Centre bore too big - safe?

[Lord E38]

I bought a set of wheels for my Dodge to replace the non-standard ones that were on it. Because I'm the unluckiest person in the world I noticed that the last one to go on had a significantly larger centre bore than the other 3 and there's a huge gap around the hub.

These fit perfectly,

This one doesn't.


I've asked a few people if this matters and as you might expect I've had every possible answer from 'no' to 'you'll be killed'. Can anyone with experience chime in? Would you run wheels like this?

For now I've just put two of the old ones back on, they look st but they are all snug on the hubs.

Thanks as always.

[Novexx]

The hub bears the vertical load from the wheel, not the bolts. In your scenario the bolts are bearing the vertical load - a big no no.

[Megaflow]

The centre bore spigot does not take the vertical weight of the vehicle, it merely centres the wheel for the taper on the wheels to provide the clamping force between the wheel and the hub that provide the friction between the wheel and the hub that supports the vertical load.

That said, the gap is too big IMO

[E-bmw]

100% NO! It is not good/proper/safe.

While the bolts will centre the wheel correctly, as soon as there is the smallest microscopic movement of the wheel under load the movement will start to loosen the clamping force of the wheel which will start to undo the wheel nuts.

You need to precisely measure the hub spigot & wheel centre bore & get the correct spigot rings to fit, then it will be fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296115718589?_skw=metal...

Even then as these are designed for alloy wheels you will need to regularly check to ensure they remain in place & the nuts aren't loosening.

[witko999]

E-bmw said:

100% NO! It is not good/proper/safe.

While the bolts will centre the wheel correctly, as soon as there is the smallest microscopic movement of the wheel under load the movement will start to loosen the clamping force of the wheel which will start to undo the wheel nuts.

You need to precisely measure the hub spigot & wheel centre bore & get the correct spigot rings to fit, then it will be fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296115718589?_skw=metal...

Even then as these are designed for alloy wheels you will need to regularly check to ensure they remain in place & the nuts aren't loosening.

Utter rubbish.

[E-bmw]

witko999 said:

E-bmw said:

100% NO! It is not good/proper/safe.

While the bolts will centre the wheel correctly, as soon as there is the smallest microscopic movement of the wheel under load the movement will start to loosen the clamping force of the wheel which will start to undo the wheel nuts.

You need to precisely measure the hub spigot & wheel centre bore & get the correct spigot rings to fit, then it will be fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296115718589?_skw=metal...

Even then as these are designed for alloy wheels you will need to regularly check to ensure they remain in place & the nuts aren't loosening.

Utter rubbish.

OP.

Don't worry about it, it is clearly safe, save the above poster's details for your specialist witness in court.

[vikingaero]

E-bmw said:

witko999 said:

E-bmw said:

100% NO! It is not good/proper/safe.

While the bolts will centre the wheel correctly, as soon as there is the smallest microscopic movement of the wheel under load the movement will start to loosen the clamping force of the wheel which will start to undo the wheel nuts.

You need to precisely measure the hub spigot & wheel centre bore & get the correct spigot rings to fit, then it will be fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296115718589?_skw=metal...

Even then as these are designed for alloy wheels you will need to regularly check to ensure they remain in place & the nuts aren't loosening.

Utter rubbish.

OP.

Don't worry about it, it is clearly safe, save the above poster's details for your specialist witness in court.

It's not ideal, but far from critical.

I have a Vauxhall spare that has a plastic spigot ring to allow you to add/remove it to fit it to different centre bore. The plastic isn't the highest quality and similar to a cheap plastic pen cap, so it can't be that critical or it would be made from metal.

This is similar to the coppergrease on the hub argument that goes on forever.

[GreenV8S]

witko999 said:

Utter rubbish.

Can you find even a single reputable wheel manufacturer who says road wheels located using a centre bore spigot are safe to use on a hub without the correct spigot?

[witko999]

I'm not even going to look. As the poster above says, this topic comes up every so often on here, along with the copper grease topic. There are always strong opinions either way. The op will have to make their own decision.

[r159]

GreenV8S said:

witko999 said:

Utter rubbish.

Can you find even a single reputable wheel manufacturer who says road wheels located using a centre bore spigot are safe to use on a hub without the correct spigot?

As per post above, plastic spigot rings are very common for aftermarket alloys, to allow multiple fitting for the same pcd. They are for alignment rather than load bearing.

https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/blog/2023/12/are-a...

[mmm-five]

r159 said:

As per post above, plastic spigot rings are very common for aftermarket alloys, to allow multiple fitting for the same pcd. They are for alignment rather than load bearing.

https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/blog/2023/12/are-a...

PCD is not the centre bore size...PCD is the number and diameter of the bolt holes (so 4x100 or 5x120, etc.).

Most spigot rings/adapters are for a couple of MM difference, not over a CM difference (and I'd prefer metal ones myself)

Edited by mmm-five on Sunday 22 February 17:01

[s p a c e m a n]

How about getting custom hubcentric spacers made up, you could get 3 the same and have one made for the bigger bore

Will also get stance, which is cool

You can also buy metal spigot rings in most sizes, that would be the boring option.

[5s Alive]

mmm-five said:

r159 said:

As per post above, plastic spigot rings are very common for aftermarket alloys, to allow multiple fitting for the same pcd. They are for alignment rather than load bearing.

https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/blog/2023/12/are-a...

PCD is not the centre bore size...PCD is the number and diameter of the bolt holes (so 4x100 or 5x120, etc.).

Most spigot rings/adapters are for a couple of MM difference, not over a CM difference (and I'd prefer metal ones myself)

Edited by mmm-five on Sunday 22 February 17:01

Think you've misread that. r159 is saying multiple centre bore sizes with the same pcd.

[mmm-five]

5s Alive said:

mmm-five said:

r159 said:

As per post above, plastic spigot rings are very common for aftermarket alloys, to allow multiple fitting for the same pcd. They are for alignment rather than load bearing.

https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/blog/2023/12/are-a...

PCD is not the centre bore size...PCD is the number and diameter of the bolt holes (so 4x100 or 5x120, etc.).

Most spigot rings/adapters are for a couple of MM difference, not over a CM difference (and I'd prefer metal ones myself)

Think you've misread that. r159 is saying multiple centre bore sizes with the same pcd.

In that case, ignore my post

[5s Alive]

mmm-five said:

In that case, ignore my post

But not the part about plastic spigot rings, which we agree are a poor substitute for metal, especially in performance applications or if you're removing wheels on a regular basis.

[E-bmw]

5s Alive said:

mmm-five said:

In that case, ignore my post

But not the part about plastic spigot rings, which we agree are a poor substitute for metal, especially in performance applications or if you're removing wheels on a regular basis.

Personally I would never under any circumstances advocate the use of plastic spigot rings.

[CrgT16]

Just get proper wheels or hubs fitted. Why chance it?

[paul_c123]

It would be absolutely safe, once the wheel nuts/bolts are torqued up.
You'd need to torque them up before the wheel contacts the ground.
It would be an absolute PITA fitting the wheels.

[Olivera]

paul_c123 said:

It would be absolutely safe, once the wheel nuts/bolts are torqued up.

This. The centre bore does absolutely nothing when the wheel nuts/bolts are tightened up. iIRC plastic spigot rings just help you get the wheel aligned more easily for tightening up. Absolutely no load goes through them though, hence why they are plastic.

If forces are transmitted laterally through the centre bore then how would *plastic* spigot rings ever work? In other words there's no lateral force through the centre bore.

[Megaflow]

Some version of the mk2 Escort axle didn't even have hub centres.