snow wheels that aren't hub centric

[R Mangas]

    This is a common thread on the Miata forum as well, as those cars share
the lug pattern but not the hub diameter with several other popular Japanese
cars.  Some of the larger wheel dealers will sell _plastic_ centering rings,
so the running consensus is that you can get by with those/none but you need
to excercise more caution when installing the rims if you don't have
hubcentric rings.   Obviously, you _must_ have tapered bolts/seats for this
to work.

Robert



>From: RYAN ALAN HOITINK <rahoitink at students.wisc.edu>
>To: Lines Peter <Peterl at Warn.com>
>CC: "Q-List Outgoing (E-mail)" <quattro at audifans.com>
>Subject: Re: snow wheels that aren't hub centric
>Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 11:06:41 -0600
>
>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
> >
> >


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