Trying to decide if I want to keep my hubcaps on of off. I prefer off from the ease of maintenance standpoint, but I would like to keep the dirt out of my wheel bearings as much as possible.

I vaguely remember there being a mini hub cap that only pops over the axle nut. Is that right? Or am I making that up?

Never have I seen anywhere a cap just for the axle nut/bearing. As in a bearing buddy for a utility trailer. Now there are several options out there that allow the tire valve stem to protrude for air servicing. Also knots2U has a product that is a bit pricey ($265) but nice quality fiberglass covers with a access hatch for servicing. Also have $30 sheet metal hub caps new, unpainted on ebay.

I believe the Cleveland hub cap number you are looking for is 158-00300. Google it and you should have a few options for purchasing.

Are you going to run those tires at relatively low pressure? If so, I’d forget the hubcaps to avoid the hassles of checking pressures, which you should do frequently when running low pressures.

Unless you can find something that covers the bearings, but leaves the valve stem open.

I’ve run these things without hubcaps for a lot of hours and never had issues with wheel bearings. I wouldn’t worry about it.

MTV

A bit askew from topic, but...
I was recently checking out a very nice 54 C180.
I noticed that it had what appeared to be a brand new set of ABI wheel & brakes--
double puck calipers & 6 bolt wheels.
I was kinda surprised that the wheel didn't have any holes for mounting hubcaps.
I like hubcaps not only for keeping dust (somewhat) out of the innerds,
but because they look so much cleaner.

hotrod180 wrote:A bit askew from topic, but...
I was recently checking out a very nice 54 C180.
I noticed that it had what appeared to be a brand new set of ABI wheel & brakes--
double puck calipers & 6 bolt wheels.
I was kinda surprised that the wheel didn't have any holes for mounting hubcaps.
I like hubcaps not only for keeping dust (somewhat) out of the innerds,
but because they look so much cleaner.

Hmmm, strange, I ordered a set of wheels from ABW to go with the 31 tires I ordered and they had holes drilled for the hubcaps. These were ordered a couple months ago. Maybe they added these holes recently and older wheels did not have them, I don’t know.

Kurt

Not sure about AWB but with Cleveland wheels the 3 bolt wheels have the screw holes and the 6 bolt wheels do not. Just how they were designed to the spec of the original initial customer.

Tim

Awww cute, hub caps! - (As I clean and repack my bearings...)

My six bolt ABI wheels don’t have the holes.

Just out of curiosity, has anyone who does routine maintenance ever actually experienced damage to their bearings from not running hub caps?

MTV

My 6 bolt ABW wheels do have the holes.

Kurt

My 6 bolt Cleveland’s don’t have holes or else I would be running hubcaps.

G44 wrote:

hotrod180 wrote:A bit askew from topic, but...
I was recently checking out a very nice 54 C180.
I noticed that it had what appeared to be a brand new set of ABI wheel & brakes--
double puck calipers & 6 bolt wheels.
I was kinda surprised that the wheel didn't have any holes for mounting hubcaps.
I like hubcaps not only for keeping dust (somewhat) out of the innerds,
but because they look so much cleaner.

Hmmm, strange, I ordered a set of wheels from ABW to go with the 31 tires I ordered and they had holes drilled for the hubcaps. These were ordered a couple months ago. Maybe they added these holes recently and older wheels did not have them, I don’t know.

Kurt

Interesting Kurt. I've ordered 2 sets fairly recently and neither had holes. Now I want to ask them why...

A timely thread.

Yep. I changed from McCauley wheels and brakes to Cleveland without holes for the hubcaps.

I want to put the hubcaps back on somehow.

The Cleveland 40-101 wheel used on Ag Cats has a dust cap that covers the bearing and axle nut, fits in the hub and held in place by a snap ring. I repack my bearings every 250-300 hrs when rotating the tires and don’t notice any damage from our corrosive flying environment.

CenterHillAg wrote:The Cleveland 40-101 wheel used on Ag Cats has a dust cap that covers the bearing and axle nut, fits in the hub and held in place by a snap ring. I repack my bearings every 250-300 hrs when rotating the tires and don’t notice any damage from our corrosive flying environment.

Good info from perhaps the toughest environment we’re apt to see, thanks.

MTV

mtv wrote:…..I’d forget the hubcaps to avoid the hassles of checking pressures, which you should do frequently when running low pressures. Unless you can find something that covers the bearings, but leaves the valve stem open.....

Accessibility isn't really a valid concern IMHO--
it takes me less than 60 seconds to pull 3 screws & remove the hubcap.

hotrod180 wrote:

mtv wrote:…..I’d forget the hubcaps to avoid the hassles of checking pressures, which you should do frequently when running low pressures. Unless you can find something that covers the bearings, but leaves the valve stem open.....

Accessibility isn't really a valid concern IMHO--
it takes me less than 60 seconds to pull 3 screws & remove the hubcap.

And, how often do you do so?

MTV

CenterHillAg wrote:The Cleveland 40-101 wheel used on Ag Cats has a dust cap that covers the bearing and axle nut, fits in the hub and held in place by a snap ring. I repack my bearings every 250-300 hrs when rotating the tires and don’t notice any damage from our corrosive flying environment.

Do you mind posting a photo showing how it snaps on next time you pull it off? Just curious. I looked up the part number that richpiney posted, it comes up but it's rather pricy at $100/pop. I was thinking I might just 3D print something that pops on and catches on the axle nut cotter pin.

In response to MTV, I've had the caps off for the last 80 hours or so, my bearing grease was black but I wouldn't call it dirty or "damaging." So you're probably right, however, it gives me a little piece of mind knowing they are somewhat protected.

Thanks for the input everyone.

mtv wrote:

hotrod180 wrote:

mtv wrote:…..I’d forget the hubcaps to avoid the hassles of checking pressures, which you should do frequently when running low pressures. Unless you can find something that covers the bearings, but leaves the valve stem open.....

Accessibility isn't really a valid concern IMHO--
it takes me less than 60 seconds to pull 3 screws & remove the hubcap.

And, how often do you do so? MTV

Once a month or so probably,
and/or whenever the tires look low, or feel low (harder to pull into hangar).
It's such a minor operation, I've never paid attention to how often I do it.