snow wheels that aren't hub centric

[RYAN ALAN HOITINK]

Peter-

You will get plenty of responses telling you that
you NEED TO HAVE hubcentric wheels.  In my personal
experience, this isn't always true.  While this may
or may not be an issue of safety, the decision is
ultimately up to you, but my experience follows.  I
used a set of aftermarket aluminum rims that were
not hubcentric on one of my cars for more than a
year.  No adverse effects.  Period.  In fact, my dad
still uses these rims in the summer on one of his
cars.  I had the car up to 120+, and was never
worried.  If you have access and can make the
spacers cheaply, why not?  But in the mean time,
don't worry about the wheels falling off anytime soon.

-Ryan

----- Original Message -----
From: Lines Peter <Peterl at Warn.com>
Date: Monday, December 9, 2002 10:30 am
Subject: snow wheels that aren't hub centric

> I just put a set of Blizzak's on my 4kq.  I had
them mounted on
> some black
> steel wheels (the robocop look).  I'm a bit
concerned because the
> bore in
> the center of the wheel is larger than the hub
pilot diameter.  As
> far as I
> know, most Audis and VWs rely on this wheel
bore/hub pilot
> diameter to
> properly center the wheel.  The wheel bolt holes
in the wheel are
> countersunk and I'm using the stock wheel bolts
with tapered heads (I
> checked for proper length with the new wheels).
So when I put the
> wheel on,
> and tighten in a criss-cross pattern, the bolts
pull the wheel in
> to a
> "centered" position.  I've driven the car up to
around 80mph and
> there isn't
> any vibration to speak of.  So it appears that the
wheels are truly
> centered.  Should I be worried about the gap in
the pilot
> diameters?  Does
> this fit have a strength feature above and beyond
the simple
> centering?  It
> wouldn't be too hard to turn some spacers out of
aluminum and fit
> them in
> the gap.  Any advice or BTDT?  Thanks.
>
> Peter Lines
>
>