I don't usually remove the wheel trims when checking and inflating the tyres but putting the connector on the valve is much easier without the plastic trims.

So I took them off. One side is like this.
What's going on here.......
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The other side is normal.
They look like plastic covers that have melted and been spun out of shape by centrifugal force.
Why not on both sides?
And what happened when it was serviced????
We're the wheels removed?
Should they have been removed?
Should the AlKo end cap show signs of having been removed?
I'm getting to be more and more cynical about what happens at service time.😤

It looks like your brake shoes are binding, the friction is causing the drum to heat up and melt the nut caps. I had something similar with my 2012 Familia. The brake adjuster failed making the shoes touch the drum, this caused the drum to heat up and melt my nut indicators. I only noticed when I got to site, I could smell the brake linings and the drum was red hot. I needed a mobile engineer to fix it for me, make sure your bearings are ok as the heat can also melt the grease.

Have a look at this thread;

Brake problems Familia

What is that stuff like Tony? if its a grease type of material then it could have been a leak in the air gun used to fit the wheels at the factory.

It would explain why the other side is clean too, no leak on the air gun that side, ............... long gone are the days when factories fit wheels to new vehicles by hand I saw one film where the wheels were craned in and fitted by air tool in seconds.

John, yes if plastic they could be melted plastic bolt covers.

Are there plastic covers on the bolts the other side??

Thanks for the replies guys.
They are clearly plastic nut covers which have melted and spun outwards in motion. We have done thousands of miles this year and I check the wheels and tyres at any break in the journeys so my gut feeling is that as they have not actually been spun off (just stretched then solidified again) I think the most likely explanation is that they softened under high temperature sun in France this year just before or during a journey and then stretched by rotation.

What concerns me is why the nut covers on one side only? And the lack of any evidence that servicing has been done.

What do you think?

Quote: Frantone wrote in post #5

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I think the most likely explanation is that they softened under high temperature sun in France this year just before or during a journey and then stretched by rotation.

What concerns me is why the nut covers on one side only? And the lack of any evidence that servicing has been done.

What do you think?

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I would err on the side of caution and get it checked like Nev said, the melting point for plastic is about 170 degrees Celsius...

Thanks guys. I'm off to jack it up now.

Quote: Frantone wrote in post #9

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Thanks guys. I'm off to jack it up now.

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Zitat

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with car attached to stop it rolling

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Well both wheels run freely, smoothly and silently.
I'm still confused why there are nut covers on one side only but it looks like the obvious suggestion of a binding brake generating enough heat to melt the covers is the most likely culprit. Would there be any retrospective signs of this visible externally?

TonyP

Looking at the picture again the domes on the covers are still intact so they only melted at the bolt end suggesting heat transfer from the bolts outward

I still recommend getting the brakes looked at ........... a mobile guy should do it for not too much money and worth it for the peace of mind next time you tow it.

I thought the drums were held on with single use nuts?

Is either of these discoloured.......
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