About to start replacing tires and wheels...thought sims would be a lot cheaper, but new alum x6 is 1380.00, new steel with sims 1140.00..
Not the savings I expected...any opinions on the simulators? I know the alum require some polishing, and my cost on them doesnt even count hub caps n nut covers...
Sims maintenance free pretty much??
Pros n cons?
Thanks
I bought decent takeoffs and took them to a wheel polisher. Will install with new Michelins.
Still need to change studs and nuts. I don't mi d the expense for studs and nuts since all new with no stretched issues.
Unless you have a outlet for the MCI studs those will set you back almost $400.00 (maybe more) for the front and tag axle for the aluminum wheels
Quote from: luvrbus on October 09, 2018, 03:35:03 PM
Unless you have a outlet for the MCI studs those will set you back almost $400.00 (maybe more) for the front and tag axle for the aluminum wheels
Glad you mentioned that Clifford. I don't think a lot of people realize they're not simply interchangeable. :o
Quote from: luvrbus on October 09, 2018, 03:35:03 PM
Unless you have a outlet for the MCI studs those will set you back almost $400.00 (maybe more) for the front and tag axle for the aluminum wheels
Are those studs totally unique to MCI?
I have a few sources for studs wholesale unless they are ...
Agree with Chessie, thats money well spent
I thought real buses all had painted steel wheels?
they did 40 years ago
No Richard, just yours and school buses. :P
Quote from: richard5933 on October 09, 2018, 04:31:16 PM
I thought real buses all had painted steel wheels?
I stayed with steel wheels
I'm a big fan of aluminum wheels rather than simulators. . .in fact, I'd rather have painted steel wheels over simulators. The biggest reason is, although it's rather rare, I want to know when a wheel has developed a crack. Even though it's not a common occurrence, I really want to know before one of them passes me up!
Aluminum wheels are better balanced than the steel ones that are welded.
Alum wheels are lighter.
They look better nowadays.
Simulators might look nice, but they cover up the nuts and hubs, so you cannot easily check them for a pre trip or on the road. Just the center hub cap on an aluminum wheel is easy enough to remove to check oil level.
JC
Aluminum wheels are preferable if you can afford the changeover, and you will be able to check for cracks more easily. The chances of getting cracks on aluminum wheels seems to be higher if they are over-torqued by zealous tire jockeys. 450 ft.lbs. is as far as I go on mine.
If you can fork over the money for the new studs go aluminum. But you need to determine if your wheels are stud or hub piloted first. You'll save weight on aluminum rims and and they are gorgeous.
Aluminum wheels are 1 piece were the steel are in 2 pieces weld together,what I like best about the Aluminum wheel is less transfer of road noise and they seem to reduce the road shock transfer,the polishing of Aluminum wheels I don't care for much,the hub and lug nut covers can be expensive for aluminum wheel can be pricey I bought T Kane covers for mine :o :o :o I still have sticker shock
Aw 'come on Cliff. We all know you swing through Danny's in Phoenix and get your wheels polished, lol.
Quote from: Boomer on October 09, 2018, 09:19:38 PM
Aw 'come on Cliff. We all know you swing through Danny's in Phoenix and get your wheels polished, lol.
LOL they do a good job 8)
Where I had my rims polished, they do semis; wheels, fuel tanks, etc. One of the guys has a green grey haze all over him. The wheel guy has this on hands and face. Even the company cat has this haze all over it.lol
Would anyone have an MCI part # on the wheel studs? Or an old one laying around to get dimensions on? Shoulder/serrations diameter is what I need.
Stud pilot of course on my 81..
Thanks
1 1/8"thread, 1 1/4"at the shoulder is standard truck stud for steer axle.
Ive never seen one from an MCI.
It might not even have serrations, could have a clipped head to keep it from turning in the hub...
Steel are heavier, many times out of balance-but if you bend them, you can many times pound them back into shape with a big ol hammer.
Aluminum are lighter-better ride, look better, and usually are balanced better. BUT-don't hit a curb sideways, or you'll crack them (don't ask how I know). As to polishing-if you put a sealer over the freshly polished wheels, they will stay shiny for several years. I haven't polished my rims for 7 years and yes they are a little less polished looking, but still look alright. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: OKIE9ERS on October 10, 2018, 07:25:55 AM
1 1/8"thread, 1 1/4"at the shoulder is standard truck stud for steer axle.
Ive never seen one from an MCI.
It might not even have serrations, could have a clipped head to keep it from turning in the hub...
They have serrations with a nut on the drum side, the dimensions are posted here some place with Mertior numbers the search for those has been going on for several years lol and we all ended up biting the bullet. look up Meritor 20x305 and you will see the standard MCI stud but they are 3/8th too short for aluminum wheels
Thanks Cliff...
Quote from: luvrbus on October 11, 2018, 09:00:51 AM
They have serrations with a nut on the drum side, the dimensions are posted here some place with Mertior numbers the search for those has been going on for several years lol and we all ended up biting the bullet. look up Meritor 20x305 and you will see the standard MCI stud but they are 3/8th too short for aluminum wheels
Man these are not what I was expecting...lol...I found some 3/10" longer than the 20x305 on the wheel end..Do you think that would be enough to go with aluminum?
Geez, wholesale from meritor like 17 bucks apiece...Found some imported, company called automann, $4.62 apiece wholesale... for the 3/10 longer
https://www.realwheels.com/aerodynamic-wheel-covers/
https://www.realwheels.com/product/twist-lock-aero-covers/
Don't recall this being mentioned as an option for replacing studs and nuts. Since you can replace both bolt and nut as a pair, the threading spec is not as relevant as you'd order a set that matched. Then you can concentrate on searching for bolts that match base on length and diameter and grade which should make a lot more options available. Seems like it could work and be cheaper too.
Quote from: windtrader on October 12, 2018, 08:22:50 AM
Don't recall this being mentioned as an option for replacing studs and nuts. Since you can replace both bolt and nut as a pair, the threading spec is not as relevant as you'd order a set that matched. Then you can concentrate on searching for bolts that match base on length and diameter and grade which should make a lot more options available. Seems like it could work and be cheaper too.
You have some explaining to do replacing a wheel stud with a bolt ,I am lost on this one and all ears :o
I think Im gonna be good with the 3/10" longer studs I got..
Alum wheel is 1/2" thicker than steel, but, the alum has an extra countersink for the nut of around 1/4", and I had a few extra threads on my steel wheels with factory studs to begin with...
Bus getting shiny new steers!!!!
QuoteYou have some explaining to do replacing a wheel stud with a bolt, I am lost on this one and all ears
Clifford, you know I'm not afraid to say I am clueless about buses. Yes, the idea was to replace a stud with a bolt. Probably showing my ignorance that a bolt won't fit on the backside of the plate. Sounded like a possibility though.
OK. So what about metric sized studs and nuts? I'm traveling in SE Asia and wonder if studs and nuts sourced here might make a group buy might worthwhile. If you can give me some metric equivalents maybe I can ask around some bus repair shops.
Quote from: OKIE9ERS on October 12, 2018, 09:44:40 AM
I think Im gonna be good with the 3/10" longer studs I got..
For future reference, the MCI part numbers for stock studs are
Front15C-2-38 = LH thread
15C-2-39 = RH thread
Rear15C-3-37 = LH Thread
15C-3-38 = RH Thread
My 5C's parts book doesn't show an optional stud for aluminum wheels.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Thanks RJ...I'll need those rear #s when I get to the drives
What size rims are you looking for? I know a source that has a bunch of 22.5" x 9.00" Alcoa Aluminum Wheels for $125 each. Im sure you can get a deal if you buy all that you need at once
Quote from: jraynor on October 18, 2018, 09:50:28 AM
What size rims are you looking for? I know a source that has a bunch of 22.5" x 9.00" Alcoa Aluminum Wheels for $125 each. Im sure you can get a deal if you buy all that you need at once
22.5x 825 stud pilot
The 9" are hub piloted I never saw one in a stud pilot I am not saying they never made one though
The stud piloted ones are getting harder to find, you might have to settle for ones that are less than ideal. The alternative, if you want aluminum badly, would be to change your hubs for the hub centering type, but that would be pricey, if possible.
On GM's, only need to change the studs. The hubs are the same. Check out the metric I'd of the hole in the hub piloted wheel...it converts to the same inch dimension of the stud piloted wheels. They list that hub piloted wheels were an option on GM models.
Well fooey(edited)...
Turns out my 3/10" longer studs I found are exactly the same length as whats already on my bus--didnt know that until jacking it up and removing the wheel and drum...since I had it right there went ahead a tried that shiny new aluminum on those studs...
No good...only got about half the nut on there....
So...put that ugly @$# steel back on there and resume my search for studs, that arent 20 bucks apiece...
It was nice practice getting that wheel off the ground and off...got to see alot of stuff behind there I hadnt seen yet...