universal hubcentric rings. DIY

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Ok. So tonight I performed what i could only describe as the most ghetto improvisation in the history of me.

Long story short I was doing some brake work on my car. All good, but once i went to put my tires back on I mangled one of my awesome plastic hubcentric rings.

So. Its like 10pm, what ever shall i do? Put the stock rims and tires back on? Nahh. Put the 18’s back on sans a hub ring? Nahh. So I came up with this little gem.

I grabbed a roll of Masking tape, and wrapped it tightly around my hub. I put the rim on gently and checked for play. Found some, so I added another two layers. With that small addition the rim fit on snugly and with no play.

If you do this though. Be sure to torque down the rim before you let the cars weight sit on the tire. I’m not sure how squishy a few layers of masking tape are compared to the shitty plastic hub ring, but just to play it safe I torqued down the rim while it was still in the air.

Final results? Phenominal. In all honesty my steering wheel no longer vibrates at speed in excess of 100mph. Not that i would ever drive that fast but just sayin.

Inovation factor: 9-10

Practicality:9-10

Ghetto factor:10-10

I know you all like my DIY write up rating system lol;)

BTW. If anyone needs high def pics of the tape roll i can provide them. Just in case anyone needs to get a better idea of what a roll of tape looks like or something.

2

YOU SUCK

-newman

3

Haha. Hater. your just mad you didnt think of it first.

4

tape?

as in … paper+adhesive?

RIIIIIIIIGHT cuz brakes/hubs never get warm.

:picard:

5

wow

6

Exactly. Yes they do get warm, even hot, really hot. Specially when you ride down the street at 55mph with the pedal slightly pressed down so that they heat up on purpose to see if anything will happen to the tape. Anyway. What’s the difference between that and the plastic little rings i had in there. Not much IMO. Becides. Once the wheel is torqued onto the hub, where is it gona go?

7

Haha. Best post all night:D

8

:bloated:

9

HOLY FUCK…that is ridiculously NOT safe.

It would be especially awesome if you sold the car and forgot it was in there and never told the new owner.

I am also willing to bet that the roll of tape costs more than it would for one of those rings.

10

Seriously… Fox Tire can get you most any size of hubcentric ring you would need. Spend the $20 to get a set of four. This way, when you go a break another one you have some spares.

11

This can’t end well:sword:

12

yikes.

13

$35 actually for a set of four. Im not saying im leaving the tape on there. just saying it got me by in a pinch. i do plan on replacing the tape with the propper ring.

But lets analyse as to why it’s an unsafe addition? Im just curious to see what peoples oppinions of that are.

14

Cons:
-Paper burns, or at the least heat cycling will weaken that tape fast
-Water will destroy/soften it
-Glue on the tape can compress
-Undue strain on your lugs if any of the above happen

Pros:
-Can work in a pinch can work but honestly it’s not too hard to get proper rings.
-Easier to find
-Cheap
-I’m assuming this is a joke

15

Nah no joke. Just needed something to get me by until i can get to Fox tire on Monday.

Anyhoo. Good arguments. Correct me If I’m wrong but once the wheel is torqued onto the hub is it not supposed to not move at all?
As far as the tape being a fire hazard. If the hub gets hot enough to ignite the tape than wouldnt the plastic badge in the middle of the rim be just as much of a ignition hazard? Heat disipates through the brake disk and rim. The rim being aluminum sucks a lot of heat from the hub.

Be back later to discuss this. Im actually finding logic on Nyspeed. Thats kinda weird but i do enjoy it:D

16

I don’t get it. The hubs are there to hold the load of the vehicle. You expect tape to be up to this task? Where’s your ban button?

17

i dont know why everyone is getting all excited cause you dont know what you are talking about.

its not like those plastic rings do much anyway. they just center the wheel till you get it bolted down. they only locate the wheel, not actually provide any structural support. they melt from time to time too when heavy braking. it would be better to have a set of aluminum or steel ones made up to actually provide some structural support. plus they wouldnt get all mangled from time to time like the plastic ones.

Brian

18

ooh i dont run hubcentric rings, i hope my lugs dont shear :smash2:

I think you guys are making a big deal out of nothing

19

My initial intuition said this is a bad idea but after some reading and thought it seems that hubcentricity really only aids in installation. Once the lug nuts are torqued its the friction force between the hub and wheel surface that carries the load.

20

haha people think the tape is holding any weight of the car. well on teh internet I bet it dose.

OMG what will happen in the rain, the tape is gonna unstick and the wheels will move off center. what if you park the car for too long, you might get a flat spot in the tap from the weight of the car…