Hubcentric rings necessary on stock wheels?

[MO525]

I have the BBS-style (I believe that is what they are) stock wheel on my 1993 525i and when I was doing the rear brake job, I noticed the car has hubcentric rings on the back.
The fronts wheels do not have the rings.
Do STOCK wheels need them?
On the E34 site, they mention the rings for retrofitting different-than-stock wheels.
I'm chasing some pesky vibrations and was wondering if this is something I need to address.

Thanks for your help.

[Deke NorCal]

Hubcentric rings are used when putting e39 wheels on an e34.

[JR'Z 525]

Some aftermarket wheels such as Rondell use them too. You might see if the rings fit inside the hub bore of the front wheels and carefully try to install them.
JR

[MO525]

Some aftermarket wheels such as Rondell use them too. You might see if the rings fit inside the hub bore of the front wheels and carefully try to install them.
JR

At some point.
I was just concerned whether I needed them all the way around, since I only have them on the rear right now.
I am chasing a vibration issue right now and I'm just trying to narrow down the possibilities before I throw more money at the car.

[Deke NorCal]

What is the correct way to install the hubcentric rings?

(i have a set with 18" wheels now wondering if i did it right)

[Unregistered]

What is the correct way to install the hubcentric rings?

(i have a set with 18" wheels now wondering if i did it right)

I always place the ring inside the wheel hub first and then slide the wheel + ring onto the car as a unit

[MO525]

I have the BBS-style (I believe that is what they are) stock wheel on my 1993 525i and when I was doing the rear brake job, I noticed the car has hubcentric rings on the back.
The fronts wheels do not have the rings.
Do STOCK wheels need them?
On the E34 site, they mention the rings for retrofitting different-than-stock wheels.
I'm chasing some pesky vibrations and was wondering if this is something I need to address.

Thanks for your help.

It sounds as if I don't, since I am using the STOCK BMW wheels for my '93.

Thanks again, folks.

[JR'Z 525]

My Rondell's came with plastic hubcentric rings. I wasn't too hip on plastic rings so I got a set of aluminum rings from Tirerack. I was really surprised to discover that the car rode much worse. When I got home I jacked it up (not using the crossmember of course..) and took a closer look. Seems the bore of the Rondell wheel is just a fuzz larger than the outer diameter of the metal rings. I didn't have a micrometer handy but the plastic ring appeared to be thicker than the metal ring. I have a spare set of plastic rings on order at Bekkers. Although you think you have the stock type BBS wheels, I hope you don't have the same type thing going on with them. Wonder why there was only one ring on the RR?
JR

[632 Regal]

as for vibration... Been there done that and still am there. A slight shimmy could be many things, tires that arent round, good for a Cadillac but you dont have one, a bent rim, dirt or other stuff on the mating flanges between the rim/rotor/hub, not torquing the rim without weight on it (dont ask) and finally worn thrust arm ball joints (usually more severe). I'd guess that you also have square tires, I havent been happy with my tires since I bought them and the ones that were really bad i deflated and drove on til they were real hot in an effort to get a free replacement. Still have 2 tires that arent round and it pisses me off, Discount tire sucks but so do a majority of others, if you know someone at a tire store become buddys and have them spinn the tires, look and see how out of round they are, youll probably be surprized. Try to switch them around till the shimmy lessens and you isolate the bad offenders and then go to the tire joint and complain.

[MO525]

as for vibration... Been there done that and still am there. A slight shimmy could be many things, tires that arent round, good for a Cadillac but you dont have one, a bent rim, dirt or other stuff on the mating flanges between the rim/rotor/hub, not torquing the rim without weight on it (dont ask) and finally worn thrust arm ball joints (usually more severe). I'd guess that you also have square tires, I havent been happy with my tires since I bought them and the ones that were really bad i deflated and drove on til they were real hot in an effort to get a free replacement. Still have 2 tires that arent round and it pisses me off, Discount tire sucks but so do a majority of others, if you know someone at a tire store become buddys and have them spinn the tires, look and see how out of round they are, youll probably be surprized. Try to switch them around till the shimmy lessens and you isolate the bad offenders and then go to the tire joint and complain.

EXCEPT replacing the tires.
I had them balanced but they're still VERY worn (Michelin's).
I have a good local shop who is usually on-the-ball but who's to say if he was paying too much attention to anything but installing weights that day. :p
Tires are definitely on my list of "to-do's".
Already have: New Thrust Arms, New Sway bar end links, Tightened nut on steering column, New Guibo and had car checked out by local Indy Beemer shop.

So NO hubcentric rings on stock wheels? Imagine that.
Well, I'll pull the wheels tomorrow and measure everything, "just in case" and remove them.
They're only on the rear and they're aluminum.

Thanks for all the input!!!

[Rick L]

I put it on the wheel hub center first. Then, put the wheel on the hub. I also put some grease on the hub so it doesn't rust and becomes hard to take off.


[
QUOTE=Deke NorCal]What is the correct way to install the hubcentric rings?

(i have a set with 18" wheels now wondering if i did it right)[/QUOTE]

[Rick L]

Tires should be the second thing you should look for when you have shimmy. Of course, first is to re-balance the wheel. I had my share on shimmy from several on my cars. I had to say that 3 out of 5 times were the bad tires! Next time when you balance a wheel, ask and make sure the tires are round. I noticed the techs at tire places just mount and balance the tire without checking out the tires to see if they are "out-of round" or NOT. Also, bad tire will wear "out-of-round" after being good at new.



as for vibration... Been there done that and still am there. A slight shimmy could be many things, tires that arent round, good for a Cadillac but you dont have one, a bent rim, dirt or other stuff on the mating flanges between the rim/rotor/hub, not torquing the rim without weight on it (dont ask) and finally worn thrust arm ball joints (usually more severe). I'd guess that you also have square tires, I havent been happy with my tires since I bought them and the ones that were really bad i deflated and drove on til they were real hot in an effort to get a free replacement. Still have 2 tires that arent round and it pisses me off, Discount tire sucks but so do a majority of others, if you know someone at a tire store become buddys and have them spinn the tires, look and see how out of round they are, youll probably be surprized. Try to switch them around till the shimmy lessens and you isolate the bad offenders and then go to the tire joint and complain.

[MO525]

Tires should be the second thing you should look for when you have shimmy. Of course, first is to re-balance the wheel. I had my share on shimmy from several on my cars. I had to say that 3 out of 5 times were the bad tires! Next time when you balance a wheel, ask and make sure the tires are round. I noticed the techs at tire places just mount and balance the tire without checking out the tires to see if they are "out-of round" or NOT. Also, bad tire will wear "out-of-round" after being good at new.

When I first bought the car, I had the tires balanced and rotated...
I know that rotation is a no-no with our beloved Beemers (according to Bentley) but I knew I would be replacing them and the rears had MUCH better tread than the fronts.....I wanted the steers to have as much meat as possible.
My brother and I spent some quality time checking and re-checking the work I've already done to the front end.....The only slightly "loose" item on the front now is the driver side inner tie-rod end.
I'll get that addressed immediately before shelling out moolah for the tires.