What are options for painting wheels?

[Gary '79 5C]

Brian,

Not to be a nag, check the date code on the wheel. 20 yo wheels could look great, but steel wheels do not flex like the Alum, they tend to crack.

After that, do as you wish, it is your coach.

Good luck however you proceed.

[belfert]

I have no idea how old my wheels are.  The bus is 17 years old, but I believe that Easter's Bus Sales replaced some or all of the wheels with old wheels and tires they had laying around.  I had to buy new tires before I could drive the bus anywhere due to the junk tires on the bus.  Half the tires were bald.

Logistically it would be easier for me to just get new wheels.  I'll try to see what the age on the wheels is today.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Buy all new wheels, don't let a tire guy near them with an air gun, and they should last a long time......peace of mind is worth the price.

[thomasinnv]

I just recently wire brushed mine and brushed on some rustoleum. cost a few dollars for the paint and throw away brushes. Looks ok from a distance, but I plan on blasting them and spraying this summer when I get up north. While going through this process i did notice a small crack in one of the wheels, so that is on my "right away" list.

[belfert]

Buy all new wheels, don't let a tire guy near them with an air gun, and they should last a long time......peace of mind is worth the price.

I asked a local tire shop about checking the torque on my lug nuts.  They will put tires on my bus, but they don't even own a torque wrench big enough to hand torque the lugs.  They are off my list for tires for my bus, but I still use them for my car.

I've actually been looking for a torque wrench I could use to check the torque on my lug nuts, but ones that will handle 500 ft lbs are sky high.  I tried Craigslist with no luck so far.

[lostagain]

I put a long bar on the wheel nut socket, and put my weight (170 lbs) 3 feet out. That puts 510 ft/lbs of torque on them. Easy and cheaper than buying an expensive wrench. On the back wheels, I made up a piece of 3/4" plywood with multiple holes in it to support the socket level with the nut so it doesn't fall out.

JC

[belfert]

Where would the date code typically be stamped on a steel wheel?  I looked at all six of my exposed wheels just now and I don't see anything stamped on any of them.  They all have have been repainted at least once and most of them have been repainted multiple times.

[lostagain]

It is usually on the flat part of the rim. It is likely covered in paint.  The stamping is not very deep to start with.

JC

[eagle19952]

I made up a piece of 3/4" plywood with multiple holes in it to support the socket level with the nut so it doesn't fall out.


I use a jack stand to support the extension on my 3/4 drive.

[artvonne]

  The problem torquing large wheel nuts to a max torque setting is they are dry and will often bind. Your wrench can say your at 510 when in reality your 200 pounds short. For years everyone said to oil them, then that changed. Now I read we can oil the threads, but not the chamfer. The problem oiling them is its too easy to exceed torque and you can stretch/snap the stud or crack the wheel.

  I will continue the breaker bar/cheater pipe method, I trust my sense of feel better than a number. You can use air to remove, not a problem. You can use air to snug them up, but best to rely on some hand torque method to bring up to full tightness.

[belfert]

I read somewhere in the past few days that hub piloted lug nuts should be oiled, but that stud piloted lug nuts should not be oiled.  It is hard to know who is correct on this.  I've seen other recommendations to do both stud and hub piloted dry with no oil.

[luvrbus]

Stud pilots lug bolt and nuts come both ways dry or lubed I never use oil I am a never seize and 1 inch impact gun type myself lol

[Gary '79 5C]

Here is a 600 torque wrench on CL,

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/tls/2865494572.html

Of which I have no comercial or other connection.

I dunno if hot, how hot, either.

[gus]

It all depends - both my manuals call for lug thread oil.

[buswarrior]

Accuride Safety Manual, more stuff than you'd like to know...

http://www.accuridewheels.com/safety_manual.asp

Alcoa Wheel Service Manual, again, lots of stuff...

http://www.alcoa.com/alcoawheels/north_america/en/info_page/wheel_service_manual.asp

No matter what you do, be VERY CAREFUL with the amount of paint you get on the mounting points of the rim. Chamfer holes, flange contact circles, and the face that touches the drum.

Excess paint is blamed on many wheel-off incidents, as the excess paint compresses and squirms out from between, loosening the tightness of the assembly, and the fasteners start backing off.

Here in Ontario, those who work on tires and wheels are required to be certified. Here's the skinny on the course outline:

http://www.ontruck.org/iMISpublic/Content/NavigationMenu/Education/CommercialVehicleWheelService/default.htm

That book, Practical Tire and Wheel Service, was compiled with extensive industry involvement, and is considered best practices when investigating worker injuries.

happy coaching!
buswarrior