Quick question: Wheel center bore

[DannyVTS]

Afternoon all, asking this for a friend.

We need to move a car currently on Axle stands about 0.2 miles to a garage. We have 2 wheels which fit on perfect (original ones) but the only other wheels we currently have the center bore is too big so does this mean the weight of the car will be on the wheel nuts?

How safe is this to go 0.2 miles? The PCD and offsets etc are all good it's just the center bore.. I remember a mate of mine rode around in an old Corsa years ago with some Wolfrace wheels and no spigot rings and got bad steering vibration but if we're only going about 20mph tops will it matter?

I'm sure it'll be fine, but I've been sure and been wrong before.

Dan

[Don Veloci]

My attitude is generally "It'll be right".

But assuming a front engine I'd put the wrong wheels on the back being lighter.

[Adam205]

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

[Fish981]

I've just been working on a twoish tonne VW van that only uses the wheel bolts for location, you'll be fine.

However, refitting a huge great VW van wheel when it only locates on the bolts (not studs) is right pain in the arse.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

You don't want your wheels hanging on the skinny wheel studs/bolts. Strangely enough that's why there's a big, accurate hole in the middle of the wheel which fits over a big strong spigot on the centre of the hub.

[The Black Flash]

Fish981 said:

I've just been working on a twoish tonne VW van that only uses the wheel bolts for location, you'll be fine.

However, refitting a huge great VW van wheel when it only locates on the bolts (not studs) is right pain in the arse.

People in car companies who spec bolts, rather than studs, should be made to change 1,000 wheels as penance.

By the side of the Motorway.

In the rain.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Agreed

[The Black Flash]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

You don't want your wheels hanging on the skinny wheel studs/bolts. Strangely enough that's why there's a big, accurate hole in the middle of the wheel which fits over a big strong spigot on the centre of the hub.

It doesn't "hang on the bolts" AIUI. If the central spigot was designed to take the weight, I'm pretty sure it would be a taper, and have a central bolt.

[JR]

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

This is correct. The bolts take the load in tension, not shear.

[The Wookie]

The Black Flash said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

You don't want your wheels hanging on the skinny wheel studs/bolts. Strangely enough that's why there's a big, accurate hole in the middle of the wheel which fits over a big strong spigot on the centre of the hub.

It doesn't "hang on the bolts" AIUI. If the central spigot was designed to take the weight, I'm pretty sure it would be a taper, and have a central bolt.

I thought wheels were held on using face friction from the tension of the bolts

[JR]

doogz said:

JR said:

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

This is correct. The bolts take the load in tension, not shear.

Well, since there is nothing other than the friction between the wheel and hub to stop them rotating, surely the bolts will see both tensile and shear forces?

Yes, nothing other than friction but that friction is very important. The bolts should press the wheel against the hub with sufficient force that friction developed means that the wheel does not move and the bolts carry no shear. (Even though a nominal shear may develop but that would be by far the minor force.)

[JR]

The Wookie said:

The Black Flash said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

You don't want your wheels hanging on the skinny wheel studs/bolts. Strangely enough that's why there's a big, accurate hole in the middle of the wheel which fits over a big strong spigot on the centre of the hub.

It doesn't "hang on the bolts" AIUI. If the central spigot was designed to take the weight, I'm pretty sure it would be a taper, and have a central bolt.

I thought wheels were held on using face friction from the tension of the bolts

Yes, I think that Blackie meant to say 'wouldn't be a taper'

[The Black Flash]

JR said:

The Wookie said:

The Black Flash said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

Adam205 said:

No weight is placed on the centre spigot, it is there to align the wheel while you put the bolts in / nuts on. Once it is all clamped up the friction between the hub faces takes the weight.

You don't want your wheels hanging on the skinny wheel studs/bolts. Strangely enough that's why there's a big, accurate hole in the middle of the wheel which fits over a big strong spigot on the centre of the hub.

It doesn't "hang on the bolts" AIUI. If the central spigot was designed to take the weight, I'm pretty sure it would be a taper, and have a central bolt.

I thought wheels were held on using face friction from the tension of the bolts

Yes, I think that Blackie meant to say 'wouldn't be a taper'

I'm confused myself now
I'm saying that I thought that wheels are held on with face friction, i.e. agreeing with you guys.

Someone said that the central spigot held the wheel on - I was saying that I don't think it does. The reason I think that is because I don't think you'd use a plain circular spigot for that - it would have to be such a tight fit with the wheel, that you'd not get the wheel on and off without a press of some sort.

IF the spigot was holding the wheel on, I imagine you'd use a taper, with one central wheel nut - which I believe is how knock off hubs are designed.

I think.