluminium, and in order to make aluminium wheels withstand automotive applications, the material must be much thicker than the material used in steel wheels. This negates some of the weight advantages that alloy wheels are supposed to have.Steel wheels on the other hand are usually produced from steel plate less than 2mm thick. So although this is counter-intuitive, steel wheels are often not much heavier than alloy wheels, and in many cases they can even be lighter. They may not look as cool, but that’s why this video is all about hubcaps.
2. Steel wheels vs alloy wheels
Even the cheapest, lowest quality alloy wheels are more expensive than steel wheels and hubcaps.Clearly In high performance applications it DOES makes sense to design light weight alloy wheels using exotic materials and production processes..But many low end alloy wheels offer no appreciable advantages on regular cars. The reason they are popular is for the way they make the car look. But cheap alloy wheels can be prone to cracking and even exploding during impacts.Steel wheels on the other hand absorb impacts much better and tend to bend rather than shatter in these situations, therefore offering a much better value proposition. And with the money saved on overpriced alloys, there will be more resources to allocate elsewhere in your build.
3. Lots of alloys are ugly
Ok, this is going to be a bit controversial, and while a lot of this may come down to personal preference, in my opinion the vast majority of modern alloy wheel designs are pretty ugly. Any alloy wheels that look great tend to be replicas of classic wheel designs that have been around for decades. But original alloy wheel designs (whether OEM or aftermarket) have become far too over-embelished these days to be considered "elegant".I will admit that the majority of hubcap design are also ugly, and this is because they tend to try and replicate the busy designs of alloy wheels.The secret to a great looking wheel or hubcap is the old adage: “less is more”.It is my opinion that hiding the lugnuts on any wheel is an aesthetic advantage. But I also believe that not having spokes is also an aesthetic advantage. Most of my favourite hubcap and wheel designs are mostly just plain discs with the exception of subtle air vents to manage airflow for brake cooling. In recent years there has been an undeniable resurgence in BBS turbofan-style wheel covers, and this gives me hope that although this topic is highly subjective, the trend is real, and that the aero style wheel is coming into vogue.
4. Quick to change
One minute or less is all it takes. If you're the type of car enthusiast who has multiple sets of wheels and likes to swap them onto your car periodically, you’ll know that changing wheels is a pain. It can take anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour depending on what equipment you have.You also need to have a different set of tyres for each set of wheels, and they take up a lot of space when stored (which might be at a premium depending on the size of your garage). But having multiple sets of hubcaps takes up next to no room, and you can swap hubcaps in a matter of seconds. Don’t underestimate how cool it is to be able to completely change the look of your car almost instantly.
5. Hide your puny brakes
I completely understand that after spending 3000 bucks on a set of huge calipers and discs, you are going to be proud to have them visible through the spokes of your alloy wheels. But what if your car has puny discs - or even worse - pathetic little drum brakes?Well in this case having an aero style hubcap will hide your inadequacy and put you back on a level playing field with the brembo boys.Hubcaps can still look aggressive with stanceThere is an old saying which states: “wheels can make or break the car”.But being able to afford expensive wheels is only half of the story. The width and offset of the wheels is critical to get right, not to mention the ride height and the size of tyre you fit. When all of these things come together perfectly it can literally make any car look aggressive (which most car enthusiasts tend to like).So my message here is that it is actually the stance that makes or breaks the car, and having fancy alloy wheels is not the critical part at all. I would personally much prefer a car that has hubcaps in conjunction with an aggressive stance, as opposed to ill-fitting alloy wheels and big arch gaps. The truth is that you don’t need expensive alloy wheels to turn heads on the street.
6. Nobody wants hubcaps.
As I write this article I feel like I am in the minority in my love for aero hubcaps. But that means that I can buy really cool old hubcaps for cheap. If everyone got on this bandwagon then we might see prices for old 80s and 90s OEM hubcaps go up. But as it stands at the moment I feel that hubcaps are the best kept secret in the modified car world. I therefore might be working against my own interests by trying convince you that hubcaps are cool, but I feel like it is my duty to spread the good word.
7. Understated (sleeper look)
This goes back to the earlier point regarding styling, which I accept is subjective and will vary from person to person. But a lot of people like the “sleeper look”. This is for enthusiasts who are not interested in “flexing”, but instead derive pleasure from surprising people with how fast their unassuming-looking car performs. While an aggressive stance is a big part of what attracts me to a car, I do respect the sleeper look. One of the great things about hubcaps and banded steel wheels is that you can marry these two philosophies together and have wide tyres with hubcaps, therefore keeping your high performance capabilities under the radar.
8. Aerodynamic benefits
There is certainly a trend at the moment towards OEM flat-faced aero wheels, but rather than purely being a fashion statement this is largely borne from an increasing prioritisation of aerodynamic efficiency as car manufacturers try to make their cars more fuel efficient… you could say that this is a classic case of “form following function”, and that is a hallmark of good design. I believe the aerodynamic wheel is here to stay, and this certainly bolsters my argument for hubcaps because the exact same look and functionality can be achieved with wheel covers, but at significantly less cost.
9. Expensive wheels are stressful to own
Have you ever come back to your pride and joy only to be horrified that somebody has stolen the wheels? Or have you ever accidentally scraped your expensive wheels off a kerb and died a little inside?I can tell you that it is liberating to not have to worry about stuff like this. Stress kills, and you enjoy life more in the absence of stress… that is a fact!
In Summary:
So there you have it… 10 good reasons why hubcaps are a better option than you think. I hope the points I made were somewhat compelling, and that you will look at hubcaps now in a different light.. I believe that as aero wheel design becomes more mainstream, many car enthusiasts will begin to recognise that a very accessible car modification has been overlooked for too long. Thanks for watching guys, Please subscribe for more thrifty automotive content. Speak soon.