Hubs rusting when running wheels without center caps? Anyone paint the hubs?
 

All you guys running wheels with no center caps, have you had issues with your hubs rusting? I know this is an issue with open ended lug nuts which causes rust droplets to get sprayed all over the wheels.

I am thinking about painting the hubs black with rust reformer spray paint before I put on the new wheels to prevent this issue. What do you guys think?

Is it so obvious that I'm not seeing it? What's the advantage of not running center caps?

There is no real "advantage" really. It think a lot of people just think it looks cool. It gives a race car look with long open-ended lug nuts.

Also, some wheels (like TE37SL) don't come with center caps.

Poser. Just kidding. Do what you want with your car. I imagine you can paint without harm.

A lot of track day groups don't like you to run center caps because they can come out since they are friction fit in most cases. I don't own centers for my track wheels for this reason. No point.

Any issues with your hubs rusting? Or rust droplets from the hubs getting on the wheels?


I plan to DD mine with no center caps.

I honestly don't pay much attention, there was some rust but I don't recall how much. I'd imagine you could just touch them up with paint every now and then if it bothers you.

I paint anything that rusts on my car. (besides the brake rotors- I swapped them for anodized)

If I see some rust developing on any bare metal surface, I'd just wipe it with a oily or greasy rag thats not gunked up. I seem to always have one laying around anyway. Wipe the tools down with it, wipe off surface rust and leave a hydrophobic coating. Downside is you will attract dust.

With the hubs I just dont bother anymore. They're too far gone. I put a layer of antiseize between the hub and rotor when install fresh ones and if it rusts, it rusts.