Help Requested on Building Technique

[MSY-MSP]

I am currently working on a project that hopefully will end up on Lego Ideas at some point.  However, I have run into a slight issue and am wondering if someone might have an idea or solution that would work for this.

I have a series of wheels as shown in the figure. 

 

I need the wheel to be as close to the top as possible, as the wheel needs to spin when spun by a person.  I also want to come as close as possible to creating a circle around the wheel to hide what is below.  Creating more space between each of the wheels is not an option.  

So hopefully someone here can give me an idea or two on something that might work to do what I am hoping to do.  

Edited May 25 by MSY-MSP

[Johnny1360]

Maybe wheel arches would be your best bet.

[NickLord_of_Brick]

Like @Johnny1360 said, my first thought is snot using arch pieces, but that looks like it might be a major overhaul of your build. Is it possible to raise the wheels further out of the hole? 

[Mylenium]

This perhaps?

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=35044#T=C

Mylenium

[MSY-MSP]

Thanks all so far for your comments and suggestions.  

The only problem with using arches and the like is that the spacing between the wheels is at most 1 stud wide.  If I were to increase the spacing the proportions of the model get thrown way off also the inner mechanisms won't work as cleanly.  So my goal is to try to figure something out that will work in this tiny amount of spacing.