Patent ID: 8449043

Claim:
A method for producing a multi-piece vehicle wheel cover retention system comprising the steps of: (a) providing a wheel having a wheel disc defining and axis and an outboard facing wheel surface and including an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange; (b) providing a first outer wheel cover formed from a first material, the first outer wheel cover covering at least a portion of outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel disc; (c) providing a second inner wheel cover formed from a second material, the second inner wheel cover covering at least a substantial portion of the outboard facing wheel surface of the wheel disc, the second wheel cover including an outboard surface and an inboard surface; (d) providing an insert formed from a third material and which generally corresponds to at least the shape of a space formed between the outboard facing wheel surface of the wheel and the inboard surface of the second wheel cover, the insert including an outboard surface and an inboard surface; (e) securing the first outer wheel cover and the second inner wheel cover together by at least an interference fit therewith; and (f) non-permanently securing the assembled wheel covers of step (e), the insert and the wheel to one another by a non-permanent mechanical attachment feature to produce the multi-piece vehicle wheel retention system.