Magazine for the auto service professional
Issue link: http://asp.epubxp.com/i/780462
10 | ASP February 2017 Technical lights for GM, Ford, Bosch, etc. Use of these test lights is an easy way to test for injector signal before delving further. WHEEL CENTERING Wheels must be properly centered to their hubs. is may seem obvious, but issues can arise if the centering method is not performed correctly. A wheel will center to the hub either lug-centrically or hub-centrically. Most of the vehicles you'll run into feature hub- centric positioning, where the hub hole in the wheel centers directly onto the hub flange. However, if the vehicle sports aftermarket alloy wheels, it is possible that the wheel's hub hole is larger in order to fit a variety of makes and models. If this is the case, a hub centering ring is required to take up the excess space, allowing the wheel to properly center onto the hub. When servicing the wheel/tire package (when replacing tires, or anytime wheels are removed), pay attention to this and look for the presence of a centering ring that might be stuck in the wheel or stuck onto the hub. If the wheel requires a centering ring and is installed without this ring, the wheel studs alone will not allow you to properly center the wheel, with a resulting radial run-out issue. If the vehicle experienced a flat tire and a spare was installed by the owner or by the tow truck driver before the vehicle arrived at your shop, the ring may have been lost or may be stuck onto the hub, and the installer may have been unaware. If the ring stayed in place on the hub and the factory spare wheel was installed, the ring will prevent the wheel from seating flush onto the hub face. ese rings may be made of either aluminum or plastic. In either case, the ring can easily be damaged by forcing a factory wheel into position that has the proper size hole for the hub. Again, if the vehicle has aftermarket wheels, just be aware of the potential for the need for centering rings. In order to replace a missing or damaged ring, measure the inside diameter of the wheel center hole and the outside diam- eter of the hub flange, as you'll need both of these dimensions to order a replacement. ■ Some aftermarket alloy wheels feature a uni- versal center hole to accommodate a variety of vehicle fitments, requiring a centering ring for proper hub centering of the wheel. The ring seats into a counterbore in the wheel's center hole. The flat flange of the ring will seat against the hub. This centering ring is stuck to the hub. If left in place when attempting to install a factory wheel, the ring will be damaged and will prevent a flush mount of the wheel to the hub. A kit will include an array of popular applications.