I'm changing my truck wheels from summer tires to snow tires mounted on different wheels. But when I put the new wheels on, the little round end of the axle doesn't fit through the hole in the middle of the wheel (as it did on the wheels I just took off). This means the wheel isn't flush against the brake drum (this is a rear wheel). This is dangerous, right?, and I shouldn't use these wheels.
Does the a car wheel have to be flush with the brake drum housing?
Don't use the wheels. The need to press against the brake drums (they hold the drums in place).
It would be very easy for the lugnuts to come loose, or bend the rim trying to tighten the lugnuts, you would never get the wheel 'square' it would wobble as you drove down the road...
Just don't use them. As said above, you can get a machine shop to enlarge the hole to the size that you need so that it will slide over your hub.
Does the a car wheel have to be flush with the brake drum housing?
yes this is very dangerous, you will not get the lug nuts tight and will loose a wheel while driving down the road.
You got wheels with a smaller center bore. You can either take them to a machine shop to have them bored out to the correct size, or get different wheels.
