Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post in this forum for topics relating to tires and wheels

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

Post Reply
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post by GRNSHRK »

OK guys, what are your opinions on the best hubcentric ring material :-?

Gotta pick up a set for the missus' 5er which currently has plastic rings but has also developed a bit of a shimmy, and we just replaced the tires a month or so ago :-k

So me thinks that one or more of the existing rings got compromised in the process [-X

Lemme know your thoughts :shock:
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
Ralph in Socal
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2746
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:32 am
Location: High Desert of SoCal

Re: Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post by Ralph in Socal »

Alum is best. Easy to reuse and I've even pulled some off at the yard. Plastic is too fragile.

Ralph
There is a very fine line between "Hobby" and Mental Illness.

85 635csi Zinno Auto
84 528i Euro
83 635 Euro Arktik
81 528i Kastanien 5-speed
88 528e Bronzit (Granpa Car)
86 535i Auto (For Sale)
81 633 csi (retired)
User avatar
hornhospital
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 2931
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:46 pm
Location: Silverhill, AL
Contact:

Re: Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post by hornhospital »

Agree. Aluminum. Just make sure the hub is clean and you put a little coating of antiseize on the ring/hub before installing. Treated properly, they'll last as long as the car (and longer, judging by Ralph pulling them from junkers....I'll have to start looking for them at the pull-a-part now!)
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Aluminum it is!!!

Post by GRNSHRK »

Ordered a set yesterday from Discount Tire Direct, should be on my doorstep tomorrow =D>

Thanks gents, basically confirmed what I figured to be true \:D/
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3710
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

So the rings arrived last Friday . . .

Post by GRNSHRK »

...and they appear to be very well made, to my surprise :shock:

They are indeed aluminum but better than any others that I have seen =D>

Even though I bought them from Discount Tire Direct, the package indicated that they were supplied by an outfit called Vision Wheel :-?

Here's the linky:

http://images.visionwheel.com/images/ca ... 10-111.jpg

Think I'll post the link up top as well in the thread titled proper hubcentric rings or whatever it's called #-o
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
earlyshark
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:16 pm
Location: Perris,CA

Re: Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post by earlyshark »

I also agree with Ralph, plastic ones are not reusable, that's why they are cheap!
1987 535i
1977 630 CSi
1974 3.0 CSi
User avatar
DRPM635CSi
Posts: 280
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2015 6:50 am
Location: Perth, Australia
Contact:

Re: Hubcentric rings - Plastic or Aluminum?

Post by DRPM635CSi »

Given that the little locating shoulder in the hub to wheel centre bore is the primary thing that's holding up the entire static weight of the car, I wouldn't want to be relying on plastic filling that gap (if any). In fact, I wouldn't rely on aluminium either, but it's better than plastic at least.
Post Reply