https://www.youtube.com/embed/SnSNuPx7Xc8
Sponsored video presented by König Wheels.
You may have overheard someone talking about wheel centering rings before, and perhaps you wondered "What are they?" and "Do I need them for my car?"
Since we've asked ourselves these questions, too, we talked to König Wheels Marketing Director Scott Weiss. He not only provided answers, but also cleared up some common misconceptions about these …
So according to this fellow, for regular road use they are essential because they keep the wheel centered and prevent wobbling. But for racing... they aren't? Not sure I follow that logic.
RadBarchetta said:So according to this fellow, for regular road use they are essential because they keep the wheel centered and prevent wobbling. But for racing... they aren't? Not sure I follow that logic.
I think what he's saying is that it's mainly an NVH thing.
Also, I ran plastic rings at the track exactly once -- Laguna Seca was not kind to them and I had to chisel them off the wheel hub afterwards.
I've only seen these used on 4-wheel disk brake cars. In fact, have a set with the new wheels on my Miata. First set I've dealt with and kinda like them. Question I have is will they work on drum brakes? The vid answers the question on using them with wheel spacers. Would like to get a set for my Opel GT. Front disk, rear drum. Using E30 BBS Basketsweaves on the car now and had to use spacers to prevent rub on the A-arm at full steering lock. Had to enlarge the lug holes so that lugnuts that recess inside the wheel lugs can be used for thread engagement. Obviously can probably find a set for the front but what about the rear with drums?
I've been told by multiple engineers that they are pointless. The wheels are held in place by friction due to the clamp load of the wheel studs and if you're using a tapered seat lug nut it is centering the wheel. The very reason they recommend you do one pass with partial torque and no weight before doing the final torque on your lug nuts.
I've never been able to just slowly tighten them and have them end up not vibrating.
As for melting plastic ones, they sell metal ones and they aren't expensive. I forget the website, but it basically sells every possible combination of I.D./O.D. metal hub rings.
I ran my Miata for years with no hubcentric rings. This year I thought "I should not be a hack and install them". I've noticed no difference. I also installed them on the Yaris at the same time, and the dang things nearly bit be in my recent tire test when it stuck to the hub and we had to chisel it off with a car ket to mount a different set of wheels.
I have also never had an issue not using them. Just tighten the lugs before dropping the car and no issues with vibration.
I use them because they were offered when I got my aftermarket wheels. I got a second set to replace one that I lost, and the second set don't fit as well, I had to cut 2 off before I tossed them all. Good to hear that I don't HAVE to run them.
The first time I had aftermarket wheels with centering rings and I switched back to the stock wheels with winter tires one of the centering rings stayed on the hub instead of staying in the wheel like the other three had. Of course I didn't notice, so I was really confused why, even after torquing the nuts three times I got another half turn on the nuts before the torque wrench clicked again. Thinking maybe I had accidentally overtorqued the nuts and stretched the studs or something, I took the wheel off to investigate and noticed the slightly squished centering ring which I had to cut off the hub. I felt really dumb. I felt even dumber when I did the same thing the next time. Fortunately I realized it before squishing the ring too much.
The ones I've used have never stayed in the wheel, if you try to put them in there then they fall out when you pick the wheel up, and when you take the wheel off they stay on the hub.
I had never even heard of centering rings until I bought a set of Konig wheels for the track. After my first track day, I discovered that they had melted to the rotors. Since then, I've only used them on the street.
I guess I was just turning way faster laps than anyone could have ever imagined.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:The ones I've used have never stayed in the wheel, if you try to put them in there then they fall out when you pick the wheel up, and when you take the wheel off they stay on the hub.
Anti-seize.
I've also had wheels, I think the RPF-1, or maybe some SSR Comps I had,.the centering ring was actually captive in the wheel held in by a snap ring.
So it didn't actually touch the hub face.
I've never had a problem with hubcentric rings on the street. But, I've also never had a vibration on a wheel that was tightened carefully. The rings definitely let you be less careful when tightening wheels, and may make a difference at higher speeds than I usually get to on the street. They can also be really helpful if you have lug bolts instead of studs, have wheels that aren't hubcentric, AND you haven't done a stud conversion. 
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