Question on Alcoa Wheels

Sean · December 15, 2009, 08:38:47 PM

For hub-piloted wheels, you either need to change the studs to longer items for the aluminum wheels, OR you need to get a special wheel and nut combination.

The special wheel has oversized lug holes, and the special nuts have sleeves on them that thread down inside the enlarged holes.

You can't simply buy the wheels with the regular size lug holes and then hope to find some kind of nut that will work -- there will not be enough threads engaged to be safe or legal. If the wheels you bought have holes just large enough to clear the studs, then you will need to change the studs to longer ones.

Also be advised that whether you can dual aluminums or not depends on the depth of the pilot lands. Many pilots made for steel wheels will not have enough depth to engage the flange of the outer wheel if the inner wheel is aluminum. For this reason many folks, myself included, have to run steel wheels on the inners.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

PP · December 16, 2009, 08:57:31 AM

Quote from: bobofthenorth on December 14, 2009, 03:52:31 PM
Actually Will I'd be real surprised if yours aren't identical rims all the way around - mine certainly are. They look different mounted on the front but they are the same rims. I'm guessing that the OP's are too but I was waiting for an MCI authority to chime in.

I stand corrected. I went out this morning and pulled the covers off and crawled around in the mud with a tape measure. All the rims are of the same offset and size, even the inner Alcoas on the drive axle. I have come to the conclusion that at a certain age we cease to be fountains of knowledge and are nothing more than dithering old fools. So as not to become one of those that posts incorrect knowledge and possibly cause undue costs or worse, threaten someones safety, I will refrain from any technical posts in the future, no matter how benign.
Keep up the great posts from all you knowledgeable folks. My apologies, Will

bobofthenorth · December 16, 2009, 01:17:31 PM

Don't stop posting Will -we all make mistakes - some of us more than others. It takes a man to come back and admit it when he realizes what he has done. And I learned something from Clifford on this post - I didn't know that there were different offsets for singles. Mind you its a rare day that I couldn't learn something from Clifford - most days I could learn 2 or 3 things if I could just remember them.

kyle4501 · December 16, 2009, 01:22:45 PM

Sometimes it takes someone posting a misunderstanding before others will post to get a better explanation out there.

Copping a hostile attitude when challenged isn't productive.
Acknowledging that you were mistaken sets a fine example & takes courage. It also lends credibility to your future posts.

wildbob24 · December 16, 2009, 03:42:51 PM

I agree with BOTN and Kyle. we all can make mistakes.....doesn't mean we're "dithering old fools"

I did not know that hub piloted wheels were available as far back as the '70s; I stand corrected.

I had never heard the terms "hub mounted" and "stud mounted" used instead of "piloted". My research indicates that these terms are used when talking about wheel mounting methods; I stand corrected, again.

I appreciate the education.

Bob

niles500 · December 16, 2009, 05:40:58 PM

Will - Geez man - don't beat yourself up over that - honest mistake - I believe you gave the proper warning

JohnEd · December 16, 2009, 08:09:25 PM

PP,

So you are just going to leave me out here "dithering" in the wind?

All by my only?

C'mon Buddy,

I promise I will make you look good.

John

hargreaves · December 16, 2009, 10:37:36 PM

Kyle you were right about the nuts," I'm talking about the bus ones, not the rest of us. " LOL the shorter ones don't have much for the socket to go on to and the threades do go all the way to the end. The studs on my tags are too short even with these nuts. Not a lot of work to change on the tags.

WE learn by our mistakes, if we didn't make any mistakes we wouldn't be learning. Thanks for all the info. Gerry.

Sean · December 17, 2009, 05:57:07 AM

Quote from: hargreaves on December 16, 2009, 10:37:36 PM
Kyle you were right about the nuts, ... the shorter ones don't have much for the socket to go on to and the threades do go all the way to the end. The studs on my tags are too short even with these nuts. Not a lot of work to change on the tags.

Careful here. The nuts Kyle was talking about are for Budd wheels, but you've said your wheels are hub piloted. You can't use Budd nuts on hub pilot wheels and vice-versa.

As I wrote earlier, to change to aluminum wheels for hub pilots, you will either need to install longer studs, or buy the wheels with the over-sized holes and the matching sleeve nuts (assuming your studs were not made to accommodate aluminum wheels to begin with). That applies equally to steer, tag, and drive axles.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com