Using Hub Centric Rings on Trailer Wheels

Question

Question:

Hi there, I purchased three tires with wheels in the past week or so. They arrived and I love them! My question pertains to that drums on my trailer being vintage are the style of VW and Mercedes in that their are no lugs just threaded holes in which bolts go to hold the tire on. No problem there but the hole center on the tires is bigger than the hub leaving a space around the hub. I was told that they make a spacer to go around the hub to center the tires easier when changing in case of flat, etc. Do you sell these or can you refer me to a place that does? Thanks so much in advance.

asked by: Ruth M

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

A spacer or hub-centric ring is sometimes used on passenger vehicles, but our resident wheel and tire guru tells me that they aren't needed for use on trailers, due to the weight load a trailer wheel will be under.

If you feel you need them, you can do a Google search on 'Hub Centric Rings' and you'll find plenty of them. If you decide to use them, I'd avoid the plastic rings and use the aluminum ones.

expert reply by: Mike L

1

Nelson

4/1/2020

Thank you Chris......what would/could the Big issues down the road be? The use of this trailer will be light and limited......

Reply

Chris R.

4/1/2020

Basically if the wheels aren't secured properly it could work itself off of the hub at some point. More weight will be transferred to the lugs and they could potentially break. Even a light trailer is going to go through some bumps in the road, tight corners, higher speeds, etc - so it's just not something I would risk.

Reply

Nelson

3/30/2020

I have a hub centric trailer and need to replace the wheel and tire.You are offering me a product [Kenda 5.30-12 Bias Trailer Tire with 12 White Wheel - 4 on 4 - Load Range B] with a center pilot hole = 2.84, while the hub is 2.5 [or 2.54] in diameter.Mike has suggested in his blog, that this should not matter for use with a trailer. We will not be using trailer on the highway, only for carrying loads on the farm, up and down the terrain.Does this center hole difference matter.

Reply

Chris R.

3/31/2020

The new wheel does indeed need to match the pilot hole on your current/older units exactly. Hub centric wheels rely on this spec for a secure and safe attachment, so even a small difference can lead to big issues down the road.

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Answer 1

It is easy to tell which type of wheel you have on your boat trailer. Lug centric wheels slide onto studs on the hub and are secured with lug nuts, like a car tire. If a wheel is hub centric, the wheel centers on the hub and bolts are threaded into…

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Answer 2

We have wheels that work for you but the Dexstar #AM20741 isn't wide enough for your tires. A 245/75 R16 size tire needs at least a 6-1/2 inch wide rim. We carry a few 16 inch wheels that are that wide, such as #AM22657. You may be better off…

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Answer 3

The 12 inch tires that we carry are rated for 65 miles per hour. Any faster than that for extended periods and the excessive heat build up will cause tire failure. To get a tire with a higher speed rating you would have to go up in size. That also…

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Answer 4

The smallest diameter 13 inch trailer wheel and tire will have a diameter of 24.1 inches (ST175/80-13). There are 3 common 12 inch trailer tire sizes: 4.80-12 has a diameter of 20.5 inches, 5.30-12 has a diameter of 21.9 inches, and 145/80-12 has a…

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Answer 5

You're correct that all of the 8 inch rims we carry have a pilot hole that's in the range of 2.8 inches. Not nearly as large as the 3.275 inches you need. The best solution I recommend is replacing the hubs, unfortunately. I recommend part…

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Answer 6

Since both a ST145/R12 size tire, like the Kenda Karrier S-Trail #AM10130, and a 5.30-12 size tire, like the Kenda K353 #AM10068, fit a 12 inch wheel, a ST145/R12 size tire can replace a 5.30-12 size tire. Keep in mind that these tires do have…

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Answer 7

Wheel studs can break from too much torque on them or from having them too loose which creates movement which can eventually cause them to break. My brother kept breaking wheel studs on a car he had because he was using the wrong lug nuts. In your…

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Answer 8

You can check the condition of your hub's races by carefully removing all bearing grease with a rag to expose the actual surface of the races. When they are completely free of grease, etc., inspect them for any signs of scoring (very slight…

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Answer 9

There really should be a flat washer between the outer bearing of your hub and the nut that holds it on. The washer protects the back side of the bearing from the edges and points on the back side of the spindle nut. The Washer For 1 inch Spindle,…

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Answer 10

You definitely did all of your homework! Based on the research you did that I also checked out the Blue Ox base plate part #BX2727 does work on the models of the 2020 Kia Soul that have the DCT and also Kia has stated the vehicle configuration is…

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Answer 11

To allow the post of the Ultimate Trailer Jack #322-RDJ-2K to slide up and down, loosen the 3 mounting bolts used to attach to your A-Frame. Check to see if this allows the jack post to move. If it does, you'll want to tighten the bolts by hand…

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Answer 12

Mounting a spare tire on a teardrop trailer can be a bit tricky especially if you don't want to use a tongue mount carrier like the CE Smith #CE27310G. Placing the spare tire on the side of your trailer would cause balance issues and I can't…

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Using Hub Centric Rings on Trailer Wheels

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