Hello;

After 2 weeks of waiting patiently, my wheels arrived (Racing Hart GT-5's, gunmetal, very nice lookin) and contrary to what the salesperson said over the phone, the wheel does not mate with the Passat hub.

:???:

Do I send these back or are there very stiff shims/rings that allow the wheel to mate with the hub very snugly/properly? Is it an issue that the load is all born through the lug bolts on a wheel with larger ID (I'll assume this is a standard problem with aftermarket wheels....sorry if a dead horse, did not find anything in my search)? If you have technical knowledge of what is safe, please enlighten me...I'm feeling nervous about the bolts centering the wheel and bearing all the load and wiggling loose.

Thanks in advance! :bow:

I can't speak for your wheels, but my wheels actually came with plastic rings that fit inside the hub to make them hubcentric. I think this is pretty common as opposed to stocking wheels with many different ID's. They may have forgot to include them.

As far as just riding on the lug bolts, I wouldn't....

 

As was stated, hopefully the place you bought the wheels just forgot to include the adapter rings. You definately don't want the lugs to take the load, that's what the hub is for.

 

As was stated, hopefully the place you bought the wheels just forgot to include the adapter rings. You definately don't want the lugs to take the load, that's what the hub is for.

I don't feel bad at all starting to put the very negative word out on wheelmax.com. I'm having some major problems with them right now. 4 wheels got here just fine. No other hardware. Lug bolts and hubcentric fit were promised to me and I got neither. I think I can resolve the Lug Bolt issue (lost either in their shop or at UPS...I trust UPS more than the shop at the moment) but wheelmax refuses to send me rings. 'we don't have any rings and never supply them'. I called Racing hart (Dazz motorsports) who make the wheels and they say they always send wheels with centering rings and mounting hardware. Wheelmax at the moment refuses to do a thing about it even though they admit they described the wheel as snugly fitting on my hub before I gave VISA #. I'm trying to get to the top of customer service but have been hung up on about 10 times due to some phone problem (caller ID probably) of theirs.

I'm getting angry. You won't like me when I'm angry :evil: :evil: :evil:

Where's the Hulk-icon?

cheers.

 

You definately don't want the lugs to take the load, that's what the hub is for.

The hubcentric adapter's purpose is to center the wheel very well until the screws are tightened. The adapter will see a load equal to the weight of your wheel and tire plus whatever load you apply getting them in place; that is why a plastic adapter is sufficient.

The lugs (and the adapter) will never take the (shear) load if the lugs are torqued properly; the clamping force of the 5 screws generates about 7000 lb of frictional force between the wheel and mounting surface. Only after you exceed that can the hubcentric adapter see a load.

You want the adapters so that the wheels will be mounted on center everytime.

 

A bud just mentioned the clamping force is important...I must admit I may have underestimated the effect of static friction.

I must say, given the dynamic shear loads the wheel must see (ie hitting a pothole), I'm surprised things are set up with 2 flat metal planes (wheel and hub) parallel to the force axis. You'd think a conical shape to the hub and rim would make sense to help take care of some of that load *not* in shear.

Thanks for the info, feelin better about plastic in the load path!

 

A bud just mentioned the clamping force is important...I must admit I may have underestimated the effect of static friction.

I must say, given the dynamic shear loads the wheel must see (ie hitting a pothole), I'm surprised things are set up with 2 flat metal planes (wheel and hub) parallel to the force axis. You'd think a conical shape to the hub and rim would make sense to help take care of some of that load *not* in shear.

Thanks for the info, feelin better about plastic in the load path!

Lug bolts are about $70 BTW for a set of 20. I would contest the charge with your Visa company and let the wheels sit in your garage till you get a call asking them to send them back. It's there fault they didn't send you the right hardware, making the wheels useless. And if they don't return your calls, then that is there problem. The ball is in there court and most credit card company's will side with you.

Then buy wheels from a more reputable company...

 

Call your credit card number RIGHT NOW and contest the entire charge. They will suspend all interest on the charge until it is resolved. They will then send you a form letter to fill out about your complaint with the merchant. Failure to provide the product as described is more than sufficient grounds for cancelling the transaction. The vendor will end up having to issue call tags and they will have to pay the shipping to get them returned. Basically you are going to make the vendor eat the transaction (all shipping to and from you.) My guess is that they will offer you a resolution before they pay two way shipping charges.
Andrew
Austin, Texas

 

send them back

 

Got through to customer svc at wheelmax. They say they'll send lug bolts. Kinda bugz that they lost track of this shipment and were not appologetic at all...bummer to have a new toy without the batteries promissed. They told me they don't do hubcentric rings...never have never will. No pity on my situation at all. They sent me to prestigewheel.com for the rings...anybody know if this is a good product? The fact that prestigewheel spells Passat 'Possat' in about 100 places on their website makes me wonder. Their centering rings are about $30 for 4. Racing Hart (Dazz) sells rings for $88 for the set. The youth in me wants to send the wheels back to respond to the crap service at wheelmax. The working stiff in me is about to lay out the $88 and let it go as the wheels are sitting in my living room and I'm too many hours into this purchase.

-Ringless in Oakland

 

My opinion: If you don't want the hassle, really like the wheels AND you don't mind paying extra for something you were told was included, then keep the wheels. Otherwise my advise is to call your credit card company, and file a complaint and let them help you get, A) either your money back or, B) the promised parts.

 

This vendor will continue doing business just like they did with you until several customers force them to stop. You need to get away from this vendor right now!!
What if one or more of these wheels ends up being out of round or is initially defective in some way?? Unlikely, but have you thought of that??
Then what would you do??
Andrew
Austin, Texas

 

First you stop the payment .

That is why i use Amex Blue. 100% safe
Every time i had a problem with people like that, they allways stop the payment and never gave me any grief.
Bunch of assholes

 

The update...

Thanks words of wisdom. I let the wheel manufacturer know their wheels were being sold without the rings (normally provided with) and suggested their product was being misrepresented with a potential safety hazard. I encouraged them to apply pressure to Wheelmax as they were doing a disservice to their product/brand name. They let me know they were taking care of that. Apparently it worked, I recontacted Wheelmax after gathering lots of info and suggestedthey provide the rings to me and the bolts as they were verbally promised and I would not mount the wheels without both. Additionally, that they should alert future buyers the wheels come without rings and let folks know of potential safety issues. After speaking with the manager, they promised to pay for the rings from prestigewheel ($40 total). Lug nuts should arrive today...it appears wheelmax followed through on taking care of me after great struggle on my part. I hope they'll treat future customers better and likely will after the lashing they likely received from the wheel manufacturer.

 

when all else fails

You can get new hub rings and lugs from places like purems.com, prestigewheel.com, ecstuning.com and others.

 

Good work, MechE. It should be illegal to sell wheels without the rings. Too many aftermarket companies making money selling shoddy fitments to unknowing customers.

 

Thanks for continued suggestions/info. I've now got the wheels on the vehicle with my original lug bolts. Their lugs arrived yesterday and they are the wrong part (cone head, wheel wants curved bolt head). We discussed this in detail, another safety hazard. Bolt/nut geometry must match the wheel to properly hold... 2 orders of business to sort out with wheelmax before I'm out of their hair...correct bolts and ring reimbursement. The prestigewheel rings fit perfectly and the wheels look very fine.

cheers, MechE.

 

MechE,

Do you know, by chance, what the outer diameter of your hub rings are, for your RH GT5's. I have RH C6's and I'm not 100% on the outer diameter width for the hub rings. Also, what length wheel bolts are you using? Thanks.

madigan

 

MechE,

Do you know, by chance, what the outer diameter of your hub rings are, for your RH GT5's. I have RH C6's and I'm not 100% on the outer diameter width for the hub rings. Also, what length wheel bolts are you using? Thanks.

madigan

Sure; I'm currently using my original bolts (WheelMax, Who SUCK still haven't reimbursed me for my rings and sent the wrong bolts, cones not curves), they have the curved head...apparently there is only one geometry of curved head (ie one radius). I believe they are:

14x1.5x27 (14mm diam, 1.5 thread pitch, 27mm long)

The rings are:

73mm Id on the rim to a 57.1mm OD on the VW hub, referred to as a 73 to 57. Call Dazz Motorsports who makes Racing Harts to be sure of your rim:

1-626-962-0033

Best of luck, MechE

ps. if you need cone shaped bolts, I've got new ones that don't go with my wheels.

 

Thanks a lot. I was pretty sure they were 73mm on the rim. Are the bolts your selling 14x1.5x27?

Thanks again.

madigan

 

Yep, I've got 14x1.5x27 cone headed bolts. They take a large allen (7mm?...could measure if you need to know) to tighten them, chrome. I've got the allen tool (socket) that mates 'em. Wheelmax sent me these, they should have sent me round heads. I'm still working with them on how to resolve the outstanding issues, if I sell these bolts it will simplify my interaction with them. I'll take any reasonable price for them, they are new unused. I noticed prestigewheel.com sells bolts too (where I got my rings).

-MechE

 

Yep, I've got 14x1.5x27 cone headed bolts. They take a large allen (7mm?...could measure if you need to know) to tighten them, chrome. I've got the allen tool (socket) that mates 'em. Wheelmax sent me these, they should have sent me round heads. I'm still working with them on how to resolve the outstanding issues, if I sell these bolts it will simplify my interaction with them. I'll take any reasonable price for them, they are new unused. I noticed prestigewheel.com sells bolts too (where I got my rings).

-MechE

 

Yep, I've got 14x1.5x27 cone headed bolts. They take a large allen (7mm?...could measure if you need to know) to tighten them, chrome. I've got the allen tool (socket) that mates 'em. Wheelmax sent me these, they should have sent me round heads. I'm still working with them on how to resolve the outstanding issues, if I sell these bolts it will simplify my interaction with them. I'll take any reasonable price for them, they are new unused. I noticed prestigewheel.com sells bolts too (where I got my rings).

-MechE

 

whoa, you posted 3 times :lol: I'll let you know about the lug bolts.

thanks 8)

madigan