To keep them in place, I use transparent silicone. When you run over a bump or pothole, even brand-new ones will come off. The silicone is excellent for its intended purpose and is soft enough to allow removal of the caps.
Do center caps have to be used?
In the middle of most wheels, there is a hole. The centerbore is the name of that hole. The centerbore’s functions are as follows:
- Keep the wheel and hub in proper alignment.
- lessening wheel vibration
The issue is that the centerbore leaves the spindle nut exposed if the center cap is missing. The seal is the only line of protection for the wheel bearing. When you drive, a lot of dirt, moisture, road salt, and grime are in contact with your wheels. The spindle nut and wheel bearing may become contaminated by those contaminants. This could result in:
- Spindle and spindle nut corrosion
- Failure of the seal causes the wheel bearing to fail.
The centerbore is concealed by a wheel center cap. This stops the contamination of these components by the contaminants. Some wheel center caps have enough room to accommodate all of the lug nuts. This protects the lug nuts from the weather. Wheel removal and installation are much simpler when your lug nuts are kept clean.