Why are hubcaps used? Five purposes of the popular wheel modification
MOST drivers believe hubcaps are purely aesthetic, but they serve an important purpose.
While hubcaps are not essential to your cars operation, they do play a role in the appearance of your car and your fuel consumption.
Hubcaps have not entirely disappeared from vehicles, but their prevalence has dwindled over the years.
In the early 2000s, many car manufacturers began to favour alloy wheels and larger rims, which often do not require hubcaps.
By the late 2010s many new cars, typically came with alloy wheels as standard, and hubcaps were more commonly seen on older models or classic motors.
You might think hubcaps are just for show, but the truth is they have some hidden qualities.
There are many types of hubcap, but each serve an important purpose in keeping your wheels functioning properly.
Protecting the wheel
Hubcaps act as a shield for the wheel.
They protect the tyres and the wheel fasteners from dirt and sharp, rocky debris from the road.
Without hubcaps, your vehicle could be susceptible to premature wear and tear, making flat tyres and damage to the brakes more likely.
Protecting the wheel bolts and nuts
Car experts always recommend keeping an eye on the lug nuts, making sure they’re in place and free from rusting.
Hubcaps are known to help keep the lug nuts in place and protect them from rust and corrosion.
If you ever get a flat tyre, this will make it easier to change it efficiently, without having to change the entire wheel.
Improving the car’s appearance
Hubcaps have long been used as a decorative feature.
The right hubcap will be sure to enhance the look of your vehicle, as well as increase its resale value.
Improving aerodynamics and fuel efficiency
As a driver we rarely think about the aerodynamics and how this can affect fuel consumption.
If you’re looking to reduce your petrol spends, then it’s worth noting that hubcaps can reduce wind resistance while you’re driving.
In turn this is proven to improve a vehicle’s aerodynamics, slashing your average fuel consumption.
Adding weight to the wheel
Mechanics will tell you hubcaps are worth their weight in gold.
That’s because a weighty wheel helps your car hold the road better, which you’ll be thankful for in wet and windy weather conditions.
Hubcaps can add extra weight to the wheel, which can significantly help keep the tire on the ground and reduce the overall vibration.
Will I be fined or fail my MOT if I don’t have hubcaps?
A car without hubcaps will not cause your vehicle to fail an MOT test.
Nor will a damaged hubcap, so long as it’s secured tightly with no sharp edges.
The MOT inspection manual states that you must not remove wheel hub caps for the test, and the tester will not do so if they remain on the vehicle.
However, a vehicle can fail an MOT test if it has a dangerous or major fault, such as: a seriously damaged wheel rim, a damaged valve, missing wheel nuts, a damaged tyre sidewall, or a fractured wheel rim.