DIY Hub-centric rings for aluminum wheels

[RF_Burns]

When I bought my GMC, the previous owner had already installed a set of Eagle wheels that were not hub-centric. The nuts have a shoulder that fits
inside the wheel lug hole to provide deeper threading onto the stud. The wheels spin extremely close to true, but not perfect, but certainly better
than any steel wheel.

I wasn't going to spend $2,000 on new wheels, but I thought I could improve on the existing ones. I looked into hub-centric spacers but they are not
inexpensive either. There didn't seem to be a standard size so I would need custom ones made at even higher cost.

One day I was working with some PVC piping and on a lark I got out my calipers. Turned out the wall thickness of a 4" PVC straight coupler was within
just a few thou of the required hub-centric ring. But the diameter was about 15 thou too small. So I cut a ring from the PVC coupler the thickness of
the wheel, then cut across the ring so it could expand. The gap in the ring will not make any difference.

The ring fit in perfectly (snug). I found that I needed to roll the wheels to get the ring to fit in. Then tightened and torqued the wheel nuts. The
wheel nuts now hold the wheel in position. Since my wheels have covers which are held in place by the wheel nuts, the ring stays in place.

Can't say as I notice any smoother ride, but my tires are 7 years old and I was going to change them this year... but due to Covid we didn't get far.
I'll put new tires on next spring and see if the ride improves.

Anyway, JWID
--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that

 

[Ken B]

Those Eagle wheels are only .031 larger center hole so the maximum off set you could ever see is .0155. The tires you are using are not that
accurate. When I went to Eagle wheels I mistakenly listened to all f the naysayers and fashioned some shims out of .015 brass. Then I mounted the
wheels and drove 150 miles down to Blaine's and the shims (all 6 wheels) fell out. It turns out the wheels center just fine on those shouldered lug
nuts. I never installed the hubcaps so I can measure the clearance with a feeler gauge and every time I checked in the past 12 years after several
wheel mounting and dismountings a .015 gauge will fit all the way around. I quit worrying about it several years ago.

The only reason we have hub centered wheels is they took them off of a GM daully truck. In a dually they needed a way to hold the inside wheel
centered while mounting the outside wheel on the same wheel studs. Once they are tightened the hub centering has no bearing on the wheel running
down the road.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[adolph santorine]

Thank you, Ken.

The best description I’ve heard, and I now grok what’s going on with this.

Dolph

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 26’ ex-PalmBeach
Howell EFI & EBL, Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

“The Aluminum and Fiberglass Mistress”

|[ ]~~~[][ ][] \
"--OO--[]---O-"

>
> Those Eagle wheels are only .031 larger center hole so the maximum off set you could ever see is .0155. The tires you are using are not that
> accurate. When I went to Eagle wheels I mistakenly listened to all f the naysayers and fashioned some shims out of .015 brass. Then I mounted the
> wheels and drove 150 miles down to Blaine's and the shims (all 6 wheels) fell out. It turns out the wheels center just fine on those shouldered lug
> nuts. I never installed the hubcaps so I can measure the clearance with a feeler gauge and every time I checked in the past 12 years after several
> wheel mounting and dismountings a .015 gauge will fit all the way around. I quit worrying about it several years ago.
>
> The only reason we have hub centered wheels is they took them off of a GM daully truck. In a dually they needed a way to hold the inside wheel
> centered while mounting the outside wheel on the same wheel studs. Once they are tightened the hub centering has no bearing on the wheel running
> down the road.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[LarryW]

> Thank you, Ken.
>
> The best description I’ve heard, and I now grok what’s going on with this.
>
>
> Dolph
>
> DE AD0LF
>
> Wheeling, West Virginia
>
> 1977 26’ ex-PalmBeach
> Howell EFI & EBL, Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission
>
> “The Aluminum and Fiberglass Mistress”
>
> |[ ]~~~[][ ][] \
> "--OO--[]---O-"

Ya, I guess I never really did believe that hub centered was any better than lug centered. Just did not make sense to me.
--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.

 

[RF_Burns]

Ken,
The thickness of the rings I made was 0.265", so obviously these are different Eagles from what you are running. I agree with you that the small
amount of tolerance in the bolt shoulder compared to the lug holes in the wheels is likely to be much less than the tire tolerances.

However I have been chasing a shake from the rear for a couple of years and you know how some say the sky will fall if you don't have hub centric
wheels. So I thought I would give it a try.

I think the shake is likely from a faulty tire. When I replace them next spring, I hope to have a smooth rolling coach again! 8)
--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that

 

[hal stclair]

On my bus there is a difference in weight capacity of the wheels. A hub centered 10" 22.5 wheel is rated 10,000 lbs, a stud located 10" 22.5 is rated
9,000 lbs. The differences in wheels seems to be similar in most all truck wheels. Makes sense to me...
Hal
--
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."

1977 Royale 101348,

1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,

1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,

Rio Rancho, NM

 

[johnny]

Jo, if you heat and stretch, you will thin the material (the extra has to come from somewhere). That being said, my current coach has the lug
centered Eagles. I've had no problems or asymmetric wear or shaking, so I have continued on with a bit of a gap at the wheel center.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell

 

[Jim Hupy]

Part of the problem with lug-centered wheels lies with the lug nuts
themselves. If you buy a used set of lug-centric wheels, and use the stock
flanged GMC lug nuts with them, you are setting yourself up for an
egg-centric ride. The correct lugnuts are the key to centering the wheels.
But, somewhere in my extensive training was a D.O.T. regulation
regarding front wheel drive (of which the GMC is) are strictly required to
use Hub-centric wheels on the drive axle. It said in essence "THOU SHALT
NOT USE ANYTHING BUT HUB CENTERED WHEELS IN THIS APPLICATION"! I can't
quote you chapter and verse in the morass of D.O.T regulations, but I think
that still applies to GMC's today. But, whats a few regulations among
friends?
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Wed, Oct 21, 2020, 6:38 AM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> Jo, if you heat and stretch, you will thin the material (the extra has to
> come from somewhere). That being said, my current coach has the lug
> centered Eagles. I've had no problems or asymmetric wear or shaking, so I
> have continued on with a bit of a gap at the wheel center.
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[dave king]

Most cars may have hub centered (so called) wheels. I was chasing a vibration in my daily driver that had factory steel wheels.
By jacking it up and checking runout 1 wheel at a time I found the culprit. In about 1/2HR- 45 minutes of work, trying the
wheel in different positions (on the same hub) and order of tightening the nuts, I got it almost perfect. Vibration gone.
My current daily driver has factory aluminum wheels and i don't seem to have this problem. I'm fussy when it
comes to vibration through the steering wheel or in the seat of the pants. If normally there's no
vibration and suddenly there is regardless how slight it's a good indicator something is going wrong.
JWID
--
DAVE KING
lurker, wannabe
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

[charles boyd]

--
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee

 

[Carl Stouffer]

I have the earlier supplied (by Applied GMC) mag style lug nut, lug centered, Eagle wheels on the rear of my coach. They do have a significant space
between the hub and the wheel center hole. I have never experienced any sort of vibration or shake except when a tire slipped a belt.

I am running Dodge Truck 16" X 8" alloy wheels on the front which also have a larger center hole than the hub. These also have tapered (cone shaped)
lug nuts holding them to the hub. Again, no sign of shake, run-out, or vibration from them. Also, I have never had an issue with the lug nuts coming
loose. I had been cautioned about that possibility, but in over 10 years and over 40,000 miles with this set-up, it has never happened.
--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member

 

[LarryW]

>

Yup...I hear ya. :roll:

--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.