| DIY Hub-centric rings for aluminum wheels [message #359629] |
Tue, 20 October 2020 07:20  |
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RF_Burns
Messages: 2277
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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When I bought my GMC, the previous owner had already installed a set of Eagle wheels that were not hub-centric. The nuts have a shoulder that fits inside the wheel lug hole to provide deeper threading onto the stud. The wheels spin extremely close to true, but not perfect, but certainly better than any steel wheel.
I wasn't going to spend $2,000 on new wheels, but I thought I could improve on the existing ones. I looked into hub-centric spacers but they are not inexpensive either. There didn't seem to be a standard size so I would need custom ones made at even higher cost.
One day I was working with some PVC piping and on a lark I got out my calipers. Turned out the wall thickness of a 4" PVC straight coupler was within just a few thou of the required hub-centric ring. But the diameter was about 15 thou too small. So I cut a ring from the PVC coupler the thickness of the wheel, then cut across the ring so it could expand. The gap in the ring will not make any difference.
The ring fit in perfectly (snug). I found that I needed to roll the wheels to get the ring to fit in. Then tightened and torqued the wheel nuts. The wheel nuts now hold the wheel in position. Since my wheels have covers which are held in place by the wheel nuts, the ring stays in place.
Can't say as I notice any smoother ride, but my tires are 7 years old and I was going to change them this year... but due to Covid we didn't get far. I'll put new tires on next spring and see if the ride improves.
Anyway, JWID
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
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