Anyone have plastic "Hub Rings" on their Camry?

[hairball]

When I got my wheels from Discount Tire, I was quoted and price and liked it (got a good deal since I've been a regular customer there). But when I got home later I started looking at my receipt and discovered they had charged me $15 for "Toyota Hub Ring Set". When I did my brakes about a week later, I discovered they were just plastic rings that help center the rim. (What? Lug nuts don't do this?)

These are the wheels: MB Five-X


Well, the one on my left front wheel because to make a squishy noise on light braking. It would go away if I pressed the brake pedal harder or let off. This noise continued even after having everything rotated a month later. But the noise was still there.

The other day, after trying everything else to figure out what that noise was, I removed my wheel and cleaned the ring and applied white lithium grease, as I also did to the hub where the rotor slides over. The noise was suddenly gone! Yippee!

But it's slowly coming back!!! Now, I need your opinions: do you think the noise is from the plastic ring or the hub where the rotor touches it? Seems to me the grease wore away already. But at least it's not as loud as it was (yet!).

[white90dx]

I have never heard of plastic centering rings causing problems or noises.

Lug nuts and wheel studs should not be used to center the wheels on the studs and a hub centering ring or correctly sized center hole on the wheel should always be used. Plastic is fine (and often better than aluminum because it doesn't rust or electrolise to the steel/iron). After the lugs are tightened, there is no more force on the ring.

I still think there is something else in there causing the noise.

-Charlie

[hairball]

Originally Posted by white90dx

I still think there is something else in there causing the noise.

Yeah, I'm still wondering this too. But since all the noise went away after applying some grease, it got me thinking the problem was solved.

Remember (if you do) how I mentioned in another thread how this left front axle seems bent? Well, ironically this is the one making the noise. I told my friend that I'd bet money that once I replace the axle (or whatever the heck is bent) I won't have the noise again. I say this because since something is bent, it's causing undue strain on everything else up there, including those rings.

Next time I have my car on a jack I'll do a quick video of it running in drive so you can see the wobble I'm talking about in the other post.

Thanks again for all your expert advice, Charlie.