Matching Up Wheel Pilot Hole on Hub-Centric Trailer Wheels That Uses Lug Bolts

Updated 10/13/2011 | Published 10/08/2011

Question:

Hi. I saw a question similar to mine on here about mismatching the wheel center hole size to the existing hub. I have a similar scenario with the new wheel/tire assemblies I bought from you guys. The new wheels have a larger center hole than the old ones, but the bolt holes line up fine and mount easily. Your answer to the other question was that it depended on the pilot hole, but I dont know what that means. These assemble with lug bolts, not nuts, but they thread in fine. Is that acceptable, or do I need to replace the hubs?

asked by: Todd E

Expert Reply:

Since your trailer uses lug bolts, it is a hub-centric wheel, which means the wheel is centered on the hub by the hub itself. So the pilot hole of the wheel needs to match the diameter of the hub. The pilot hole refers to the round hole in the center of the wheel.

If you had a trailer that used lug nuts, the wheel would be centered on the hub by the lug nuts. With a trailer that uses lug nuts, you would not need to match up the pilot hole, as long as the hole is large enough for the hub to fit around.

With the current wheels you have, since the pilot hole does not match up, the wheels will not be centered properly. I would recommend getting the correct wheels that match your pilot hole.

Checkout the video I produced for you that shows the difference in hub-centric and lug-centric wheels.

expert reply by: Reno H