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This is why I’ve gone to 16’s so I can run the 255 and 235/85 series tires.
I had the OEM steelies and sold them for summit 16's. They are cheap, fit perfect with no back spacer needed and free delivery. I never used the hub caps so it wasnt a big deal for me. Now rolling with nankang 235/85/ 16s and love it! View attachment 2046655View attachment 2046656
That is probably the best looking alloy wheel I’ve ever seen! Not sure what that says about me and my tastes.Legit offering from FJ Company
The FJCO Expedition Wheels (6 Lug)
IN STOCK NOW! Direct signature required for delivery. Inspired by the original Toyota steel wheels - steelies - we designed this wheel to be on par with the advances in performance of our vehicles. Light weight, all aluminum, ready for the most commanding environments. Pricing is per wheel (1)...store.fj.co
Ok, here goes.. OEM hub caps fused to baby moon caps that fit aftermarket steel wheels.
I really wanted to run OEM caps, but also wanted to run a larger tire, so needed a non-OEM wheel.
I was prepared to run stock looking steel wheel without caps, but thought I'd give this a shot.
If you are opposed to cold-fusion, stop reading now, otherwise read on.
I got the wheels and hubcaps from Summit
Wheel Vintiques 12 Series Smoothie Wheels
Part # 12-580604 - 15x8, 6 on 5.5 - $80.99 each (I bought 5)
Wheel Vintiques 12-580604 Wheel Vintiques 12 Series Smoothie Wheels | Summit Racing
Free Shipping - Wheel Vintiques 12 Series Smoothie Wheels with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Wheels at Summit Racing.www.summitracing.com
Wheel Vintiques Center Caps 1009 baby Moon for 14-16" Smoothie Steel Wheel - $24.99 each
(I bought 6 thinking I may mess a couple up trying to modify them)Wheel Vintiques 1009 Wheel Vintiques Center Caps | Summit Racing
Free Shipping - Wheel Vintiques Center Caps with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Wheel Center Caps at Summit Racing.www.summitracing.com
I bought a set of OEM caps from CruiserCorp, I thnk.
I cant find my extra OEM cap, so cant show the entire process, but I think you'll get the gist of it. Instead, I pulled a couple off the 40 so you can see the underside of the cap.
You can see in this shot whats left of OEM cap after I cut out the ring part that snaps to an oem wheel - see the serrated edge left from the snips I used. I left about 3/4 inch around the perimeter of the oem cap. This allows enough clearance for the moon cap to set down in the oem cap and make contact with it.
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Next rough up the outer surface of the moon cap where it will make contact with the inside of the OEM cap. I used 80grit - roughed it up good.
Also drill some holes through the moon cap at the contact area.
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The oem cap is stamped in such a way that there are raised areas on the underside, which are the black indents on top side. This is the main contact area.
Rough up the inside of the OEM cap where the moon makes contact.
Why? Because JB Weld is the miracle substance that will hold the two caps together, and it works a little better when it has something to bite into and flow around.
When doing the rear cap you need something to sit it on in order to get both the OEM and the moon cap level and centered. I used a roll of painters tape.
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Get the OEM cap level first. Check it several spots all around.
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Next make sure you can get the moon cap level. I used a couple small, light weight levels when I actually did this.
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Once you're sure you can get it level, take the baby moon out of the oem cap, mix up a bunch of JB Weld and spread it around the inside of oem cap where it will contact - the raised areas.
Put the moon back in, add some more JB Weld in the holes you drilled - be generous with it. It doesnt need to be pretty, it will not be seen.
With the JB weld still wet and the moon sitting in the oem cap, get it level again, then let it sit for a day.
It will be set up enough to at least move it at that point, but I let mine set for several days. I didnt expect it to work.
After it had sat for several days, might have been a week, I tried to pull the caps apart by hand and I couldnt, so I snapped it on the wheel, pulled it off the wheel - it still stayed together, no give at all. I did it a bunch more times and it held strong.
Since it appeared to work, I did the other 3. They've been on the truck almost a year now. Over the year I've pulled them off many times for various reasons, to include today to take pictures of them for this post. Bumpy blacktop roads, a little offroad, still holding together strong.
Doing the front cap is as little different.. You have to cut a hole in the moon cap. After you cut out the mounting ring from the oem cap, set it on top of the moon cap, level it, then sharpie a line on the moon cap of the hole in the oem cap. When you make your cut, I used a jig saw with fine tooth blade, cut just a hair outside of the line you marked. Rough up the contact surfaces, level it, apply JB Weld, level again, let it sit. Theres more contact surface with the front caps so you can use a little more JB Weld.
Thats it. Before I took the JB Weld route, I considered heat based fusion but didnt think I could do it without messing up the oem cap - either burning off the plating, burning through, warping...
I think they came out pretty good and a bit cheaper than having oem wheels widened or custom built with oem centers. Since I didnt have any oem wheels to start with, it was going to be a little pricey to do the other options.
I also looked at welding tabs on the smoothie wheel. If my current solution doesnt hold up, thats what I'll try next, but so far they are holding real good.
The snips I used were straight cut. Would have been easier with curve cut.
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The front oem cap has a small lip at the hub opening. Cutting the moon cap just outside of your sharpie line will make sure it fits around that and be completely undetectable when on the wheel.
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Theres a slight gap between the wheel and the oem cap. If it hit the wheel flush, it would be really hard to remove the fused moon-oem cap from the wheel... nothing to grab on too. With the gap, you can just get a finger back there to pull it off. SAme thing with the rear. But its hard to tell theres a gap just by looking at it.
View attachment 2117660
I didnt take a picture of it, but I used the depth gauge on a digital caliper to make sure the moon was centered in the oem cap. Measuring from the outer lip of oem cap to snap ring of moon cap.
Just an FYI I bought 15” Vintiques smoothies from Summit. They would not fit my FJ40. The welds banged into the brake calipers. I should have got the 16’s.
I love them 16” OEM steelies that City Racer sells. If my Christmas bonus allows, I’m gonna order a set of those. They now offer them in grey, ready to run.