Why would you ever use a Plastic Hub-Centric Ring? 🤔
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- Hub-Centric Rings are used as an alignment tool during the installation of your wheels. It's job is to take up the gap between your aftermarket wheel's centerbore, and the hub of your vehicle. Working as a dowel pin, the Hub Ring is a key component when installing aftermarket wheels to your ride. Not only are hub rings important, but they're also easily overlooked.
One of the most common questions we get regarding hub rings revolve around the question of using metal over plastic, or vice-versa. Naturally, it makes sense to think that a metal hub ring would work better than a plastic one, right? In today's episode, we'll go over exactly why that misconception is false, why plastic hub rings should be used by 99% of vehicles, and how YOU can have a smooth and enjoyable experience when it comes to install your next wheel & tire package.
00:34 - why plastic versus metal?
01:05 - metal vs. plastic hub rings
01:30 - corrosion resistance
02:30 - why use a metal hub ring?
03:10 - braking temps
03:40 - alignment tool
04:30 - hub rings come in different sizes
05:00 - conclusion, which should I use?
YESSS 👏 I regret buying my metal ones now needlessly!
He nailed it. Plastic is super easy to remove during wheel, tire and brake services. Never corrodes or bonds with rust. But street use only.
Aluminum if you do any kind of high performance driving and generate proper brake heat.
I just ordered the wrong hub rings on accident because he part description didn't specify material... 😖 👎
Great video, point well made, Thanks!!!
Up to just a few days ago, I had absolutely No idea hub-centric rings even existed…..
Until I did some in-depth research just to see if a Full-Size spare wheel that I kept from one of my previous cars could possibly fit on my current car, as the rim size actually turned out to be the same. Then, I found out that the One and Only difference between the wheels was the size of the centre bore, Everything else in the specs is exactly the same!!
So, then I thought let’s have a look to see if there is such a thing as an “adapter ring” of some sort, and to my surprise, Yes there is. What a Fantastic BONUS!!!
So, I ordered Some solid plastic rings, and I am Really over the moon!!! So, I will keep the rings in my car just in case I have a flat tire in the middle of Nowhere with a caravan in tow, in which case the small emergency wheel that comes with the car as standard is even less than Useless……
The rings were really cheap, and they also came with a temperature rating, up to 140 degrees Celsius.
So, for my purpose and in my case, plastic rings are Perfectly fine!!!
Now I can use my Old wheel again, I just decided to take it out of my 2nd-last car thinking “hmmm… You never know, right?”,
And now I know. I’m a very happy man!!
Great to hear! Hub-rings are a simple tool, but they make a huge difference in assisting to make the wheel perfectly "hub-centric". As you discovered, when the centerbore sizing does not match up with the vehicle's hub, there will be a gap between the two. That's where a hub-centric ring comes into play.
Subscribe to our channel, I'm sure you'll find a lot of videos like this that can help you. If you need any assistance, just comment and we'll help!
Thanks for the useful info! Now I know the plastic for normal day to day driving is just fine!
Absolutely, we'd recommend plastic hub-rings for 99% of people with the 1% really only needing metal for track-use where you're seeing very high brake temps.
They don't even do anything when you're driving mate.
They don't even do anything when you're driving mate.
Bought these for my WRX. Enough difference to make it worth paying 15 bucks for them. Has smoothed out my car even more which is a big help if you’re running coilovers.
Useful!
I have a truck that's over 6000 lb I installed a pair of 26-in wheels was vibrating like crazy I even thought the wheels were going to come off installed center hub plastic rings big difference no more vibration
Good to hear! Hub-Centric rings assist by guiding the wheel into a perfectly hub-centric position before torquing down your wheels. Glad it helped!
Once I torque my eheels you can use a pick tool and rotate the ring, there's no weight beared on it as most lugs are coned and typically align the wheel to be centered on the studs
Firstly, a hub-centric ring is strictly meant to align the wheel hub-centrically, it's not meant to bear weight at all. Once it's installed, the hub-centric ring does nothing.
Second, if you can spin the ring while the wheel is mounted you 100% have the WRONG-SIZED hub-centric ring. Sizing is key here, so make sure the outer diameter matches your vehicle's hub size, and the inner diameter matches the wheel's centerbore size.
@konigwheels it doesn't bear weight, is exactly what I said. I have the right size but, again, once wheel is mounted there's no stress on them, I was confirming your own statements from the video. Have had them for ovwr 50,000 miles. I only came to your video because I was curious about the aluminum ones. I'll certainly buy elsewhere. Don't just assume people don't know what they're talking about.
@@KTMjs449 Not sure why you're bent out of shape, we simply responded to your comment with a factual answer with nothing implied. We're talking about hub-rings here...
To be honest I’ve had both and I prefer plastic. Plastic provides better shock absorption vs metal-on-metal, and dampens the oscillations of the wheel better while it’s rolling thousands of times per minute.
Hmmm, we hadn't thought of that benefit, makes sense though. At least upon install of the wheel! Thanks for that!
I use the alluminum rings, I just coat them with a very thin layer of synthetic grease and....no corrosion and easier bolt on fit
you're 100% doing it the correct way. We applaud you. 👏👏
I have a plastic one in my MR2. Tracked it multiple times with the brake glowing red and the plastic ring still good. 😂
You might want to think about switching to metal. 😂😂😂
Great explanation. One question if you glue to the wheel is Super Glue best glue ? I say that because every place where they change tires they forget to check and keeps falling !!!
We wouldn't recommend apply any glue of any kind. The only thing you should apply if anything is a bit of anti-seize (if the ring is metal).
As far as the wheel/tire professionals forgetting the hub rings, we've seen that problem before too. Just make sure to remind them every time about the Hub Rings.
How about a thin film of anti seize?
Yes, 100%. As we mentioned in the video, when using a hub-centric ring, you want to apply anti-seize so it doesn't corrode or stick to your wheel and/or hub.
how long does it take for corrosion to happen?
Depending on the use and general conditions really. Generally, it's good practice to install a new set of hub-centric rings anytime you switch up your wheels.
Silver antiseize.... ??@@konigwheels
Funny thing I had a vibration in my steering and soon as I put the hub rings on it took most of the vibration out, so it wouldn't help with that at all?
Yes. When your wheels are not perfectly hub-centric, it can cause vibration which you can definitely feel in your steering wheel. Using a hub-centric ring ensures that the wheel is perfectly hub-centric upon installation of the wheel.
I'm still curious is there a difference between plastics like ABS and Polycarbonate ?
For something like a hub-ring, the difference between ABS and Polycarbonate is negligible. The hub-ring acts as a dowel-pin purely to align the wheel properly, it doesn't hold any weight or pressure whatsoever once the wheel is tightened down.
How often should the plastic be replaced if one prefers plastic?
I just replaced my plastic ones that were all cracked. It’s been about 5 years.
If I apply silver antiseize will help avoid corrosion? I only use my allow wheels like 5 months per year
Yes, that's what we recommend when using metal hub-rings.
Are you supposed to use wobble lug nuts when using centric rings?
No, we wouldn't recommend wobble lug nuts in any situation.
@konigwheels so just regular luggs??
I've been using plastic for the 4 years and have issues
you have issues, or you don't have issues?
Plastic is better. I used plastic rings for about 10 years and never had a removal issue.
100%. It's almost counter-intuitive because naturally it makes sense to think that metal ones would be better. All about use-case!
would a 1mm diffrence matter? My wheels are 65mm and my car is 56.1mm and all I was able to find in plastic was a 56.1 to 65.1. Couldn't I just rubber mallet it into place?
This is a strange question. You're talking about a difference of .1mm, not 1mm. If the hub-ring fits your wheel with a little bit of force, and the wheel fits the vehicle's hub perfectly, I don't see why it wouldn't be okay. Safe to assume you're using a plastic hub-ring?
@@konigwheels if I’m able to find it yeah. Although the slim pickings are primarily aluminum
I've found out that I had 1 out of 4 hub centric rings that is bent on the outside diameter, its surface is not flat anymore... What could be the cause?
Did they arrive like that or you're noticing this after taking off your wheels? Metal hub-rings?
No they were not like that at the beginning@@konigwheels
Why does it seem like I have more small vibrations when I run the plastic ones?
If you're experiencing any kind of vibration after you install your hub-rings (plastic or metal) than it could be because the hub-ring is not sized correctly, the installation hardware you're using is incorrect, and/or the wheel is not sitting flat against the hub of the vehicle.
Yeah, it’s vague, but still there. I’ve bought new lug bolts. Wire brushed mating surfaces. They’re definitely the right advertised size, and I’ve road forced several times
@@Zakw17 Are the new lug bolts conical-seat?
@@konigwheels Sure are
It seems like the only possibility now is the sizing of your hub-ring. You can confirm the inner diameter matches your vehicle's hub and the outer matches the wheel's centerbore size?
If my hubs r 70.3mm in size then what (plastic) size/color coat should I get cuz I’m seeing all different ones tht could potentially fit it but im not entirely sure on the exact ones I should get I just don’t want to get the wrong size for my hubs
What car is this for? Mustang?
@@konigwheels yes a 2014 base model
You don’t even need hub rings. They only help you center the wheel while installing the lug nuts
You just explained the only purpose of a Hub Ring - to center the wheel while installing.
always need hubring for non-stock rims. otherwise the bolt and nuts would be the two which bear the weight.