PEAKSTRYDE

I believe that I had the worst luck you could possibly have trying to bore out my new H2 wheels with a hole saw!

ATTENTION:
I, in no way, shape or form would suggest "drilling" out the center or H2 wheels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD

After buying the wheels, I knew that I had to bore them out, so I started the thread Best way to "bore" H2 wheels questioning the easiest way to bore them myself. I was going to use my boring bar (the right way) at the shop to bore out the center of my wheels, but the table was too narrow and I could not fit the wheel with the tire mounted. Abviously trying to keep cost down I did not want to demount and remount the tires.

I wrecked the first wheel I did and now kringe to think I may need it for a spare someday!!! Also I feel lucky to not have either of my wrists BROKEN. With brand new 4 3/4 bit (sharp as could be) biteing into the soft aluminium wheel, me hanging on with everything I got and the drill SMOKING, I finally completed the 1st wheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Whew

Save yourself the time, money for the hole saw, pain and aganey.

GO GET THEM DONE BY A MACHINE SHOP THAT HAS EQUIPMENT!!!!!!!!


As a last note you will want to have them machined to 4.774 inches (needs to fit the hub snug). This is very important because on the 2500/3500 trucks the rear axle hub transfers the weight from the back of the truck (weather box loaded or towing) to the center of the wheel. This means that when you slide the wheel onto the hub and push it over the lugs it should "float" on the lugs (you should be able to slightly turn the wheel clockwise or counter clockwise on the hub.

YOU DO NOT WANT THE PRESSURE OF THE LUGS ON THE WHEEL.

IMO
This is not a D.I.Y. job unless you work in a machine shop!

Pooter

Our wheels are lugcentric, not hubcentric

boarbuster

Thats what i was gonna say, but you beat me to it.

CD in NM

I did a set on a drill press using a variac to control the drill speed and slow it down. They turned out fine w/o a hitch. Like the posters above said, our wheels ARE lugcentric. I had a machine shop do my first set. Several of my friends have done them perfectly with routers. I am suprised that you had so much trouble with the aluminum material, a steel hole saw should have cut them like butter at the right speed.

CD

btolenti

Did mine with a router and flush bit....took about 3 minutes per rim....and looks/functions great...

06trx

My thinking about the use of anything other than a good machine shop is , when you go to balance the wheel the balancer uses the hub center .So, if you don't get it just perfict by any thing othe than a machine shop, you might as well use an AX!! Jeff

acook

I want to a custom tire wheel shop in Denver, 20 bucks a piece and they did a really good job.

ColdCase

The router method, since it machines the aluminum to the indented edge already accurately machined into the wheel, makes the hole just as perfectly round as a machine shop. Maybe not as aesthetically polished but just as functionally effective.

After I did mine, the H2 wheel fit the rear hub just as snug as the stock forged item.

I chose the router method because I have plenty or routing experience, not much drilling big holes, and the bit cost half as much as the hole saw. I'm sure drilling also does as good a job, especially if you are nearly as steady handed as a drill press and are patient. After all the hole saw is a round shape.

Oh, if you are not comfortable around a router or big hole saw, take the wheels to a shop, nothing wrong with that.

BossHogg

Ya,
I read all the hoopla about doing them yourself,...well I saw that coming, so I took it to a machine shop! It does sound easy though!

2500

router sounds like a no fuss way to go

btolenti

even if you screwed up a bit on the cut....if you use a flush mount bit, the outside edge of the rim should remain untouched.... That outside portion is what is needed to center the rim.

Mine balanced out no problem.

toyhaulersdream

still working a getting a set- working w/ a local Hummer dealer and ebay to get mine- got a friend who is a machinist- he told me it would cost me a case of beer to do the wheels. Anyone do an alignment after the wheels and tires were installed? Is is necessary

THD
Jeff

Raspy

Not. The balancers don't use the inside of the center hole to center the wheel for balancing. They use a cone that rests against the taper that leads to the center hole. Some of that taper remains after the centers are turned out. So you could use an ax and still balance the wheels just fine. A sharp ax is best though.

There are so many myths and fears about opening these wheels up at home. Why use false information to discourage others? It's perfectly OK to have a machine shop do the work, but it's also perfectly OK to use one of the various proven methods at home if you have the tools and are comfortable using them. The hole saw method works very well (do not use a death grip or a lot of pressure) and the router method makes a lot of sense too. Even a big half round file will work just fine, or a die grinder. This is definately not rocket science and the center hole does NOT support the truck's weight.

Wetspirit

pquestad

Wetspirit......there is one thing you are forgetting....sure..you can bore the centers out by yourself..and maybe even do a good job. BUT...if your work looks shotty...and not convincing like the wheel came that way the tire shop might refuse to work on your wheels. I know several people who were denied because the tire shop didn't want the liability of mounting/balancing a "home modified" wheel....so..I thought it was well worth the small expense to have it done right.

2500

if I understand correctly there's a lip for router to guide with. if that's true, then you would get a 100% professional result going with router method.

free handing with a hole saw or any other large tool is when you get ragged edges and a non professional looking job.

how's about a few pictures? H2 wheels may be in my future? that is if I can't find affordable 19.5 rims