Hubcentric rings allow the bore of the aftermarket wheel to be the same exact size as the hub bore. This makes it completely idiot-proof to mount the wheels incorrectly. It appears that getting hubcentric rings is a no-brainer, right?
I did a little research and this is what I've found.
There's argument stating that not only do the rings help straighten the wheel when mounting them, but it also helps support the wheel, such as, absorbing road vibrations. Due to the wheel bore and the hub bore sizes being exactly the same, there's no play for the wheel to move around. However, this is false. The majority of the rings are thin and made out of plastic or aluminum. Under extreme g-forces, does it really seem reasonable that these rings can help support the wheel? This begs the question: do hubcentric rings provide any benefit besides aiding in the mounting of the wheel?
Many say that hubcentric rings aren't needed to properly mount and center a wheel. If one properly mounts a wheel by using the correct aftermarket lug nuts, hand tightening in a star pattern, and torquing to the proper specification, then a wheel will be centered.
For the track enthusiasts, it's actually recommended
not to install these rings because they can potentially melt under extreme conditions. Here are just a few quotes from S2000 members.
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A BIG word of caution to anyone who uses them, plastic or Al.
They have a tendancy to get stuck inside the wheel or on the hub. If a wheel with one stuck inside it is mounted to a hub with one stuck on it the wheel will not mount flush. Instead there will be a very small gap between the wheel and hub.
If you are lucky the wheel will wobble when you first start out after mounting it and you will quickly realize there is something very wrong.
If you are unlucky the wheel wont wobble and at some point later the lug nuts will work themselves loose with the loss of the wheel while moving a very likely outcome.
Ask me how i know.
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My plastic rings melted after a half-day session at the track. After reading this thread, I won't be using the rings again.
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I have Volk wheels and have absolutely melted the plastic hub centric rings that came with the wheels. This was from 2 track days - looked like a shrinky dink. Only the front melted.
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You can find more information about melting rings by visiting this thread.
http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/2959...bcentric+rings
Based on these facts, we can conclude a couple of things. For your average driver, hubcentric rings can aid in properly centering your wheel. For track enthusiasts, it is not recommended to install the rings because they can potentially overheat and melt. However, one can can properly center their wheel without the hubcentric rings as long as it's mounted properly.
What are your thoughts on this topic?