18" Wheels [Does removing the aero covers scratch the rims?]

[rexus31]

For those of you with 18" wheels that removed the aero covers, did removing the covers scratch or damage the wheels at all?

 

[Kimmi]

Not that I noticed.

 

[tonyhny]

I lost one of the aero wheel caps from a pothole.... I just ended up removing the other three. The wheel actually looks nice.

 

[rexus31]

Not that I noticed.

Thanks!

 

[rexus31]

I lost one of the aero wheel caps from a pothole.... I just ended up removing the other three. The wheel actually looks nice.

Did the wheels get scratched from removing the caps? I'm curious how the caps attach to the wheel.

 

[tonyhny]

Did the wheels get scratched from removing the caps? I'm curious how the caps attach to the wheel.

Definitely not. If I remember correctly, it is strongly held in the center of the hub.

 

[RogerMc]

scratches? NO, not in my case
burnishing? perhaps a little

I removed the covers immediately after delivery.

Of course, one could argue that the burnishing occurred when the covers were INSTALLED. We'd have no way to know for certain.

 

[CarlThompson]

I've read that it's not removing the aero covers that scratches the rims. It's leaving the aero covers on over time that scratches the rims. Not sure why. I removed the covers the day I got my first Model 3 and there were no scratches on the rims from doing so.

 

[RogerMc]

 

[BigNick]

"Traditional hubcaps" are placed on heavy, black-painted steel rims that are generally considered "ugly" but steel rims would get their paint scratched over time as well. Aluminum wheels aren't going to fare any better.

If you always drive with the aero covers on, you won't see the scratches. If you take the aero covers off at delivery and never put them back on, you probably won't have any scratches.

Powdercoating the rims might provide a tough-enough finish to avoid the scratches, maybe. But if I were going to go to any expense, I'd just replace the Aeros with Titan7s ($$) or TSportlines (which look similar but a bit more budget-friendly, though not forged) and call it a day.