Sorry if this appears to be an ignorant question, but in my experience thus far I have not encountered this problem. While trying to mount new wheels on the front hub assembly, I only then realized there is a bolt protruding from the assembly between one pair of wheel studs. In looking at various pictures online, it appears some have this and some do not. My 350Z is an '04 Touring, if that impacts it at all. For reference (pulled from other posts, because my OEM wheel is mounted back on so I can't take a picture-please disregard the red writing), below are two pictures. The second picture has a hole where that bolt appears to have been, or where it was not installed due to other reasons (like a different brake package, etc??)

Question: can this be removed in order to allow a wheel to fit that does not have cut-outs like the OEM wheel?

 

Yes. It is there so no one else tries to mount the rear wheels on the front. Serves no other purpose.

 

Thanks for the quick response. That makes much more sense, as its placement did not seem to have any other logical purpose.

 

+1.

You can remove it and leave it removed. It won't affect anything at all...