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Aftermarket wheels. Need Advice!


Lesta3474

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Hi Guys,

I posted the message below on NissanSilvia.co.nz but wanted to get more opinions and advice from people with more experience on this. Have a read. All comments and advice welcomed! thankS!

New to the modifying business. Last Friday, a fren of mine managed to get a pretty good deal on a set of 17inch SpeedyWheels Racespec wheels... looks awesome and so drove in at lunch time and had the wheels fitted.

There is this ring that the store owner had to put on the hub before fitting the wheel and he told me that the ring was a loose fit... and there may be a possiblity that the steering wheel will vibrate at high speed.. .he told me that this is nothing to worry about and chance are that it won't happen at all.

Unfortunately the steering wheel is vibrating! So called up the guy and he told me that he wants to pick up my car (Nissan S15.. I just got it for 2 weeks now) and refitted the ring and then test drive it so that there is no problems. But the idea of someone that I barely know... (met the dude for only 1 hour on friday) and now he wants to take my car.. and bring it for a test drive! It just doesn't seem right.

Anyone have experience here? Is this normal procedure? Am i just suffering from new car syndrome or is my unwillingness to let someone else drive my car valid? What should i do? :)

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can never be too carefull, you could always go in passenger seat with him?

if was me i would definately go with and if its your pride an joy you may not want him driving at all (especially if insurance doesnt cover other drivers, can always tell him that so he doesnt take it personally) and if your not happy they will have to refund or fix problem regardless i dont think theres a law saying they must test drive the car but you could take him for drive to show him whats going on?

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Quote from Nissansilvia.co.nz:

It could be the balancing - but I wouldn't discount the hub ring.

What he's talking about is hub centric ring. The center of your hub sticks out ~10mm and has a shoulder for the rim to rest on. The rim has a hole here. The size of this is not standardized, so aftermarket rims are generally larger and require an adapter to make it fit snugly over the center of the hub. This is what he is talking about. A rim should center on the hub, then the wheel nuts put on to hold the rim in place. The wheel nuts should not be relied upon to center the wheel. When the wheel is bolted up it is the tension on the studs (and the friction between the back face of the rim and hub) that holds the wheel there, neither the studs or the hub center should be 'taking the weight'.

It's not unheard of to have the wheel not center properly without the hub ring - that's why they have the things in the first place.

If he's from a professional business and he doesn't look slimy I'd trust him. I'd take the car to them though. At the end of the day he warned you there may be an issue, there is, and he's trying to fix it.

Don't think its a spacer so should be alright? Anyway, I think I'll use the insurance company excuse... And probably consult my friend who brought me to the guy in the first place. Really don't like someone else driving my car... especially since I just bought it! Thanks guys for the reply. :hail:

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my money on the ring and as for spacers they are NOT allowed even if you try to get them certied

i hav hub adaptors on my car so i can have more chance of getting rims to fit my bsck gaurds i have lensos wide track extra deep dish rims so had to get them and they are legal if you get them certied

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Sound's like centric ring's to me too. Like the person from the Silvia forum said, He discussed there may be a issue, there is, and he is trying to fix it. I find it a bit weird that he want's to come and pick the car up, allthough he may just be trying to offer a bit of customer service. I say give the guy a break. As for the insurance side of thing's, your car will be covered by HIS policy, so there's nothing to worry about. As a mechanic, somtime's a over prtective customer can be a real pain and get in the way of diagnosing a problem. Give him a chance to right his wrong I say? :wink:

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As for the insurance side of thing's, your car will be covered by HIS policy, so there's nothing to worry about. As a mechanic, somtime's a over prtective customer can be a real pain and get in the way of diagnosing a problem. Give him a chance to right his wrong I say? :wink:

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yea pretty normal procedure for a mechanic to take car for a test drive to diagnose a problem. Realistically how accurate can a mechanic diagnose a problem based on what a customer says without finding out for themself.

And just remember mechanics drive hundreds/thousands of cars for testing etc itl be fine and if anything goes wrong they have insurance

The wheel rings are legal, they arnt spacers that are 100% illegal just help line up the mag onto the hub, i have them on my car and have never ever had a hassle. and the guys who do my tyres do my WOF's aswell

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Those rings are necessary as they take the sideways strain off the wheelstuds when the rim is fitted.

Although, why he didn't have them to start with, is weird. Most mag and tyre shops would organise all the necessary pieces 1st, and ask the customer to come back when the stuff is ready, rather then fitting the incorrect parts.

How'd this go anyway?

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