jbr3rd
Massachusetts
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Joined: 08/06/2005
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I've just purchased a new Gulfstream Super C motorhome built on the Chevy Kodiak chassis. I paid for the Alcoa aluminum wheels option thinking each aluminum wheels is approx. 30# lighter than steel. By my calculation 6 X 30# meant and extra 180 # of carrying capacity. Now I'm distrubed to realize it's really only 4 aluminum wheels plus two steel wheels. It seems the inside rear wheels on the dualie are steel. Did I get ripped off or is this the way it is on all rigs appearing to have aluminum wheels?
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Fishinghat
Western Washington, USA
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Joined: 10/03/2002
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Yep, the manufacturers use steel wheels for the inside position on the duels. I suppose you could pay for two more, but they are not normally included in the option. JMHO
Holiday Rambler Navigator DP, Hummer, and Honda VT1100C Shadow
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j-d
Sunny Florida USA
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Joined: 09/04/2003
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Moderator will no doubt jump in on this, but if I recall from earler threads, the vehicle's rear wheel studs will not accommodate pairs of Alcoas. Basically, wheels too thick. That was at least on the Ford E450s many of us have. But riddle me this - Neighbor has a late model 39' Winnebago diesel pusher on Freightliner chassis. I looked through the outside rear outer Alcoas and guess what? White steel wheels.
So maybe there's a way to mount six, but four seems much more common.
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB
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raytasch
FL
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Yep, you only get four. I just sold a mid level DP and it had 4 Alcoas. I've looked at a lot of mid--high end DPs over the years and I can not recall seing aluminum wheels used on the inside dual position on any of them. The spare, if one, will be steel, also.
ray
MW 31C
Jeep Wrangler towed
Yeah, brakes, breakaway, all that important stuff.
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tom_kat
way upstate new york/lake george area
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same here inside duel is steel,the rest all aluminum,spare is steel
1985 Class A Holiday Rambler Imperial 33 +1979 Class C Holiday Rambler Statesman 1000 = 24 ft
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Wizzard_of_Odds
Northern Lower Michigan
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Joined: 04/12/2005
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I purchased the Alcoas as an option on my F350 dually pickup a few years ago and I was pretty surprised that it was only 4 alloys with the inside duals being steel also.
A friend of mine had a tow truck with Alcoas on it also, his had 4 alloys and 2 steels also.
So it would appear to me that it's common practice.
I couldn't say if additional alloys would fit on the insides, but from everything I have read the alloy wheel option is purely cosmetic, so it would make sense that they only include the wheels that show.
...Wiz
1994 Jayco 23' E350 7.5
Thorley headers, Intellipower 9160, Bilsteins, Brembo brakes, K&N filters, Mobil 1, Satellite TV & Internet & WAP, MP3-CD, Generac 5KW, Kipor KGE3500TI, Honda EZ2500
2005 Four Winns Horizon 190 (fully loaded)
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cembm1
Cumberland County, NJ
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It is common place to have steel wheels on the insides. I worked for a Tractor/Trailer Tire Fleet Service and most of our clients had steel on the inside w/Alcoa's on the outsides. You can however pickup a used set of aluminum budds and have them but on the inside. You will have to have the studs replaced. Its not really a big job. I've probably done it several dozen times if not hundreds of times.
YMMV
MH-2005 Jayco 28zslp on chevy 6.0l chassis.
1 loving wife, two active boys
& 1 black camping lab
Old setup
TV-2002 Ford Explorer
TT-2004 Travelstar 23SRG
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kwagner
Torrance, CA
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Joined: 12/01/2004
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Regarding the Alcoa wheels being only "cosmetic". I was also interested in these 1) For the weight reduction, but also very interested in 2) The trueness of the rim I understand to be more true cold and espeicially as they heat up. This results in better tire wear and along with the reduced weight, decreases rolling resistance, thus a small mileage increase.
Can anyone else confirm the second point, ie: better trueness of the rim?
Thanks,
Karl
The Wagners
Bigfoot 29SL
Suzuki Vitara toy hauler
Training for Retirement
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Wizzard_of_Odds
Northern Lower Michigan
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My opinion regarding weight and trueness is that they are probably both true benefits of alloy wheels. I personally wouldn't want them on a heavy truck because I hit a curb in my F350 and one of the front wheels (Alocoa) shattered like glass and caused a bunch of damage, had the wheel been steel it probably would have just blown the tire and bent the rim.
I guess there are benefits either way, but I wouldn't think that the weight & trueness issues would make enough of a difference to really justify the cost.
With all of that said, I've put aftermarket alloy wheels on all of our regular cars, and they were all purchased for cosmetic reasons alone. Although I suppose I could justify some of the cost because I use the OEM wheels to run snow tires during the winter.
...Wiz
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Don 399
Blue Ash Ohio
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Well I have first hand experience with Alcoa wheels on my class C... I installed a set of Hot Shot Alcoa`s just for "looks" and was amazed with the ride improvement![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/eek.gif "eek") I took the wife out for a drive and did not say a thing just to make sure it was not just me...she turned to me a said what else did you do?...were the ride was improved was on the sharp edged bumps/expansion joints the bang,bang was just about gone..using the same tires and both steel wheels and Alcoa`s were balanced and phased matched by myself using a RFV balancer. Also yes my inside duals are still the steel wheels.
Don Connors
97 Jamboree Searcher
29Z V-10 Quad Bunk
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