Not all vehicles have hub caps, especially new ones. Hub caps are usually placed on lower trim level vehicles to save manufactures money while still giving a vehicle a dressy look.
However, replacing hubcaps can be tricky, especially if you’re getting just one hub cap to match three others. Therefore, you may wonder what size of hubcap you may need. If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
What Size Hubcaps Do I Need?
The size of hubcaps that you’ll need for your vehicle will be determined by the size of the wheel it will be going on. You can find out what size your wheel is by looking at the numbers on the sidewalls of the tire. The last number in the tire description will be the size of your wheel.
If you’d like more information about how to choose the right size for hubcaps, if all hubcaps fit the same and more, keep reading for more facts and tips!
How Do I Choose The Right Size Hub Caps?
Your hubcap size is determined by your wheel size. But contrary to how it may seem, you won’t find your wheel size on your wheels, but on the sidewall of your tires.
Every tire will have a set of numbers and letters on the sidewalls that indicate particular information about the tire. The last number in the sequence comes right after the letter R, which is your tire size.
Wheel diameter sizes usually range from 14-22 inches, but most commonly, hubcaps aren’t fitted for tires that are bigger than 16 inches.
Do All Hubcaps Fit The Same?
Most hubcaps fit on a tire the same way, meaning you don’t need any special tools besides a rubber mallet hammer. Hubcaps just snap into place and don’t require a lot of force to be installed.
However, if the hubcaps don’t seem to fit correctly, then you probably have the wrong diameter-sized hub caps.
If you have to take a hubcap off, you can use a hubcap removal tool or something similar to pry the hubcap off. But, just like when putting them on, finesse will help you out way more than force, which will only break the hubcap.
What Is The Difference Between Rims And Hubcaps?
Contrary to what people may think, rims and hubcaps are two totally different things. Rims or wheels are what your tire is supported too and are the structure of the whole wheel/tire combination.
Hubcaps, however, are nothing more than a fancy cover that goes over the wheels. Not all wheels are designed to look pretty, and hubcaps are a cheap way of giving a car a little class.
Do You Need Hubcap Covers?
You may think that just because your vehicle came with hubcaps, that they need to be on for your wheels and tires to work correctly, but this isn’t actually the case.
If you have a hubcap that falls off or breaks, and you don’t want to replace it or prefer to not have any hubcaps, that will not affect the way your vehicle drives in any negative manner.
Do Hubcaps Go Over Your Lug Nuts?
There are hubcaps that don’t go over lug nuts, but rather cover your wheel and your lug nuts go on over the cover.
But for most hubcaps, these are just wheel covers, so they do cover your lug nuts as well as your wheel.
This is important because a lot of hubcaps have fake lug nuts on the outside, and if you try to remove them, you will crack or break the hubcap completely.
Are Hubcaps Worth It?
Hubcaps might be worth the money if you want to cover up a boring-looking wheel. Most hubcaps are inexpensive, and if all you have is a plain old steel wheel, you could make your vehicle look a bit nicer with a set of hubcaps.
How Much Does It Cost To Have Hubcaps Put On?
Hubcaps can be put on easily and don’t require automotive skills. However, if you want someone to put hubcaps on for you, you can expect a tire specialist or a dealership to charge anywhere from $25-$30 per hubcap.
If you buy the hubcaps at the dealership or a tire wheel shop, you should have a free installation coming your way.
Do You Have To Jack Up Your Car To Change Hubcaps?
You only have to jack up your car when you’re putting hubcaps on that go on before the lug nuts, as you would have to remove the lug nuts which would require you to suspend the tire you’re working on.
Can You Put Hubcaps On A Truck?
You can put hubcaps on any type of vehicle as long as they have wheels that will accept them.
If a vehicle has higher-end wheels that are meant to be seen, like chrome or alloy-aluminum wheels, then you won’t be able to put hubcaps on them.
Do Hubcaps Fall Off Easily?
Hubcaps aren’t as secure as wheels and tires by any means, but they are designed to stay on your wheels throughout normal tire and wheel movement.
Usually, hubcaps fall off or break during an accident or some type of contact with a curb or a parking block.
Is Driving Without Hubcaps Illegal?
There is no law that says you have to have hubcaps on your wheels.
The only reason you can get ticketed for hubcaps is if you have a broken hubcap on your wheels that could cause a potential hazard. If this occurs, you could get a fix-it ticket or a defective equipment ticket.
To learn more, you can also see our related articles on bad wheel hub symptoms, what are hubcaps, what size hubcaps do I need, and if you can spray paint hubcaps.
Conclusion
Hubcaps come in many different sizes and styles, but you can only use the size hubcap that fits your wheel. To find this wheel size, look at the last number on the tire wall right after the R. It should be either a 14, 15, 16, or above.
It’s also important to remember that not all wheels have hubcaps, and if you don’t want hubcaps on your vehicle, you don’t have to have them, as they’re purely for the purpose of looks.