Beware: hub centric rings and Quicklane service "techs"

[Autonomous]

(Long Story) Going around a gentle corner at maybe 35-40 MPH I heard a "ting-ting" sound come from rear of the car and immediately thought I clipped the curb by a fraction and damaged a rim. It was near midnight, which I drive that area every night home from work and am always weary, but mistakes can happen. I was rewarded shortly after with a bit of wheel wobble.

I pulled into a parking lot and looked at all 4 corners, nothing looked chipped. I drove slow in the empty lot cutting left to right and the wobble got worse. Pulled out the mag light and found I was missing a lug nut on the right rear. Dug out the jack and wrench and found that the other 3 were loose! Man that could have been bad!

I tightened down the remaining 3 lug nuts while fending off a guy who "just got a new job but needs gas money" (South Main Street, Houston Texas, I've heard this story 6 times at least).

I limped home, checking the nuts again halfway home. At home I had more light and noticed the wheel was slightly crooked, I just knew I chewed up a hub centric ring, so I popped on Amazon and reordered the same set for $16, down from $22. Took the wife's vehicle to work until the weekend.

Just jacked up the car and popped the wheel off, took off the hub centric ring which looked only lightly scuffed, but noticed the inside of the rim had shavings. The hub of the rim had a lip on it all chewed up which i don't remember Lip! Looking harder, it was another hub centric ring that went unnoticed when the Ford Quick Lane did my oil change and tire rotation. So there were two rings stacked on top of each either and torqued down with all the fury a budget impact can put out. Which means also i have a wheel with no ring somewhere else on the vehicle...

I normally go to the original dealer Quick Lane in Rosenberg but I was short on time and used the Helfman Ford dealer Quick Lane on my way to work. I'll be stopping by there tomorrow to explain to the service manager how this could have killed me on the freeway instead of running my night. I'll also be telling them I need my money for the ring set, and if I have bearing problems within the next year from this being off kilter for a few weeks that there will be problems.


********

(Short Version) Ford Quick Lane "tech" didn't notice he had stacked one hub centric ring (that was stuck in the wheel from the front) on top of another ring (that was stuck on the hub in the rear). [emoji35]

Sorry to be long winded, pics to come in a bit.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Ceecab705]

That's one of the reasons I try my best not to let anyone touch my car. Good luck with how they handle your complaint.

 

[Siestarider]

The rings that came with my used Kosei's are plastic and falling apart. Just received aluminum rings "supposedly" correct ID/OD. Unless I can freeze them and fit into hubs tightly, I was thinking of using goop to glue them in. But I don't know diddly about hub rings. Just thinking maybe a more durable material and securing them to wheels seems a good idea.

 

[Autonomous]

Siestarider, I have the Ubertechnics 63.4 to 73.1 aluminum rings from Amazon. Now on sale for $15.99. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q..._10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZJYP8V6BQGWEVFKBTMRF

They fit nicely on the hub and just barely rub inside the rim. I wish they were a bit wider/deeper for more support, but they work well enough. Just had to buy another set after this incident.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Autonomous]

So, on to the pics:

I made this handy dandy chunk of wood to go raise the car with my full size jack. It has a wedge cut to avoid the"V" shaped channel sheet metal and instead keeps the weight on the jack point next to the pinch seam.

I found one hub centric ring sandwiched on top of another, thanks to the 3 "techs" starring at my car during the oil change and tire rotation. I'm guessing one guy was teaching the other two.

Here you can see the chewed-up ring that's wedged in tight and wouldn't pull out by hand or even a pair of sharp Channel Locks and wood to pry against.

I cut some relief slots a couple millimeters deep with the Dremel, popped out the plastic center cap, flipped it over and used a cylindrical punch through the center cap hole. I covered the wheel with a sterile shop towel, as you can see.

Thanks to Mjolnir and patience I was able to extract the ring.

Then I decided I better check the front right. Sure enough, the front right side was missing its ring, which was doubled up on the back right.

I replaced both with new rings, centered the wheel onto the hub, tightened properly, eased it down to put just a little weight on the tire and then torqued it to 90 lbs. Repeat for the other.

Then I decided I better check the other two wheels. They were fine, so I torqued them properly and took it for a test drive.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Autonomous]

That's one of the reasons I try my best not to let anyone touch my car. Good luck with how they handle your complaint.

Same here. I've used the dealership to do oil changes so that a record is kept if I ever sell it and someone pulled a CarFax. Not sure if I'll continue this practice in the future...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Siestarider]

Siestarider, I have the Ubertechnics 63.4 to 73.1 aluminum rings from Amazon. Now on sale for $15.99. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q..._10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZJYP8V6BQGWEVFKBTMRF

They fit nicely on the hub and just barely rub inside the rim. I wish they were a bit wider/deeper for more support, but they work well enough. Just had to buy another set after this incident.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Those are the ones. Wish I had your post before trying to find Kosei hub ID on forum, but thanks, it will be here for the next guy. And for confirming I ordered the correct size.

 

[OffTheWall503]

That's one of the reasons I try my best not to let anyone touch my car. Good luck with how they handle your complaint.

I agree, even though my car came with a few free oil changes from the dealer I purchased it from, I do all of my own work. It also helps when you have access to lifts and a shop like I do.