Replacing Steel Wheels With Aluminum

[1L243]

I am replacing the 15" 6 lug steel wheels on my Toy Hauler with some Sendel 15" 6 lug aluminum spoke wheels. I am going to use a 6 lug snap on center cap that snaps over the lug nuts. Since the lug nuts will be covered can I use my existing lug nuts?

[lincster]

Cmon, if you can't speak the lingo, don't ask questions.

OP asked about lug nuts.

All wheels have a style of seat in the rim, there are 3 styles, that the lug nut has to work with.

Google it.

[time2roll]

+1 for going 16 and LT while you are at it.

recstuff 16" x 6 on 5.5 aluminum

I went with the black center cap and chrome lug nuts. Had those lug covers and they looked good for maybe 4 months. All look like they match with cone seated lugs.

[lakeside013104]

SidecarFlip wrote:

lincster wrote:
Style of seat is all that matters.

Huh???

Someone into the Kool-Aid early today?

Lakeside

[SidecarFlip]

lincster wrote:
Style of seat is all that matters.

Huh???

[lincster]

Style of seat is all that matters.

[SidecarFlip]

Dirtclods wrote:
The only draw back I see if you get a blow out using aluminum over a steel rim. And I can still drive on a steel rim with a flat if I half too. I carry two spares.

Ah yer...sparking down the highway...lol You can drive on an aluminum rim too but it destroys it.

Keep in mind however that any aluminum rim that is polished will have a clearcoat over the aluminum and stones will chip it and then they will corrode (white rust) in the chipped areas and look bad. An old, chipped aluminum wheel always loos like 5 miles of bad road...or worse. Steel rims on the other hand can be rattle canned back to almost new a lot cheaper.

I polish a lot of clear coat wheels in my spare time and I get 50-75 bucks a wheel (depending on the wheel) to strip off the clearcoat, and polish them. Nice side job if you have the right stuff.

200 to 300 bucks for a set of 4 and only with the tires removed from the rims.

[Dirtclods]

The only draw back I see if you get a blow out using aluminum over a steel rim. And I can still drive on a steel rim with a flat if I half too. I carry two spares.

[Bedlam]

I swapped in Raceline aluminum for my steel wheels on my toy hauler. You need to look at the whether the lug holes require a flat or conical lug nut. Make sure the rim you are using is rated for sufficient weight and pressure ratings.

BTW: My Raceline's came with center caps.

[Tiger02]

I went from 15" steel wheels to 16" aluminum wheels and re-used some of the old ones. They both called for conical seat hex nuts, so it was no problem. It just depends on type of seat.