​The Importance of Hubcaps

​The Importance of Hubcaps

Posted by Rick Dynek on 25th Feb 2014

The Importance of Hubcaps

Hubcaps, like all other parts of a car, serve an important purpose. They are designed to fit perfectly into the hub area of each wheel on a vehicle and can be snapped into place with little effort. Depending on the area you live in, the wheels your car could be extremely vulnerable to certain hazards while being driven on the road. The fact is that hubcaps protect against dust and other debris which are commonly encountered while driving, making them a crucial necessity for anyone who owns a vehicle of any kind.

Driving on roads that are made up of dirt and have lots of rocks on them can be especially detrimental to the wheels of the car, which is why having hubcaps which are put on properly is so important. Hubcaps can help maintain the overall performance of a car’s wheels so that they last as long as possible. It is necessary to check the hubcaps on your wheels semi-regularly so as to make sure that they are still in good condition and offer adequate protection for all of your wheels.

Hubcaps vs. Wheel Covers

Despite what many people think, there is a distinct difference between hubcaps and wheel covers. Hubcaps only cover a small portion of the hub or center area of a wheel to keep out dust and other debris, whereas wheel covers provide protection for the entire area. Wheel covers are available in a wide variety of styles and are usually made with high quality materials that use intricate designs.

Hubcaps on the other hand are much more basic and meant to do the bare minimum when it comes to protecting the wheels on a vehicle from harm. There are also center caps which are often confused with hubcaps, though there is a distinct difference between the two. Center caps are a lot smaller than wheel covers and often just cover the lug nuts.

Tips for Buying Hubcaps

Those who need to purchase new hubcaps for their vehicle will find that it is important to look for OEM parts, which means that they are made by the manufacturer and are factory new. There are also aftermarket hubcaps available, though they are usually made in countries like China and Taiwan and do not have the same quality standards as those which are made by the manufacturer. It is always better to spend a little bit more on OEM hubcaps to avoid any problems with them in the future.

How to Maintain Hubcaps

It is important to avoid taking the hubcaps off your vehicle unless it is necessary to change them. The more often hubcaps are taken off the more likely it is that the clips on them will break off, which is why it is not a good idea to remove them unless it must be done. You will always want to remove them very carefully when rotating and replacement tires. While it is true that hubcaps serve a very important purpose when it comes to maintaining the wheels, they are also very delicate.