[Elizabeth]

I suddenly find myself interested in hypermile-ing and see all sorts of crazy ideas to stick aero covers on wheels to improve the airflow around the wheels.
Even trucks are getting professional like covers to aero the wheels.
Are ANY alloy wheel makers getting interested in any sort of actual aero design alloy wheels?
So they have performance, and looks AND save gas due to aero styling?
I mean it is a BIG completely open area. With NO ONE doing any work in it, the field is wide open for the first to get into a stylish AND aerodynamic wheel.

I was alway certain one reason a 1989 Tracer i owned got 32 MPG was due to the stainless steel wheelcovers. Basically big moons, with just a few vents at the very edges.

All those strange spinners.. why not a moon spinner covering the whole wheel, a clear spinner, a magwheel with built in plexiglass inserts to aero it out..
I can think of all sorts of ways to make wheels that look cool and are aero.

Even cool looking normal alloy wheels with an option to screw on a stainless steel moon.. Then the alloys could be day to day, and any trips add on the moons.. with a few bolts..
Say I have my stock 17" painted black wheels, I could drill a small hole in each "V" machined in the five spoke, then the stainless moon could have five dimples to match up. the smooth dome moon and just the five small indents/ welded on clips with small hole on moon to screw down, with caps over the bolt indents... Where's a patent attny? LOL!!

Another way would be to make a vacuum formd overlay portion, which could be stuck onto the standard bolting, then a moon smooth disk could be snapped to the vacuum formd portion.

Anyway, just curious if you Tire Rack Dude, have seen or heard of any work in this area...

 

[DEMENTED SVTF]

U should slam ur car on coilovers (for aerodynamics) also since ur going that far. Also try taping the grill areas like nascar (less wind resistance) but not too much can heat up the car. Im sure u can call any reputable wheel manufacturers and they will make any thing u want or aero

 

[DEMENTED SVTF]

Mooneyes usa has been making these for over 50 years lol. They can custom make any size u want even for ur aerodynamic beach cruiser.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Elizabeth]

Mooneyes usa has been making these for over 50 years lol. They can custom make any size u want even for ur aerodynamic beach cruiser.

Sent from my DROIDX Using FF Mobile[/QUOTE]
Problem is they really are ONLY for steel wheels.
And they are all Aluminum. Nice for racing. Sucks for street. Stainless steel is the thing for the street.

 

[wrc_fan]

Are ANY alloy wheel makers getting interested in any sort of actual aero design alloy wheels?

No, a large portion of aftermarket wheel makers produce (or copy) racing wheels, and for street based race cars, you need to let air flow around the brakes. So a big fat cover won't work.

I'm sure you could make some aluminum covers work on an alloy wheel, not sure if there's a market for it. If you're a hypermiler, you probably are already a cheapskate [giddy] and wouldn't spend any money on them anyway. I have no idea why you would do them in stainless... [poke]

 

[Elizabeth]

I didn't know hypermilers were basically cheapskates.
If so, i do not fully qualify.
I am a spendthrift. not a cheapskate.
Big difference.
Cheapskates are just cheap tightwads.
Spendthrift types on the other hand blow money like it is water, AND are at the same time, tightwads.
So a difference. i might spend five grand on a toy, then complain it costs fifty cents a week to run. [slap] [mecry][hihi]

 

[DEMENTED SVTF]

They are for all wheels. They have snap on,screw on and dzuz style fasteners. And actually aluminum is alot lighter than stainless steel. So weight also factors into wind drag also

 

[wrc_fan]

I didn't know hypermilers were basically cheapskates.
If so, i do not fully qualify.
I am a spendthrift. not a cheapskate.
Big difference.
Cheapskates are just cheap tightwads.
Spendthrift types on the other hand blow money like it is water, AND are at the same time, tightwads.
So a difference. i might spend five grand on a toy, then complain it costs fifty cents a week to run. [slap] [mecry][hihi]

Ugh, semantics...

just stay out of the left lane

...[joke]...

...maybe...

 

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Elizabeth, I'm not on the manufacturing or purchasing end of the business so it's hard for me to guess what's going on with any particular style of wheel. I can only imagine that it comes down to two issues:

1. Is enough demand there?
2. Are they produced in enough quantity?

Without these standards being met it's difficult to carry any product confidently. We didn't get in on the spinner craze so I think our purchasing department likes to see what works before ordering in any significant quantity.