trailer wheel covers......

CliffA

CliffA

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2009
4,712
Lake Norman, NC
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 340DA
Name: 'Happy Place'
4.5kW West. Generator
Purchased Nov. 2014
Fresh Water Use
Engines
Twin Merc. 6.2L (MPI)
640 hp (Total)
Raw Water Cooled
V-Drive Transmissions
i have a dual axle aluminum trailer with galvanized 14" wheels and bearing buddies on all four wheels....i also have installed stainless steel lug nuts...the galvanized wheels and SS lug nuts have eliminated any concerns with the wheels rusting but let's face it they are not the most attractive wheels....while at Walmart this past W/E i saw some reasonably attractive ABS plastic wheel covers for 14" wheels in the automotive section....i figured there is no way these would fit my trailer wheels due to the bearing buddies....but they only cost $20 for all 4 covers so i decided to try them anyway....to my surprise the wheel covers fit the trailer wheels perfectly and the bearing buddies do not hit the covers....there is ample space between the locking 'fingers' of the covers to allow for any wheel balancing weights.....IMO these cheap wheel covers completely transformed the looks of my trailer....it only takes a few seconds to pop off the wheel covers when checking the air pressure in the tires and greasing the bearing buddies and then a few seconds again to pop them back into place....i don't have a pic of the installed covers yet but thought i would post this in case anyone is looking to improve the looks of their trailers without going to steel or chrome or alloy wheels that can have issues with rust and/or discoloration over time....i figure even if the wheel covers only last 2 -3 years they are easily replaced by another $20 set.....

cliff
 
Just for thought: Will they hold in moisture that will lead to deterioration? Covers are an inexpensive way to improve looks, so why don't the manufacturers do that?

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
Just for thought: Will they hold in moisture that will lead to deterioration? Covers are an inexpensive way to improve looks, so why don't the manufacturers do that?

MM
Click to expand...

no, they won't hold any water/moisture...they have open slots around the perimeter of the covers for the water to drain and to allow sun/wind in to dry up any water....and i doubt that the seal between the cover and the wheel is water tight...

cliff
 
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hmm I like the idea, I hate the look of my wheels but have always felt "stuck" with them. definately need to see a pic, I guess I don't understand how they don't hit the bearing buddies unless they had a hole in the middle...I'd be very interested in trying this. pics please:smt001
 
i'll take some pics with my phone this evening and post them tommorrow.....the hub offset of some wheels may be different so this may not work for all wheels....on my wheels the ends of the bearing buddies do not stick out past the plane of the outer edge of the wheel rim...in other words i can lay a yard stick across my wheel in the center and the bearing buddy will not touch the yard stick....

i started to get the 'deluxe' version of the wheel covers that had the spinners but they were too expensive at $25 for the set....:grin:.

cliff
 
Nice idea and nice look! I've completely restored my triple axle aluminum trailer, replacing all the steel with new stainless and aluminum parts. The only thing that makes the trailer look bad are the galvanized wheels. I'm going to have to pick up a couple pair....anyone want to buy a set of two from me after I do?!!

Tom
 
Gunn said:
Nice idea and nice look! I've completely restored my triple axle aluminum trailer, replacing all the steel with new stainless and aluminum parts. The only thing that makes the trailer look bad are the galvanized wheels. I'm going to have to pick up a couple pair....anyone want to buy a set of two from me after I do?!!

Tom
Click to expand...

probably need to keep the extra covers in case you hit a pot hole and one of the covers pops off.....

cliff
 
N369RM said:
I too do not like the looks of my galvinized wheels and while looking for options came across the following web site that addresses all the issues of fitting the wheels for trailers:

http://www.autoamenity.com/Custom/CustomTrailer.htm

These are now on my to do list!

If anyone beats me, please post pics and give a short review.

Ron Mason
Click to expand...


i looked at that site too, but their covers are much more expensive than the Walmart covers....maybe they are worth the extra cost if their quality is better.....

cliff
 
Well even if you think they do look better I wouldn't put them on my trailer. The problem I see with them is how do you measure the temperature of the hubs when pulling long distances with those on? Looks like you would have to pull them off to measure the temperature.
 
Or you don't go long distances (10 miles here) so no need to bother!
 
I prefer the wheels quality sturdy look to the flash of the covers. In the photo of the boat and trailer with covers, I saw covers, not your boat. The covers will hold in heat and make monitoring more difficult. They will never stay on if you make any long hauls. My vote goes to save your money.

MM
 
luckily we all are fortunate enough to have the freedom to customize our boats and trailers to our personal likes and needs....what a very boring world it would be if we all thought and acted the same....

it literally takes me about 1-2 seconds to remove one of the covers and another 2-3 seconds to reinstall it....i personally do not think that is too large a task to undertake when i want to check the temps of the hubs, the grease level in the bearing buddies, or check the air pressure in the tires.....and they could easily be removed and stored during a long haul of the boat/trailer if that is a concern.....99% of my trips are less than 1 hour so this is really not a concern for me....

as far as the concern about the covers holding in heat, well let's just say i disagree with that...both the wheels and the covers have very large holes where the heat from the hub can easily escape....

if you like the way the covers can change the looks of your trailer and decide to try them i am glad i could help with the idea.....if you do not like the looks of the covers and/or think they are too troublesome to mess with that's OK too....we all have our opinions...

ain't this a great old world we live in!

cliff
 
we took the boat out for the first time this w/e since i have installed the wheel covers....the lake we went to is about a 45 minute drive one way over some very typical SC rural roads which are VERY bumpy and full of pot holes....i thought i would report back to the forum that the wheel covers stayed on the wheels very nicely and showed no signs of working loose over these adverse road conditions......just in case anyone was wondering about how secure they are and how they would react to harsh road conditions....

cliff
 
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