Abstract: An improved vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing the same includes a disc, a first wheel cover and a second wheel cover. The disc defines an outboard facing wheel surface and includes an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The outboard tire bead seat retaining flange includes an inner surface having a circumferential, radially outwardly facing groove formed therein. The first wheel cover is secured to the disc and covers at least a portion of the outboard facing wheel surface. The second wheel cover is secured to the disc and covers at least the entire portion of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The second wheel cover includes an inner portion which extends into the groove when the second wheel cover is secured to the disc. When the first wheel cover and the second wheel cover are secured to the disc, the first wheel cover and the second wheel cover do not interfere with the attachment of a balance weight to the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the disc.

Abstract: An improved vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing the same includes a vehicle wheel including a disc defining an outboard facing wheel surface and including an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The vehicle wheel further includes a first wheel cover and a second wheel cover. The first wheel cover covers at least a portion of the outboard facing wheel surface, and the second wheel cover covers the entire portion of the outer peripheral end of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. Preferably, an adhesive is applied to one of the outboard facing wheel surface and the first wheel cover inner surface to permanently secure the first wheel cover and the disc together.

Abstract: A bar code configuration which may be molded in the sidewall of a tire and has even surface portions and uneven surface portions for selectively reflecting light from a light source toward a receiving sensor to define bars of a bar code. The uneven surface portions may have grooves or ribs with a sawtooth cross section and sloped faces for reflecting light to a receiving sensor at an angle to the sidewall surface. The bar code configuration for tires molded in a particular mold may be provided by an insert fastened to the mold and having even surfaces and uneven surfaces at the inner mold face to mold the even surface portions and uneven surface portions of the bar code configuration in the tire sidewall as the tire is being vulcanized. By changing the insert the bar code configuration can be changed to provide different information about the tire.

Abstract: An improved tapered wheel disc and method of making the same which includes the steps of spin-forming a radially outwardly-tapering concave disc from a section of blanked stock and piercing hand holes in the spun-tapered disc, the improvement comprising the step of placing the disc surface area around each hand hole in compression by embossing the disc from a direction internally of disc concavity to form a region surrounding each hand hole which is offset outwardly of disc concavity.

Abstract: An improved tapered wheel disc and method of making the same which includes the steps of spin-forming a radially outwardly-tapering concave disc from a section of blanked stock and piercing hand holes in the spun-tapered disc, the improvement comprising the step of placing the disc surface area around each hand hole in compression by embossing the disc from a direction internally of disc concavity to form a region surrounding each hand hole which is offset outwardly of disc concavity.