Those centerbore rings are stuck on the rotors at the moment, could spin freely (after bashing them) but it won't come off the rotor. Any ideas short of pulling the rotors out and bash it to death or drill holes onto the centerbore rings itself to ply it out?

Thanks

 

Get a thing screwdriver between the ring and the hub and pry it off. Just make sure not to pry too hard or you'll damage them if they're composite plastic.

 

I have managed to remove them in the past using a LARGE pair of channel-lock pliers. This works best after the car has been sitting for several hours.

 

It's a metal one. I've tried that but even my smallest screwdriver wouldn't go in - the gap there is measured in thou not even mm..it's that small.

Now what the heck is that channel plier thing? I might go grab one for the sake to pull it out.

 

My centering rings have gotten melted from track use and got stuck many times. Randy Webb says the best way to remove them is with the channel lock pliers. 12" will work on rings up to about 2-1/4". Rough cost $15



The plastic rings will deform from the heat especially. I grind down the inner surface of both metal and plastic rings that I use especially on the right front wheel and that helps to lessen the problem. If you can spin the ring then it is loose but binding. The pliers will work- just use a large one.

Careful if you do use a screwdriver to pry out the ring, you can damage your rotor in the process.

Of note- my deformed and ground down rings are doing quite well. Once deformed they seem to resist further problems. Changing to brake rotors and pads that can take heat better or installing a brake duct doesn't hurt.

 

Try some liquid wrench adn pliers, worked for me.

 

Actually you have to careful to not damage the hub not the rotor.

 

If all fails, try some vinegar.

 

I've got to say that I think hubcentric rings are simply evil. I've seen all kinds of problems with them at the track: missing, doubled up, bent/kinked/broken, etc.

I've got more sets of wheels in the garage than I care to think about (snows x 2 sets, track x 2, more) and not one of them requires rings.

Just say NO! Buy wheels that are machined to fit without kludgy hubcentric rings.

Neil
05 MCS

 

Thats rough when you vehcle fitment is SO close to many other cars. Your immidiatley narrowing your choices to "mini specific" manufactures .

Alex

 

Are there acceptable ways of modifying the rings without relegating them to uselessness?


Dave
2003 DS/B MCS about to mount new wheels with hub rings

 

I've been grinding down the insides or outsides of the rings with a dremmel tool.
It's a slow process but I can get a good fit if I take my time.

I like having a full selection of possible wheels and gladly use the rings as needed.
The selection of perfect fit MINI wheels is too narrow for my tastes and needs.

If you are doing only street driving it really isn't a problem to have the rings.
Just make sure that any garage that removes your wheels doesn't loose the rings.

 

I like how Tirerack sells SSR's, the rings are locked inside the wheel with C-rings...well, at least on the Comps and the GT3's. The old Integrals
were separate rings.:smile:

 

Have tried all your suggestions (and my gf was scratching her head major when I ran into the house quite dirty and pulled the vinegar out of the kitchen..), got 2 out but the rear ones still won't come off. I've even gone to drill a slot into them so I could pry them out but it still wouldn't come off.

Any other ideas? I think I might need to get a garage to cut them into 2 and that's probably the only way to sort it out....

I love my new wheels (it doesn't use rings thank goodness) but only got 2 up the front and the rear is still those old, ugly Taiwanese stuff... lesson learnt - you get what you paid for.

 

Well, to wheels specifically machined for the Mini anyhow. Wheel manufacturers cast wheels with blank hubs, then drill and machine them to suit the application. I don't think that's too much to ask, along with having the right offset. After all, when we buy wheels TR doesn't generally require us to use spacers.

BTW, I'm a local Indiana customer. All my BMW wheels came from TR in SB, and they all fit correctly with no spacers or hubcentric rings. I'm not inclined to settle for less for the Mini.

Neil
05 MCS
96 M3
03 525iT
77 MGB

 

Lets say there are a few fitments that could use the same width and offset

15x7 et40 Centerbore

Mini Cooper 56
Mazda Miata 54
Honda Civic 56.15
Dodge Neon 57

These could all be the same piece with rings used - or 4 diffrent part #'s if they were bored specifically.

Why dont we just bore blanks? Machien work should allways be done prior to paint, to keep the finish intact.

Alex

 

How long did you soak it in vinegar? You have to keep dripping every minute or so for 15min -30min. Yep, time consuming but it should work.

 

Yep, but that's life in the wheel biz. I fully understand how hubcentric rings make a vendor's life easier, but it's at the cost of pushing a kludge onto the customer.

Not this customer ;-)

Neil
05 MCS

 

Maybe that's the reason, it was soaked in vinegar for 15 minutes only. I'll go back and try again

 

I'd rather save $500 (or more) and use rings...rings work just fine for me.
If there was noticable difference in function, that would be another
story.

I appreciate manufacturers using their heads to provide the cost benefit
to the end user by offering such option.

 

How did it go? :smile:

also tap it gently from time to time with a small hammer to loosen the
rust under the ring.

 

Well I gave up in vein and let the guys that sold me the tires to sort it out. They kind of destroyed the rings (still re-usable up to a point) by getting a huge hammer, a piece of metal and start hammering the living daylight out of the rings. It did pop out at last after bashing them for almost 15 minutes on each corner.

I suppose soaked the rings with vinegar probably made their job easier thanks Ken.

 

hehe, oh well.

Hammered, huh? hummm...

 

So should I take it that you haven't actually read the rest of this thread?

Neil
(Who has never had to soak his properly fitting wheels in vinegar to get them off.)

 

who are you again? jk

ive never had to soak my entire wheel...