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Snow is due here in Toronto by the end of the week, so I took the time to mount my winter tires back on. I am using my stock 15" (Acura EL) rims with the winter tires.

I remove my summer rims and mount the winter ones in typical fashion. However, when I lift the winter rim on to the four lugs, I notice that there is very little of the lugs protruding through the lug holes in the rim (when viewed from the exterior side of the rim). Regardless, I am able to thread the lug nuts on. The lug nuts however, do not take many turns before they are tightened.

What concerns me is that I can put a finger (as shown in the photo) between the area where the hub/disc/spindle/whatever you call it bit on the suspension arm and the interior side of the rim. If I could see where my finger is, I'd probably see four lug nuts spanning the gap. I had always thought that the rim should sit flush with the suspension bits so that there is no gap?

The shop put the summer rims on so I forgot how this looked when I had the factory rims. Is this normal? I'm not sure if I am not pushing the rim on to the lugs enough? I try to force the rim on to the lugs harder but it doesn't go any further?

Could someone please advise me if I am doing this right?




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[IMG]/forums/themes/orbitz/paperclip.gif[/IMG] wheelmount.jpg (32 Kb)

 
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No, what I'm seeing in that picture is NOT normal. That gap that your finger is in should not be there. The wheels should fit flush up against the hub. If you had wheels on the car previously that required "hubcentric" rings, maybe you have forgotten to take those off before ya put the factory wheels back on. That COULD account for the gap, but no matter what, the gap in the picture should not be there. I was told by a tire shop once that when ya tighten lug nuts on the wheel that they should rotate atleast 5 times before they tighten up & anything less than 5 times is unsafe.

 
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yea, looks like the hub rings are still on the hub and not your summer wheels. Check your summer wheels to see if there is a plastic hub ring in the middle. If not, it is still on the hub, keeping the stock wheel from fully seating.

 
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Thanks guys, this is the first time that I changed from summer to winter so I wasn't aware of the hubcentric rings. I didn't feel safe about it, glad I asked first.

How do this rings look like and are they easy to remove?

 
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Just an update guys, and for those who may refer to this thread in the future for help.

VTEC808 and INANIMATECARBONROD were correct, I didn't notice the hub rings left on the axle and the stock wheels wouldn't fit back on. Once I easily removed the hub rings, the wheels fit perfect. I put the winter tires on and gave it a test drive and everything is perfect. Thanks guys.