I don't know why every exterior black plastic piece has to have weird lines on it.The black parts do look like aero plastic pieces.
Poor Polishing Perhaps?I don't know why every exterior black plastic piece has to have weird lines on it.
Everythging textured with lines is plastic. Not sure how to pop them off though.Someone who has there car must be able to answer this and let us all know 100%
Given the feel of them as I was poking around, this seems likely to me. They don't feel like just snaps. I'll have to have a look.I've read comments lately that to remove the "ridged plastic pieces" the wheels need to be removed from the car, and that those pieces are removed from the back side of the wheels by removing fasteners. Can anyone confirm this? If this is true that might mean there are holes in these wheels for the fasteners to pass through?
So that's 3 per spoke for a total of 15 per wheel. Right? That means 15 through holes in each wheel? That's not going to look good without some sort of remedial work if you want to remove the plastic. I wonder what the spokes look like with the plastic removed. Oh Alexw...Given the feel of them as I was poking around, this seems likely to me. They don't feel like just snaps. I'll have to have a look.
EDIT: Yep, confirmed, 3 phillips head screws hold them on from the back of the spoke. You don't have to pull the wheel off to get to them, but it seems easiest. There's only 2" or so of clearance to the rotor, so you need a low profile ratchet to get at them. And you have to rotate the wheels a bit at least once to get to the last panel blocked by the caliper.
Exactly. I imagine they look pretty bad with the covers removed. I think it'd be more like replacing them with something aftermarket that changes up the styling a little. No promises but I'll keep it in mind to take a picture if I get boredSo that's 3 per spoke for a total of 15 per wheel. Right? That means 15 through holes in each wheel? That's not going to look good without some sort of remedial work if you want to remove the plastic. I wonder what the spokes look like with the plastic removed. Oh Alexw...![]()
I found a picture on the reverse side, but I still wonder what the outside look like sans the plastic bits,and if a cosmetic plastic dip / spray application would improve the appearance?Exactly. I imagine they look pretty bad with the covers removed. I think it'd be more like replacing them with something aftermarket that changes up the styling a little. No promises but I'll keep it in mind to take a picture if I get bored![]()
For sure, if you do pull off a wheel and remove the black pieces be sure to take a picture of the exterior of the wheel.LOL it's a good thing I didn't try to force the issue in attempting to remove those panels even though I could definitely feel some flex/give in them while prying the edges with a panel removal tool.
I mean it’s back on now! I do think I’ll eventually paint the calipers- maybe yellow. I couldn’t tell you whether it’s bare metal or painted silver- I’ve never seen a clean caliper beforeAlexw- So what are you going to do now that you got the wheels off? Are those calipers painted silver or unpainted. I was thinking of painting the calipers on the GT line I have on order.
Alex; Thanks for the pictures! Those holes are a lot larger than I expected!I mean it’s back on now! I do think I’ll eventually paint the calipers- maybe yellow. I couldn’t tell you whether it’s bare metal or painted silver- I’ve never seen a clean caliper before![]()
I thought about measuring, then didn’t because it felt like too much work at the time. What I should have thought of is using my luggage scale, which would have been not too much. Maybe soon.Constructive criticism only--too late for now I suppose, but a missed opportunity to weigh the factory wheel/tire combo since I think at least one person had wondered as to how heavy (or light) an aftermarket wheel/tire setup would be compared to the factory combo.