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Thread: E30 Hubcap theft solution

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    San Jose
    Posts
    101
    My Cars
    E30 1992 325ic

    E30 Hubcap theft solution

    Hi guys!

    I parked my e30 at school and someone decided to walk by and take all four of the hubcaps (original from 1992) off my car and it got me thinking about theft prevention for the hubcaps.

    I recently picked up a set of euroweaves and the seller had another set on his daughters car. He basically drilled a bolt (with alan key head) through the hubcap and into the rim (to create threads) small bolt in length.

    This was to - prevent theft and to keep them on incase they decide to fall off while driving.

    My question is - will this damage the wheel? The overall structural integrity and potential resale value?

    806122044_13901650975661168031.jpg

    In the attached image the red dots are where he drilled through the hubcaps and underneath that, he went into the rim.

    Thanks in advance!

    DSC_0451.jpg
    My e30 on euroweaves yay!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    2,513
    My Cars
    A couple of hooptys
    Many of the aftermarket weave wheels have a bolt that holds the center cap on, like Borbets and my O.Z.'s. A tamper-resistant screw is used to hold them on to deter theft. The wheels also have a raised nipple on the inside of the wheel mount cavity that is threaded to accept the bolt. This also decreases the length of the needed bolt to secure them, so that may be something to consider. I'm sure it's entirely possible to do what you want, you'd just have to look around for some ideas. Do NOT use a standard Allen bolt to hold them on. If someone bothered stealing all 4 of your factory caps, the Allen bolt wouldn't slow them down much. Use at the very least a tamper resistant (usually a raised dot in the middle) Torx or something even more proprietary (similar to Borbets). I would also only recommend one bolt per cap; two would just be overkill.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    San Jose
    Posts
    101
    My Cars
    E30 1992 325ic
    Quote Originally Posted by jagerking View Post
    Many of the aftermarket weave wheels have a bolt that holds the center cap on, like Borbets and my O.Z.'s. A tamper-resistant screw is used to hold them on to deter theft. The wheels also have a raised nipple on the inside of the wheel mount cavity that is threaded to accept the bolt. This also decreases the length of the needed bolt to secure them, so that may be something to consider. I'm sure it's entirely possible to do what you want, you'd just have to look around for some ideas. Do NOT use a standard Allen bolt to hold them on. If someone bothered stealing all 4 of your factory caps, the Allen bolt wouldn't slow them down much. Use at the very least a tamper resistant (usually a raised dot in the middle) Torx or something even more proprietary (similar to Borbets). I would also only recommend one bolt per cap; two would just be overkill.
    Thanks for your input! I plan on putting e34 hubcaps on my euroweaves (because they are the same in diameter and I have a set sitting at home) My friend can hook me up with euroweave caps for 60+shipping but if I go with the e34 ones, I think I will need two bolts. Honestly, im just worried that this will ruin a set of euroweaves for the next prospective buyer.

    However, you are right about the allen bolts and I will defeinitely look into something similar that borbet or oz have been doing.

    Thanks!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Tillamook, OR
    Posts
    91
    My Cars
    1987 325is 1989 325is
    I actually caulked mine in place using some poly-sulphide marine caulking compound. It made them so that no-one could just casually walk by and twist them off by hand, but were still removable with the center-cap wrench (you do still have that, right? ). I used to have these stolen on a regular basis...not at all after I did this.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    San Jose
    Posts
    101
    My Cars
    E30 1992 325ic
    Quote Originally Posted by Max87IS View Post
    I actually caulked mine in place using some poly-sulphide marine caulking compound. It made them so that no-one could just casually walk by and twist them off by hand, but were still removable with the center-cap wrench (you do still have that, right? ). I used to have these stolen on a regular basis...not at all after I did this.

    I am very interested in this! Where did you apply it? Right at the mechanism that turns? Do you need to remove/re apply every time you take the hubcaps off? Is it possible if you take some photos?

    Thanks!

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