# How are the 18" Aero Covers Installed/Removed?



## Vistan

We've seen a lot of pics of the 18" wheels with the aero wheel covers on, and off. But, I don't think we've yet seen a video or step-by-step photos or even a description on how the covers are installed or removed. Looking at the wheel cover, it appears that the center Tesla-logoed disc is removable, perhaps by popping it out like the Model S wheel, or by unscrewing it. It also appears that the five slots around the Tesla disc are integrated into the black plastic part of the wheel cover (as opposed to the gray parts). Perhaps a special tool must be inserted into this slots to remove the cover, after removing the Tesla center disc. The cover can't be removed by rotating; it must be pulled straight off because of the tire valve. Thoughts? Speculation? Blatant conjecture?


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## MelindaV

Vistan said:


> But, I don't think we've yet seen a video or step-by-step photos or even a description on how the covers are installed or removed.


we have this on the 'want to see' list, so keep an eye on the first post there for links once photos & videos start showing up.


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## Michael Russo

For many of us, it's more a matter of how to never see them on the car... 

Oh yeah, I remember, just open your check book and sign one for $1.5k...


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## JWardell

Chances are they have the same procedure as most other plastic wheel covers which is:
1. reach fingers in between spokes
2. pull

And reverse: 
1. place cover in approximate location
2. kick


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## Gizmo

JWardell said:


> Chances are they have the same procedure as most other plastic wheel covers which is:
> 1. reach fingers in between spokes
> 2. pull




This would surely wreck the paint and lacquer on an alloy wheel though, I think it's more likely to be held on by screwing the centre badge on??


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## JWardell

Gizmo said:


> This would surely wreck the paint and lacquer on an alloy wheel though, I think it's more likely to be held on by screwing the centre badge on??


Usually wheel covers and center caps are held on with plastic clips and friction. It might wreck the paint only if you were to do it many times. Of course, usually this isn't a problem as that paint is normally covered by a wheel cover. Some kind of center cap screw-in system is much more complex and costly and more importantly too difficult to expect someone to do on the side of the road in the rain.


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## Vistan

What if the Tesla-logoed Disc is unscrewed from the center hole of the wheel in order to remove the aero cover, and then screwed back into the center hole, but further in, as shown in the lower right pic? Of course, it could be a separate Disc., but work the same way. I think others have reported that the center hole is threaded.


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## Gizmo

JWardell said:


> Usually wheel covers and center caps are held on with plastic clips and friction. It might wreck the paint only if you were to do it many times. Of course, usually this isn't a problem as that paint is normally covered by a wheel cover. Some kind of center cap screw-in system is much more complex and costly and more importantly too difficult to expect someone to do on the side of the road in the rain.


Cosmetic appearance is going to be important on an alloy wheel, any clip that uses friction to stay on is not going to be good for the paint / lacquer, as you say not an issue on a cheap steel wheel, but on an expensive alloy??

Agreed having them held on with a screwed on cap is more complex, but then having trims on alloy wheels is a fairly rare concept also, cost will be minimal (but yes more expensive) and there will be no need to remove the wheel at the roadside, what are you going to do... there is no spare wheel to put on the car.

Do Tesla even supply a jack or wheel brace with the car? (VAG don't unless you order a spare wheel)


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## mt.west.ev

I'm guessing the center cap is a key component and not just decorative.

Never having seen one .... it must screw in place, and I assume secure the aero cover.
But .... unless there are additional fasteners (screw or friction) I'd suppose they will rattle and make a terrible noise (which have not been reported by members spotting RC's).

Perhaps ... it the low speed noise maker spoken about on another thread. 

I'm sure EM's engineers have provided a solution.


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## Twiglett

I've seen other securing systems that use the center peg to hold clips in place in the center hole.
But those who know aren't telling


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## Dangermouse

It just hit me, with all the talk about aftermarket rims, there may be a cheaper alternative coming up here at some point...aftermarket aero covers. Once the attachment method is out there...

Sounds like a opportunity for someone on Shark Tank...they all probably have at least one Tesla in their garages.


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## Bokonon

Dangermouse said:


> It just hit me, with all the talk about aftermarket rims, there may be a cheaper alternative coming up here at some point...aftermarket aero covers. Once the attachment method is out there...


Yup... that's exactly what I'm waiting for. Better looking + cheaper + softer ride =


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## Niko

In my opinion, when you look closely at the lip of the rim without the aero cover on youll notice tabs / recessed spots built into the lip of the rim face. These look intentional for holding the aero covers on.

I highly doubt the tesla logo has anything to do with holding the covers on and most likely just pops in and out like a center cap on virtually every wheel oem or aftermarket to protect/cover center hub.

Im willing to bet the cover is held in with clips or pressure fit like traditional wheel covers


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## Vistan

Niko (or anyone):

What do you think the five rectangular slots in the inner black portion of the cover are for?


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## Niko

The rectangular openings are just design i believe for aerodynamics, if I'm correct they're advertised as 10% more efficient

That darker section of the cover is what is covering the actual lug nuts, it's hard to say yet until we actually try to take one off or see the back side of it, my guess is it's just part of the design of the cover. I can't tell for sure if the dark part is a separate piece from the lighter pieces.

When you refer back to patent photos it leads you to believe that the wheel cover is all one piece, but then the very next photo I've posted shows the dark area of the cover wrapped out painted a carbon fibre look... So maybe it is a separate piece that you can remove and wrap or paint?


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## Vistan

The five rectangular slots I'm referring to are just slightly outboard of the removable Tesla-logoed center cap. Note that they are in the black shiny portion of the wheel cover and lineup with the 'points' of the gray matte sections. I believe that the black and gray sections can be separated after removal of the cover.


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## Niko

Ahh.. I see what you mean now, never noticed that before in pics i had.

Maybe there is a special security tool to unscrew the center like others have suggested afterall. I cant see why else there would be slots on the center cap.


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## garsh

Niko said:


> When you refer back to patent photos it leads you to believe that the wheel cover is all one piece...


Those patents are for the "ornamental design for a vehicle wheel face." They say nothing about whether it's a wheel or a wheel cover, how it's attached, or how many pieces it's divided into.


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## Vistan

Niko:

The five slots appear to be in the black plastic sections of the wheel, and not in the center Tesla-logoed cap. They would not be receptacles for a special tool to unscrew the cap, but could be places where a tool could be inserted to pull the entire cover straight off. The cover can't rotate because of the valve stem.


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## Rick59

My guess is that there are similar slots on the cover. You place the cover so that the cover slots are next to the wheel slots then rotate the cover so that the cover slots slide in behind the wheel slots and lock into place.


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## Vistan

As mentioned above, don't think you can rotate the cover because of the valve stem.


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## garsh

Finally! A video appears!
Spoiler: held on by friction - you just pull it off.


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## TrevP

As we've been saying all along, they're just plastic wheel covers over the standard 18" alloys. Super easy to remove and put back on


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## garsh

ahem
https://teslaownersonline.com/threa...vers-installed-removed.4873/page-2#post-44724


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## Badback

Oh, shizz. Now we need an aero cover anti theft device.


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## SoFlaModel3

garsh said:


> Finally! A video appears!
> Spoiler: held on by friction - you just pull it off.


Few thoughts on that...


The guy probably scratched his rims trying to put them back on one handed 
They look very cheap!!!
Good thing they come off easily, I foresee everyone who gets then removing them and only putting them back on for long distance travel.


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## Mad Hungarian

garsh said:


> Finally! A video appears!
> Spoiler: held on by friction - you just pull it off.


Well whaddya know, Occam's razor at work .
One thing I noticed in the vid is that the circular spring that tensions the center cap portion was dislocated when he removed the cover. This needs to be checked when you take them off so you don't lose them, and repositioned correctly in the center cap's tabs prior to re-installing.


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## garsh

SoFlaModel3 said:


> 2. They look very cheap!!!


You misspelled "lightweight".


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## JWardell

Badback said:


> Oh, shizz. Now we need an aero cover anti theft device.


The anti-theft is built-in. Who would want to steal those ugly things?


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## BobLoblaw

My official vote is to replace the words "aero covers" with...

Hubcaps. They may be aerodynamic, and they may be covers...but those suckers are hubcaps, with the requisite spring-clip attachments and everything. I could handle the look of them if they were wheels. But they aren't. They are hubcaps. On a Tesla. Hubcaps.

Any bets that they disappear as quickly as the aero wheels did on the S back in the day?

PS: Hubcaps


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## Twiglett

BobLoblaw said:


> My official vote is to replace the words "aero covers" with...
> 
> Hubcaps. They may be aerodynamic, and they may be covers...but those suckers are hubcaps, with the requisite spring-clip attachments and everything. I could handle the look of them if they were wheels. But they aren't. They are hubcaps. On a Tesla. Hubcaps.
> 
> Any bets that they disappear as quickly as the aero wheels did on the S back in the day?
> 
> PS: Hubcaps


<pedant mode>
I would also vote to replace the word "Rims" with the correct term "Wheels"
a rim is one part of a wheel (normally the outer part), not the whole thing.
So technically the cover is clipped to the spokes, not the rims. 
</pedant mode>


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## garsh

BobLoblaw said:


> Any bets that they disappear as quickly as the aero wheels did on the S back in the day?


These are going to be *much* more popular than the old S aero wheels, for a few reasons

They're the default wheel. The S Aeros were an upcharge upgrade.
They look better than the old S Aeros.
They can be removed, and the wheel underneath is decent-looking. Two looks for the price of one!


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## skygraff

Mad Hungarian said:


> Well whaddya know, Occam's razor at work .
> One thing I noticed in the vid is that the circular spring that tensions the center cap portion was dislocated when he removed the cover. This needs to be checked when you take them off so you don't lose them, and repositioned correctly in the center cap's tabs prior to re-installing.


Noticed that.

Does it almost look like the center cap and clip may actually be removable and possibly go in by itself? I wonder if it's the same one they sell separately?


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## JWardell

BobLoblaw said:


> My official vote is to replace the words "aero covers" with...
> 
> Hubcaps. They may be aerodynamic, and they may be covers...but those suckers are hubcaps, with the requisite spring-clip attachments and everything. I could handle the look of them if they were wheels. But they aren't. They are hubcaps. On a Tesla. Hubcaps.
> 
> Any bets that they disappear as quickly as the aero wheels did on the S back in the day?
> 
> PS: Hubcaps


The technical term is wheel covers.
The hub is just the center of a wheel, so technically a hub cap is just the tesla logo center cap.
Alternately, hub caps traditionally have the connotation of metal wheel covers, common in the 70s, and would fly off and behead you. Still, the shiny metal hub caps sure looked a lot nicer than the silver plastic ones that are all over the place now.

Anyway, use wheel cover and center cap to reduce confusion.


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## BobLoblaw

JWardell said:


> The technical term is wheel covers.
> The hub is just the center of a wheel, so technically a hub cap is just the tesla logo center cap.
> Alternately, hub caps traditionally have the connotation of metal wheel covers, common in the 70s, and would fly off and behead you. Still, the shiny metal hub caps sure looked a lot nicer than the silver plastic ones that are all over the place now.
> 
> Anyway, use wheel cover and center cap to reduce confusion.


Walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck...

It's a duck (actually a hubcap).


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## BobLoblaw

garsh said:


> These are going to be *much* more popular than the old S aero wheels, for a few reasons
> 
> They're the default wheel. The S Aeros were a upcharge upgrade.
> They look better than the old S Aeros.
> They can be removed, and the wheel underneath is decent-looking.


Ya, thinking about it I agree actually. Hopefully they include (or offer for not too much $$$) lug-nut covers and center caps for those who would rather leave the hubcaps off.


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## Mad Hungarian

skygraff said:


> Noticed that.
> 
> Does it almost look like the center cap and clip may actually be removable and possibly go in by itself? I wonder if it's the same one they sell separately?


It looks like it's all one molded piece on the backside, at least from what I see in this sub-par screen cap I just took...


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## Rick59

Badback said:


> Oh, shizz. Now we need an aero cover anti theft device.


Keep them under your mattress.


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## SoFlaModel3

I can't wait until they're a dime dozen on eBay. Another Tesla object to buy and put on the wall in the garage! Maybe I can make a wall clock out of one!


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## Michael Russo

The only removal I want to ensure I handle right is the removal of the 18'' base from my order... :
I get the range thing yet I still feel like hubcaps (or wheel covers) that look this ugly don't have a place on such a beautiful car. The design could have been more intriguing, and should have been very full alloy wheel choice only... maybe a full wheel with three times ≡, at 12, 4 pm and 8 pm for instance...


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## SoFlaModel3

Michael Russo said:


> The only removal I want to ensure I handle right is the removal of the 18'' base from my order... :
> I get the range thing yet I still feel like hubcaps (or wheel covers) that look this ugly don't have a place on such a beautiful car. The design could have been more intriguing, and should have been very full alloy wheel choice only... maybe a full wheel with three times ≡, at 12, 4 pm and 8 pm for instance...


I was caught between agree and funny because I agree and well... laughed when I read this post!


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## Gizmo

So a load of stainless steel sprung clips located onto a laquered / painted wheel 

I will give it 12 months (including a decent winter) before the paint is blistering due to the clips removing the paint! 

"Cheap? 
lightweight?
hub caps?
Wheel covers?
Wheel trims (UK)?

I have a word that covers all of the above.... nasty!

Sorry Elon but they were not very well thought out at all, unless your intention is you will have to run the covers because the wheels will be an eyesore once they are covered in paint blisters.


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## ng0

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sport wheels have covers on them too don't they?


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## SoFlaModel3

Gizmo said:


> So a load of stainless steel sprung clips located onto a laquered / painted wheel
> 
> I will give it 12 months (including a decent winter) before the paint is blistering due to the clips removing the paint!
> 
> "Cheap?
> lightweight?
> hub caps?
> Wheel covers?
> Wheel trims (UK)?
> 
> I have a word that covers all of the above.... nasty!
> 
> Sorry Elon but they were not very well thought out at all, unless your intention is you will have to run the covers because the wheels will be an eyesore once they are covered in paint blisters.


Yeah... $50k car with plastic hub cabs... ouch!



ng0 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sport wheels have covers on them too don't they?


No covers on the sport wheels.


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## Michael Russo

ng0 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sport wheels have covers on them too don't they?


That has not been confirmed by anyone that I know of. If they do, they'll go right on eBay right away as far as I'm concerned.


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## Vistan

Well, smack my gob! I had conjured up all sorts of sophisticated engineering solutions to Aero cover install/removal. And here it's just line em up and smack em with the heel of your hand! Just like my Chevy "Moons" back in high school (except they were metal, not plastic).


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## Mad Hungarian

Michael Russo said:


> That has not been confirmed by anyone that I know of. If they do, they'll go right on eBay right away as far as I'm concerned.


Mike, although I haven't seen them in person many sources have confirmed that the 19" IS a full solid alloy wheel. Some of us (myself included) were momentarily fooled by what looked like gaps between the wheel's face and an open crevice in the valve stem area, but I've since inspected the base 19" Model S Slipstream which uses a very similar outer lip area design and it is most definitely a one-piece cast aluminum wheel.


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## BobLoblaw

ng0 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sport wheels have covers on them too don't they?


I think I know what you're getting at - if I'm right you're referring to the lugnut cover?

If so, at least it fits in the segment. Hubcaps on an entry-level luxury vehicle in this price range are unheard of, lugnut covers of some sort are pretty standard.


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## Vistan

The poster of the Aero cover video made the following comment on Electrek:

*You You Xue *  freethinker • 2 hours ago
The centre piece is on the aero cap (look closely at my video), you take it off and put it on the alloy rims. The lug nuts/bolts are not covered on this particular rim, but there are black covers for it.


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## UncleT

ng0 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sport wheels have covers on them too don't they?


They actually have hub caps, that's why you can't see the hub or lug nuts. @BobLoblaw can call them "lug nut covers" but as he so eloquently put it...

Walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck...


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## skygraff

Vistan said:


> The poster of the Aero cover video made the following comment on Electrek:
> 
> *You You Xue *  freethinker • 2 hours ago
> The centre piece is on the aero cap (look closely at my video), you take it off and put it on the alloy rims. The lug nuts/bolts are not covered on this particular rim, but there are black covers for it.


Very cool. But...

Now that I look at the picture above (sports), I'm kinda jonesing for a center cap which covers the lugs as well. There's a little recess between the 18" wheel spokes but I'm not sure they're as deep as the sports. Might be nice if that same cover would work and would be available. If not, maybe Evannex or somebody will do it.

Meantime, aeros off lug covers and center cap on. I'll probably keep the aeros in storage just in case they're right about range or for a winter protector.


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## MelindaV

garsh said:


> Finally! A video appears!
> Spoiler: held on by friction - you just pull it off.


so comments on this video in the Google gallery are, interesting...
mostly around this comment from a Reddit moderator:
Israël "iZi" legault
"I removed the video until the OP /u/youyouxue (who has a history of illegally obtaining pics/videos) answers whether he had permission to take the video. Since its at night and he has a history of issues (and isnt answering basic questions), I'm thinking he did that to someone else's car. That includes dropping that thing on the ground and causing scratches. Unless he provides proof that he had permission, he is getting a permanent ban. Edit: User has mod-mailed the team alleging an employee gave him permission while he stopped by to charge up, but also admitted employee was under NDA and could get in trouble. Because of NDA the employee cannot give him legal permission. To be honest, I don't believe the convenient story based on user's history and the video itself. The mods have discussed in detail, and determined that a 30 day ban is appropriate for /u/youyouxue."​


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## John

A small star-shaped lugs-and-hub center cap for the 18" wheels like the 19" one is a classic application for 3D printing.

A clever designer who wanted to avoid ordering a separate chrome T logo—which might present copyright issues from the manufacturing company—would model the T in the in the plastic with a thin rim around the outline and then flood it with silver epoxy paint for a nice chrome glossy T.

It wouldn't make the 18" wheel as sophisticated—IMHO—as the 19" one, but it would go a fair amount toward it.


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## garsh

MelindaV said:


> so comments on this video in the Google gallery are, interesting...
> mostly around this comment from a Reddit moderator:
> Israël "iZi" legault
> "I removed the video until the OP /u/youyouxue (who has a history of illegally obtaining pics/videos) answers whether he had permission to take the video. Since its at night and he has a history of issues (and isnt answering basic questions), I'm thinking he did that to someone else's car. That includes dropping that thing on the ground and causing scratches. Unless he provides proof that he had permission, he is getting a permanent ban. Edit: User has mod-mailed the team alleging an employee gave him permission while he stopped by to charge up, but also admitted employee was under NDA and could get in trouble. Because of NDA the employee cannot give him legal permission. To be honest, I don't believe the convenient story based on user's history and the video itself. The mods have discussed in detail, and determined that a 30 day ban is appropriate for /u/youyouxue."​


Ugh! I hadn't even considered that.

He was rather careless about letting the cover smack against the ground after he took it off.
And if he had someone else's permission, the other person could have held the phone to allow him to use two hands.
That's upsetting.


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## Model34mePlease

garsh said:


> Ugh! I hadn't even considered that.
> 
> He was rather careless about letting the cover smack against the ground after he took it off.
> And if he had someone else's permission, the other person could have held the phone to allow him to use two hands.
> That's upsetting.


May be a good reason for leaving the covers in my garage for awhile, maybe until m3s become pretty common and folks are a bit less curious.


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## Rafael

Hi. The Aero Covers and not bolted, are not secured with the center cap, nothing. They have notches that clip on to specific parts of the wheel. To remove them, you can gently pull them out with little effort.

I rented a Model 3 a few weeks ago, and I tested this specifically.




  








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## PNWmisty

Maybe this forum has a high percentage of automotive styling enthusiasts but I don't get all the hate for the aero covers. I just want the car to transport me to my next life adventure, not parade me around so everybody can say "Holy crap, that's a nice looking wheel on that sedan". 
And I'll take the extra range/efficiency. To me, that's one of the coolest things about the model 3 - how it was designed to slip through the air with a minimum of parasitic loss. Very cool. I guess I'm not one to value style over function.


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## Rafael

I for one, am not sure if there is something wrong with me. I actually like the way the Aeros look. Although, I will get a set of lightweight racing wheels for sure, I will use them both. Function is one of the key reasons why I like them, plus saving some mulah for others to my taste will make it an even more unique ride and not like the other almost half a million 3s that will be on the road soon. And truth be told, I haven't seen a setup that looks bad either way. But it's a personal taste thing. Right?

Go team Midnight Silver Metallic!


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## PNWmisty

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I can't wait until they're a dime dozen on eBay. Another Tesla object to buy and put on the wall in the garage! Maybe I can make a wall clock out of one!


It's been over a year since you wrote this and the Aero Wheel Covers *are* on eBay en masse but they *are not* a dime/dozen yet. In fact, the cheapest I could find a set of four was $150 and singles are selling for $70-$100 each w/shipping. These things are worth their weight in silver for road trips! I bet the set for $150 will sell quickly leaving sets of four back to $200 or more.

I liked your idea to make a clock out of one of them until I realized there is no elegant way to put 12 hour marks on a circle that is already divided by 5 spokes. But here's an idea: Make the Aero Cover spin at a relatively fast speed with a motor and mount the clock numerals behind the spinning cover. With good lighting on the numbers, they should show up through the spinning "spokes". It will be a slight engineering trick to mount the hands in front of the spinning cover (but far easier than designing a Model 3).


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