Are OEM wheels hubcentric?
06-29-2010, 05:12 PM
#21
Race Director
I'm shocked that the OEM wheels are not hub centric. If that's the case then there must be a lot of these cars running around without perfectly balanced tires. Until I got the rings put on my non hub centric wheels, no tire shop in town could balance them properly. (to be more specific, the balance itself was perfect, until the wheel was put on the car and then it could never be perfectly centered, so in effect that perfectly balanced wheel was no longer in balance)
06-29-2010, 06:03 PM
#22
Race Director
06-29-2010, 07:54 PM
#23
That's ridiculous. OEM wheels should be hubcentric. The hub and spindle should be bearing the load of the car, not the lugs. Every OEM wheel I've ever worked with was hubcentric. Nissan, Toyota, my GTO, my buddy's Jeep.....
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ART T (09-25-2020)
06-29-2010, 08:00 PM
#24
Le Mans Master
06-29-2010, 08:49 PM
#25
Pro
There was an ad at the top of this page a minute ago for a site where you could get centering rings.
http://www.justforwheels.com/index.jsp?cat=hubcentric
I've had problems balancing my repro spyders. The last place I took it to the service tech said to get some centering rings. I never knew where to find them. I'm gonna try them and see if it helps.
http://www.justforwheels.com/index.jsp?cat=hubcentric
I've had problems balancing my repro spyders. The last place I took it to the service tech said to get some centering rings. I never knew where to find them. I'm gonna try them and see if it helps.
06-29-2010, 10:22 PM
#26
Team Owner
Wheels that use conical lug nuts are lug-centric...they really can't be anything else since the cones locate the wheel. Also, there is nothing wrong with lug centric...all these parts are made on high precision machinery, so things shouldn't be out of round.
06-30-2010, 12:54 AM
#27
Burning Brakes
There was an ad at the top of this page a minute ago for a site where you could get centering rings.
http://www.justforwheels.com/index.jsp?cat=hubcentric
I've had problems balancing my repro spyders. The last place I took it to the service tech said to get some centering rings. I never knew where to find them. I'm gonna try them and see if it helps.
http://www.justforwheels.com/index.jsp?cat=hubcentric
I've had problems balancing my repro spyders. The last place I took it to the service tech said to get some centering rings. I never knew where to find them. I'm gonna try them and see if it helps.
06-30-2010, 02:57 PM
#28
My question is... Are OEM wheels hubcentric. I did a bit of searching on the forum, and I found some posts about it and I believe they are.
Only thing that is throwing me off is, I was talking to some one who sold repro and his exact words were. ''Corvette wheels are not hubcentric. Gm wheels are also not hubcentric''
So are they or aren't they???
Only thing that is throwing me off is, I was talking to some one who sold repro and his exact words were. ''Corvette wheels are not hubcentric. Gm wheels are also not hubcentric''
So are they or aren't they???
I see a lot of back and forth on this question. Just want to clear things up. They are not hub centric. The wheels are centered on the stud and are lug centric.
A hub centric wheel is centered upon installation by the machine fit over the hub, hence the term, the OEM wheels on the ‘Vette are lug-centric, meaning that they are centered by the lugs making it critical that a proper torque sequence, on jack stands, is followed. Not properly following the torque procedure will result in an off center wheel and a vibration concern. Hope this helps.
Geoff Allen
Chevrolet Customer Service
Last edited by Chevy Cust Svc; 06-30-2010 at 03:02 PM.
06-30-2010, 04:56 PM
#30
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '13
In theory, hub centric wheels may be easier to install properly. In practice, lug centric has been working just fine for me over a period of many years.
07-01-2010, 06:05 AM
#31
Race Director
I guess the difference would be that the aftermarket wheels I'm running simply had more play once the wheel was installed, so that's why it never got properly centered without the rings. OEM wheels probably don't have that play, so they center much easier. That makes sense. 
I still think hub centric is the better way to go though
I still think hub centric is the better way to go though
08-27-2011, 05:32 PM
#33
Melting Slicks
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This topic always makes me laugh. Corvette wheels are LUGCENTRIC. They center on the 5 wheel studs. They do not fasten to the spindle by the hub.
08-27-2011, 05:48 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
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Don't want to stray off topic here but the load of the wheel is always borne by the hub and it makes no difference if the wheel is hub or lug centric. The wheel is attached to the hub via the lugs which clamps the wheel to the hub. As long as the clamping force of the lugs is greater than the load, the lugs DO NOT have any load on them (other than clamping force.) It is a pre-stressed load which is why it is important that the lugs are torqued properly.
08-27-2011, 07:02 PM
#36
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08-27-2011, 08:12 PM
#37
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so the centering rings are not needed..... hmmmm
If this is true. that the ALL the corvette factory wheels are lug centric then:
The fact that the factory reproduction spyder wheels (balanced perfectly) are swimming (slightly exaggerated) on the hub before the lugs are tightened could not possibly cause wheel vibration at 65-70.
However, the factory base wheels NEVER vibrated at 65-70 and they were taken off and put back on several times and balanced perfectly on the same wheel balancing machine.
wtf
The fact that the factory reproduction spyder wheels (balanced perfectly) are swimming (slightly exaggerated) on the hub before the lugs are tightened could not possibly cause wheel vibration at 65-70.
However, the factory base wheels NEVER vibrated at 65-70 and they were taken off and put back on several times and balanced perfectly on the same wheel balancing machine.
wtf
08-28-2011, 12:19 AM
#38
Burning Brakes
If this is true. that the ALL the corvette factory wheels are lug centric then:
The fact that the factory reproduction spyder wheels (balanced perfectly) are swimming (slightly exaggerated) on the hub before the lugs are tightened could not possibly cause wheel vibration at 65-70.
However, the factory base wheels NEVER vibrated at 65-70 and they were taken off and put back on several times and balanced perfectly on the same wheel balancing machine.
wtf
The fact that the factory reproduction spyder wheels (balanced perfectly) are swimming (slightly exaggerated) on the hub before the lugs are tightened could not possibly cause wheel vibration at 65-70.
However, the factory base wheels NEVER vibrated at 65-70 and they were taken off and put back on several times and balanced perfectly on the same wheel balancing machine.
wtf
08-28-2011, 12:44 AM
#39
Melting Slicks
I'm having that issue on our new Charger. Has hubcentric rings and the wheels were balanced but still getting vibration. I guess I should jack it up and try the re-tightening of the lugs as someone mentioned.
08-28-2011, 11:19 AM
#40
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hubcentric centering rings
Even if they are lug centric. Centering rings should help alignment before tightening lugs, can't hurt, agree? 
Like aligning the clutch and pressure plate before tightening against the flywheel using the tool.
Like aligning the clutch and pressure plate before tightening against the flywheel using the tool.