Anyone Have Alloy Wheels On Their Class B+ or C Rig?

[ron_dittmer]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone here has now or had earlier, experience with alloy wheels on their motor home. I also wonder if there is a choice of alloy wheels. I did a little research and found just one choice for the E350/E450.

Alcoa brand
- 2 wheels polished on the inside
- 2 wheels polished on the outside
- 2 hub covers for the front
- 2 hub covers for the rear
- 32 lug nut covers
$1,099 for the package HERE with free shipping.

You re-use the two inner DRW steel rims. Doing so eliminates the option to rotate tires of which I never rotate tires anyway. I was told the extra thickness of the alloy still works with the current length of lug-nut-studs. Also the OEM lug nuts can be used on the alloys.

I figured it would be a good time to make the switch to alloy when I replace my 6 tires. I could sell 4 of my 6 old tires with wheels and also my stainless wheel covers locally on Craigslist. My old stuff looks near brand new, wondering if I could recover around $400. There are lots of local landscapers driving around on bald DRWs, making me think the 4 wheels with tires will sell easily. One question in selling is...are DRW E-Series wheels & tires the same used on DRW F-Series pickup trucks?

I wonder if there are any issues going with alloy wheels on a motor home. I don't ever drive in winter salt so I am not worried about salt damage. Some high end motor homes have alloy wheels. I thought they would look pretty nice on my Phoenix Cruiser with the full body paint job. The final cost of $700 (after C.L. sales) might be worth it.

I welcome your thoughts and experience.
Ron

[camperdave]

pnichols wrote:

camperdave wrote:

pnichols wrote:


I'd sure like an engineering based explanation of that.

Aluminum wheels are lighter, so you are reducing unsprung weight.

I'm thinking hard about the unsprung suspension weight of heavy vehicles, but can't quite wrap my head around: "With a given suspension system stiffness and a given heavy vehicle sprung weight ... how will hitting a bump with light weight but rigid wheels (aluminum) not transfer that sharp vertical motion to the vehicle above just as strongly and quickly as heavy weight but rigid (steel) wheels do?"

I understand unsprung weight in a racing situation to keep the spin-inertia low so as to take maximum advantage of instantaneous changes in engine torque ... but what's that got to do with a heavy RV?

I suspect that aluminum wheels on an otherwise heavy vehicle are primarily for "looks." :h

Well, you asked for an engineering based explanation, so I gave one... How much it's going to matter I cannot say.

However, reducing unsprung weight is different than reducing rotating weight (which has more of an impact on accel and braking). Unsprung weight has more to do with the inertia of the wheel vertically. remember F=ma? Reduce m and you've reduced F.

That said, I too suspect the biggest benefit is visual.

[T18skyguy]

So, if you replace all 6 wheels with aluminum you would save 240 lbs? That's not pocket change. Or can you not do two aluminums on back inside?

[pnichols]

camperdave wrote:

pnichols wrote:

Home Skillet wrote:
I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

How is that possible based merely on the wheel material being aluminum instead of steel?

I'd sure like an engineering based explanation of that.

Aluminum wheels are lighter, so you are reducing unsprung weight.

I'm thinking hard about the unsprung suspension weight of heavy vehicles, but can't quite wrap my head around: "With a given suspension system stiffness and a given heavy vehicle sprung weight ... how will hitting a bump with light weight but rigid wheels (aluminum) not transfer that sharp vertical motion to the vehicle above just as strongly and quickly as heavy weight but rigid (steel) wheels do?"

I understand unsprung weight in a racing situation to keep the spin-inertia low so as to take maximum advantage of instantaneous changes in engine torque ... but what's that got to do with a heavy RV?

I suspect that aluminum wheels on an otherwise heavy vehicle are primarily for "looks." :h

[Home_Skillet]

camperdave wrote:

pnichols wrote:

Home Skillet wrote:
I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

How is that possible based merely on the wheel material being aluminum instead of steel?

I'd sure like an engineering based explanation of that.

Aluminum wheels are lighter, so you are reducing unsprung weight.

Correct!
I didn't weight the rims. But, I'm guessing a 40lb difference-each.

[camperdave]

pnichols wrote:

Home Skillet wrote:
I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

How is that possible based merely on the wheel material being aluminum instead of steel?

I'd sure like an engineering based explanation of that.

Aluminum wheels are lighter, so you are reducing unsprung weight.

[pnichols]

Home Skillet wrote:
I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

I most be missing something. How is that possible based merely on the wheel material being aluminum instead of steel?

I'd sure like an engineering explanation of that.

[pnichols]

Home Skillet wrote:
I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

How is that possible based merely on the wheel material being aluminum instead of steel?

I'd sure like an engineering based explanation of that.

[T18skyguy]

I've thought about these wheels as well. Does anyone know how much weight can be saved with an aluminum wheel?

[Home_Skillet]

I just did a 600 mile trip.
What a difference those ALCOAs make.
No more jarring on on the big bumps on the freeway.
Overall ride is much more pleasant.

[carringb]

My wheels were stamped with 2450#. I bought them used, from an F-series, so it's possible they did change something at some point for the E-series. I should add that I'm routinely over 11,000# on my rear axle, and therefore was very much overweight on those wheels. Often on rough terrain. I've trashed many sets of steel inners as well. I'm now running 2012 Chevy 3500 HD steel inners, which are 17", but I had to get them machined to fir the larger E-series hub.

[ron_dittmer]

carringb wrote:
Beware the 16" Alcoa wheels don't like being overloaded. I cracked both rears. One all the through all of the lugnut holes, the other cracked around the valve stem.

PS - E- series is the same as the old body style (pre-98) F-series. Anything newer is not interchangeable.

Interesting about Alcoa wheel failure. I would have thought the Alcoa brand is "tops" given I see them on 18 wheeler cabs. I bet China-supplied aluminum is a factor given they are terrible with material purity and process.

We bought an expensive stainless steel pot for cooking. How can a pin hole develop on the inside creating a pocket of corrosion and then leak out the bottom? The pot was made in China. That was good money spent on garbage.

Alcoa states max load per wheel is 2780. Our heaviest loading is 2055 per rear wheel, and 1608 per front wheel, both well below their specifications.


Thanks carringb for sharing the numbers on the years the "E" series DRWs work with the "F" series. I knew there was a cut-off, didn't realize it was so long ago.

[Home_Skillet]

ron.dittmer wrote:
Hi Home Skillet,

Thank you for sharing your experience.

You're welcome.

I have spent so much money on wheel simulators, it's ridiculous.
They either fall off or squeek and rattle.

I installed the TST in-tire pressure sensors. I figured it was a good time to upgrade the rims.

[carringb]

There's lots of option. I have Ultra 17" wheels now. Previously had MKW but decided they were too shiny (wheels now are black).

Beware the 16" Alcoa wheels don't like being overloaded. I cracked both rears. One all the through all of the lugnut holes, the other cracked around the valve stem.

PS - E- series is the same as the old body style (pre-98) F-series. Anything newer is not interchangeable.

[ronfisherman]

pnichols wrote:

P.S. With a mix of steel and alloy on a MH with rear duals, wouldn't one need to carry two spares in order to cover the two wheel types?

My spare was a steel wheel. It fit all locations. Problem I ran into was a deep socket was needed to properly tighten lug nuts when a steel was put on inplace of a aluminum wheel.