What are Wheel Bands?

[WheelBuddy]

An easy to swap out color pin stripe for your wheels that also protects your rims from curb damage...not that you would ever let your pristine wheels get close to a curb, but you never know when you might go bump at the drive-thru burger stand or ATM machine.

Attaches to wheel with same 3M tape technology used for window and bug deflectors and wheel weights. Install tape on mounting tracks in minutes, snap in easy color inserts in seconds. Want to swap out a color or remove a scuff? Color inserts can be popped out and snapped securely back in place in seconds too.

The one size fits all coils of tough weather resistant plastic are specially shaped to cover wheel sizes from 12 to up to 22". It all works great as long as you have at least a 1/4" (6mm) flat surface to mount on all the way around your rim edge - which it just so happens most stock Honda alloy wheels have going back to at least 2001.

We can't forget to give a hat tip to aerodan whose post and photos of his Wheel Banded CRZ we found in a google search. Thanks!

[G_Man]

These seem like a pretty cool mod to make stock rims a little flashier.
I'm curious though, have you tried dismounting and remounting tires with these already on the rim?
If so did you run into any issues?
Should they be removed before attempting to dismount the tire?

[WheelBuddy]

The inserts can be removed before doing a tire change. The mounting track cannot be removed without splitting open the 3M foam core tape and becoming unusable.

If the tire change is being done by a shop that could be relied on to not scratch your rims during a dismount/remount the mounting track has a chance of surviving the experience as well. Something less than careful attention and the track can be crushed or the foam tape broken.

If this does happen and the damage to the track and 3M tape is localized to the area were the remounting tool tossed the tire over the rim edge (a few inches of run along the rim) the track may still be usable. The crush in track may be formed back to shape. A Wheel Band can remain securely fastened to the wheel even if there is a short stretch of foam core tape that has been damaged. (Same holds true in cases of curb impacts that go beyond just scuffing and tearing up the color insert.)

In general though, doing a tire change without instructing the service tech to take it easy on the rims is an iffy proposition for Wheel Bands survival similar to hitting a curb at high speeds or sharp angles.

Wheel Bands do take some punishment and keep going, but they need to be thought of as a wear item on the car -- best replaced or installed at the time of a tire change.

Wheel Bands are great for looks. They can help avoid rim damage in many cases, but they may by sacrificed in the process. Still, $34 for a replacement Wheel Band is generally a better option than a rim repair job or having to endure looking at what was once a pristine rim without a scratch.

Here's a photo demonstration how you can mock a much more expensive color styled wheel with Wheel Bands.

Here's an example of typical curb rash that can be avoided by using Wheel Bands.

[nn96]

wat colors do yall offer

[WheelBuddy]

Mounting tracks in silver or black.
Snap-in color inserts in basic silver, black, red, white, blue, pink, yellow, orange, green.

Actual shades are quite close to what is shown in the picture above -- depending on your monitor settings. Close up photos of colors. Free sample pieces here.

[Varmint]

One of those products that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it before.

[WheelBuddy]

Several automotive engineers and corporate patent department staff have said the same thing - particularly the ones already using 3M attachment tape technology for other OEM applications.

[nn96]

any kind of forum discount

[WheelBuddy]

There will be very little discounting on this unique product. But, as we are using the Honda CRZ Forum as a sandbox for market research, use promo code: crzforum for a 5% discount. Can't guarantee that this discount will last past next weekend.

Note: Within the next few days a surcharge of $15 to $20 is going to be added to orders shipped outside the lower 48 states

[WheelBuddy]

For those who want more photos in this thread:

1) aerodan's CR-Z post:


2) What a stock wheel with Wheel Bands looks like next to the Centennial Edition Corvette wheel:


3) Silver and red Wheel Band: