Wheel question, what if my center hole is larger than my hub?

[hotrod53]

I replaced my wheels a while ago , but I've wondered about this.

My hubs have bolts, not studs. My center hole is larger than the hub therefore they are a bear to put on, but I developed a technique. Does it matter if the hub is smaller than the center home of the rim other then making it hard to put the wheel on? Is there anybweight bearing on the hub itself?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Hub-centric wheels are centered by the hub and lug-centric wheels are centered by the lugs (tapered seat) .... In an ideal world you would want your wheels centered by the hub AND the lugs....

Since yours are a pain to install it might be a good idea to look for some that fit the hub.... Trailer wheels are relatively cheap.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

You could install some [h=1]Wheel Stud Conversion Kits[/h]

 

[Rick Stephens]

Conversion kits are the way to go! Lots easier and the center hole won't matter.

 

[hotrod53]

I had no idea there were such conversion kits! I bought these wheels on EBay as new takeoffs from a trailer dealer and I've run them for 3-4 seasons, they are nice galvanized spoked rims. The bolt holes are tapered and beveled. Now that you mention it, I can't remember if the bolts have tapers under the heads but I think that they do.

So this stud conversion kit would just screw in from the back of the hub with a bit of locktite

 

[Rick Stephens]

I used to have a trailer shop, many years ago. I HATED installing wheels with bolts, so I would sell/install the stud kits. They install from the front side. Some of them probably do use locktite. The ones I bought had a small shouldered section in the middle of the stud that bound up on the drum threads keeping them in place. High temp permanent Locktite would work fine as well.

 

[ezmac]

Wheel hub hole does not carry any weight. Size of the hole makes no differance. Weight of the load is carried by friction between the face of the hub or brake drum and the mating face of the wheel. That's why lug nuts or lug bolts have to be tight. Works the same for cars and trucks.