At risk of being flamed I have to bring this up because I have been perplexed ever since I have my MINI.

I think MINI's factory wheels are lug centric. Why? It hinges on the definition of lug centricity and hub centricity.

Lug centric wheels relies on conical lug bolts or nuts to center as well as secure the wheel to the hub.

Hub centric wheels relies on near-interference fit of the center hole of the wheel to the round shoulder of the hub to center the wheel to the hub so both are concentric. To secure the wheel to the hub it does not use conical lug bolts or nuts. Instead it uses bolts or nuts with flat face (often with a flat washer) to secure the wheel to the hub. The fasteners only pull the wheel towards the hub and do nothing in center the wheel.

You may point out the center hole of the factory wheels forms a tight fit to the hub so it make it hub centric. I think the reason BMW make it a tight fit is to facilitate wheel change due to the bolt system. The relative tight fit make it easier as the wheel does not fall off the hub while you put the bolts on. As I removed the V-spokes from my MINI I notice a part of the reason the wheel fits tightly onto the hub is because of the fairly thick wheel paint on the center mating surface.

If your after market wheels has conical holes and has the right taper, you should not need hub ring as long as you use the matching lug bolts/nuts.

A case in point my 16" SSR Comp center hole is much bigger than the hub center and I don't need hub ring. My wheels runs true in excess of 100 mph. I believe the Centerline wheels are the same as well.

Of course it is extremely important to properly cross tighten the lug bolts/nuts without the weight of the car before lowering it and then tighten them to spec.

Of all the vehicles I ever owned none of them is hub centric.

 

...you own a hubcentric wheeled vehicle now. The Mini wheel is hubcentric.

If you have ever owned a BMW, it too had hubcentric wheels.

I think you got lucky with the SSRs being well built and superbly balanced...

 

My 2002 (a 1974 BMW 2002 that is) definitely wasn't hub centric.:smile:

I also fail to see what does balance has to do with it if the wheels do not center from the lug centricity of the factory lugs.

 

Hubcentric rings/wheels do nothing but aid installation. They don't carry any load once the wheel is installed. The lug nuts/bolts will center the wheel anyway unless you're just entirely incompetent.


To answer the original question, hubcentricity is determined only by whether the wheel mates to the hub. The lug bolt/nut shape has nothing to do with it. I'd propose that all current cars are lugcentric and some of their wheels happen to be hubcentric as well.

 

^^^ I agree.

but since im running my SSR's pretty close to the limit on the streets during
a hard corner, I prefer having the centering rings Tirerack installed for me to
transfer a lot of the weight off the lugs.

 

As JeffS said hub ring do nothing but aid wheel installation. It never carry any weight unless one totally screw up on the fasteners. It does not center the wheel either if you want to split hairs. As you torque the lugs properly in sequence the tapers on the lug face will shift the wheel against the hub face and dictate where it seats against the hub face. As such the hub rings serves no purpose except make lining ups the holes easier during wheel change.

The only time the ring takes the weight of the lugs is when your lugs are loose. Not a good thing.

 

haha, oh ok.

 

...load... I am talking of centering the mass for the sake of balance.

Also, the "centricity" of which we speak, whether hubcentricity or lugcentricity has absolutely nothing to do with "load bearing"...

It has to do with maintaining the balance of the rotating mass.

And... to add to a statement above..."hubcentricity is determined only by whether the wheel mates to the hub" {sic} precisely.

It must mate precisely to be considered hubcentric.

(There are the subjects of wheel center runout, brake runout, and hub runout to consider as well when figuring out "the balance equation". )

Respectfully, all of you need to "read up" a bit.:smile:

 

... do not "center the wheel" precisely on most cars despite what you think.

The lugs snug the wheel and bear the load of the wheel(s) and mass of the vehicle. They do not insure optimum balance, nor do the lugs insure that the wheel is truly centered. Only the hub and wheel center that mate precisely will do so. The vehicle that possesses "lugcentric wheels" will undoubtedly possess hubcentric wheels as well.

With all due respect... I believe your "logic" to be slightly flawed... though well-intentioned. :smile:

 

You guys are beating a dead horse.

Wheels, lugs are secure, car runs straight, no vibration in 3 digits,
corners fine, so who cares!

We got your point.

 

...hooray !!!

But Ken, know full well that it is the "stimulating discussion" that most of us are after...