2024 Limited Wheels finish are basically plastic hubcaps!!

[grwil67]

Well, since Toyota's free service is over, I rotated my tires.

I had "assumed" the wheels were polished and or Chrome plated only to find out are actually just fancy hub caps! ON a 57K "Limited" no less!

Are ALL of these Tacoma basically plastic hub capped?

Sponsored

 

[gmalkmus]

Only the limited has plastic wheels. Kinda ironic, eh?

 

[grwil67]

Only the limited has plastic wheels. Kinda ironic, eh?

They look great but sneaky shit!

 

[The Dude]

You’re in good company. I believe the SR and SR5 wheels are also “hubcaps”.

 

[Wife bought my 24 TRD]

The center cap on the 24 TRDOR, were made with plastic!

 

[BLtheP]

You’re in good company. I believe the SR and SR5 wheels are also “hubcaps”.

Uhhh....no.

 

[The Dude]

Uhhh....no.

The OP referred to the Limited glued-on fascia as hubcaps. I’m just reusing terminology. Personally, I refer to them as fascia.

 

[BLtheP]

The OP referred to the Limited glued-on fascia as hubcaps. I’m just reusing terminology. Personally, I refer to them as fascia.

The SR/SR5 do not have them.

 

[Ron]

I've ranted about this before.
Kind of a bait and switch. Definitely misleading.

I guess in court they claim " We told you it was 'limited' "

 

[Chilly_MA]

OEM's have been doing chrome wheels like that for years. My 2018 GMC Sierra had chrome clad wheels. I believe my 2013 F150 had the same too. I think they are doing that because of all the regulations with chroming parts. I'm guessing its easier to chrome plastic than aluminum. I believe they will last longer than just chroming the aluminum.

 

[rijc99]

Many Teslas have caps

 

[NoSlushbox4Me]

Is this about plastic wheel centers, or plastic hubcaps that cover the entire wheel?

 

[BLtheP]

Is this about plastic wheel centers, or plastic hubcaps that cover the entire wheel?

It’s about “chrome wheels” where the “chrome” surface is a plastic “hubcap” of sorts that covers the actual aluminum wheel. I don’t know that it comes off easily like a typical hubcap though. Usually they glue the plastic chrome piece to the aluminum wheel.

Regardless, I don’t know why it’s a big deal. Manufacturers have been doing this for a while and it doesn’t really make a difference as to the durability of the wheel.

 

[Will721]

Cheating with chrome wheels by oems has been happening since the early 2000s. I'm not a big Toyota guy so I can't say on their history. But GM for instance used an alloy wheel with a chrome appearance that was notorious for chipping off in huge chunks here in the rust belt. Chrysler had some wheels that still peak my curiosity today as to their composition. We tossed an early 300 wheel on a bon fire once and watched as the entire center went poof to dust, while the outer aluminum barrel slowly melted into the pit.

I'm honestly not sure of any true chrome oem wheels available on the market today, and even if they are out there, they're probably junk or fake. Ford was the first fake hubcap style one I seen in person. Back around 2007 I worked at a Ford dealer and a new Fusion rolled off the truck with one damaged. Driver had taken it off and tossed it in the truck, I assumed at first glance it had the spare on it. Was a shock to see for sure.


It comes down to the epa really. Chrome is a nasty material that's very hazardous to apply. There are very few places in the U.S. that do it at all, most don't do large parts and fewer are in mass production. Even then their numbers are dwindling. Most of it is being done over seas, but even they are dialing back as the less developed nations slowly become more environmentally and workers health conscious.

Sponsored