Drum and wheel centering sleeve, kit and method

A drum and wheel centering sleeve comprising:

• a sleeve body having a drum centering portion with a first exterior surface of uniform diameter and sized to slide into one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced drum apertures on a drum when the drum is mounted on a hub having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts, and a wheel centering portion having a second exterior surface of a uniform diameter, said sleeve body terminating in an open first end and a second end opposite said first end, said exterior surface of said shaft portion is cylindrical and substantially fills said hub aperture and is slidable therein, said sleeve body having internal threads to enable said sleeve body to be threaded on one of said bolts, and
• a tool engageable slot in said second end that is engaged by a tool for rotating said sleeve body to thread and un-thread said sleeve body on one of said bolts, and whereby upon the installation of a set of three of said sleeve bodies selected on associated of said three circumferentially spaced bolts by threading said three sleeve bodies on said three associated bolts and tightening said three sleeves said drum is centered on said hub and upon placement of a wheel with a plurality of circumferentially spaced wheel apertures on said wheel centering portions said wheel is centered on said hub.

A drum and wheel centering kit comprising:

• a set of three identical centering sleeves that are installed on and remain on a selected of a plurality of circumferentially spaced threaded bolts on a hub for a drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced drum apertures of uniform diameter and a wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced wheel apertures of uniform diameter, each said sleeve having:
• a sleeve body having a drum centering portion sized to slide into a selected one of said drum apertures when the drum is mounted said hub, said sleeve body having a wheel centering portion, said sleeve body terminating in an open first end and an open second end opposite said first end, said sleeve body having internal threads to enable said sleeve body to be threaded on one of said bolts,
• whereby upon the installation of a set of three of said sleeve bodies on associated of said three of said circumferentially spaced bolts by threading said three sleeve bodies on said three bolts with said drum centering portions in said three drum apertures said drum is centered on said hub and upon placement of a wheel with a plurality of circumferentially spaced wheel apertures on said wheel centering portions said wheel is centered on said hub.