Hello All,

I'm new to this forum and have a question regarding steel rims on my camry. I recently purchased a 2011 gray Camry LE with 25k. The hubcaps are little scratched and I want to take them off all together, resurface the steel 16 inch rims, paint it gray with clearcoat so it matches the vehicle color and possibly install chrome center caps like you see on older vehicles. I don't see how that would be possible since there is no way to attach center caps to the rim. Has anyone ever done this? What size center caps and where did you purchase them from?

 

I guess you're trying for a look like some Corollas, Civics, Accords and man othe cars had in the '70s, and '80s.
For the center-caps you'll eed to improvise something. I have a '96 Camry LE and a '98 Nissan Altima. Both have chromed acorn lug-nuts visible through holes in the plastic hubcaps.
Measure the diameter at the inside edge of your lugnuts. Then look for some small plain stainless-steel pet-food bowls at WalMart, Target or any other stores that might stock such items and measure to see if they're close enough to be fitted or altered to secure under the edge of your lugnuts. You may need to cut or grind some notches in the bowls to just fit snugly.

If your lugnuts aren't chrome, and/or don't have enough of an overhang to catch the center-caps, you may need to look for some aftermarket lugnuts that are wider or have flanges - like the type used with alloy wheels. Hope this helps.

My Nissan has especially ugly plastic hubcaps, so I was planning this. I found some small stainless pet-food bowls at WalMart for $1 each. I also got some new generic stainless or chrome trim-rings at a hubcap-store to finish off the project. But I just haven't got around to it yet.

Happy Motoring Mark