Hub Centric Rings

Unlike factory rims, aftermarket ones can be installed on different vehicles given that they have the same bolt pattern and accommodate the same wheel diameter. To assure that, manufacturers of aftermarket rims strive to make their wheels with as large center bores as possible. However, there is the other side of the coin. In nine out of ten cases you’ll need to use hub centric rings to fill out the empty space between the wheel hub and the center bore to make your aftermarket wheels fit properly. Some aftermarket wheels are supplied with model-specific hub centric rings, however, you may also need to purchase them separately.

The main purpose of hub centric rings is to help you perfectly center your wheels on the hubs to avoid any kind of vibration and reduce the pressure on lug nuts. The latter is very important, especially for off-road and high-performance applications due to the huge amount of stress their lug nuts experience, supporting the weight of the vehicle and withstanding the impact of road imperfections. The gap between the wheel hub and center bore can play a cruel joke on your lug nuts if you hit a big pothole, so make sure you have your aftermarket wheels installed properly.

Hub centric rings are made from either extremely durable plastic or aluminum. Plastic hub centric rings are the most popular type of rings found on the market and usually come with aftermarket wheels if they’re supplied with an installation kit. They do not corrode against the metal of the hub or rim, which makes them an ideal solution for most street cars and trucks, especially if they operate in a wet climate. Although, since they are made of plastic, they can melt if your wheels get too hot, which is common for racing and other high-performance vehicles. That’s why if you own a hot-rod or racing car, you should use aluminum hub centric rings. Just be sure to put some heat-proof grease on them before installing your wheels to prevent the rings from fusing to the rims or hubs.