Doing wheelies

[Coelacanth]

Ok, after some examination, my previous RV, the Itasca Suncruiser, had actual wheels with lug nuts. The Augusta has hub caps that simulate chrome wheels.
The valve stems are almost impossible to access and the edges to the opening are incredibly sharp.
So, the idea is to remove the hubcaps. In looking at various online postings and videos it seems that many of these have two nuts that must be removed in order to pry off the hubcaps. These nuts are marked to make them identifiable. But, in looking at my hubcaps I see no nuts that are so marked. So,...do my hubcaps simply pry off, as they would on a car?

[greyhook]

Look for a small line imprinted on 2 lug nuts of chrome wheel cover to differentiate them from the others. These are the nuts that hold the cover on. Mine came with a cheap, small "T" handle wrench specifically for these. If it's been on there awhile, a shot of WD40 or PB Blaster should loosen them. Hope this helps.

[Dusty_R]

I've got some braided extenders that I used for several years, they never gave and problems. I took them off when I sold the mh.

Dusty

[IAMICHABOD]

That is good to know,I suspected that that is what they were.
Now would be good time to add some extended valve stems,that would help in checking the air pressure. You could then put them back on with not having to worry about the sharp edges.

The ones you need are from Borg AKA Your Tire Supply. Dually Kit

They will look like this. The valve stems for Class C Duallys. I have a set from another vendor that was the original maker of them and have been on my Class C for over 10 years with no leaks or problems. You can Check the pressure on all tires in a matter of minutes.

Valve stems

DO NOT put the braided extenders on, they will leak and if they come loose from their mount on the wheel they will cause a catastrophic air loss.

[Coelacanth]

Charles, yes...just hubcaps. Got a good hubcap tool, took them off this am.

Thanks to you, and everybody, for the help!

[CharlesinGA]

those look like the ones that are held inwith sharp grippy fingers likemost cars. i do not think any of those nuts are real. throw them away, paint the rims andfind some basic ford hubcaps off an f series.

i second the alligator cap suggestion for the stems, and get a 12 inch long dual foot service chuck with a straight end and a angled back facing chuck.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QI1WEA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_JMwBFbK5JMHYF

and get a matching long stem gauge. that is what i used on my wbo view.

Charles

[DrewE]

GGoodsell wrote:
I have also had difficulty checking tire pressures, often cutting myself on the openings to get to the valve stem. I found an easy solution in a hex drive handle with a magnetic socket that fits the valve caps. Easy to spin the caps off, they stay in the wrench end and are easy to put back on. A job that used to take several minutes is now about 30 seconds.

Another excellent solution to the difficulty in removing the valve caps is to use air-through caps which do not need to be removed to check or adjust the pressure. The ones I have are Alligator brand, made in Germany, and are very well constructed and work nicely. They have a sort of pushrod mechanism that actuates the tire valve only when a chuck is on the cap, so there's no additional danger of air leakage.

[GGoodsell]

As has been mentioned, some wheel covers are fancy hubcaps that can be pried off, others require the loosening of two "fake" wheel nut covers to remove. I have the pry off wheel covers and they are really tight. I have also had difficulty checking tire pressures, often cutting myself on the openings to get to the valve stem. I found an easy solution in a hex drive handle with a magnetic socket that fits the valve caps. Easy to spin the caps off, they stay in the wrench end and are easy to put back on. A job that used to take several minutes is now about 30 seconds.

[pnichols]

Two of those chromed nuts are not "fake", and these two screw onto the extra threads left over on the ends of the regular wheel lug threaded shafts. These two chromed real nuts are opposite each other on the circle of the eight chromed nuts (hence two of them are real nuts, and six of them are fake nuts). The six chromed fake nuts on the circle are permanently part of the chrome wheel cover and cannot be turned and unscrewed.

The two chromed real nuts are the ones with two small opposing indentations on two opposing flat spots on the base of the each real nut - where the wrench to removed them fits. Look carefully for these indentations and then just unscrew these two real chrome nuts and the chrome wheel cover can be removed so as to better reach the valve stems.

Our Class C came equipped with a wrench that fits the two real chromed nuts - for unsrewing the two chromed real nuts with the indentations and removing the chrome wheel covers on all four wheels.

[ksg5000]

If access to valve stems it the issue then replace them with extended valve stems - end of story. I used tireman but they are out of business there s/b other alternatives.

[IAMICHABOD]

I have to agree with DrewE,these look more like hubcaps to me,they appear to be one piece.

[DrewE]

Those do look like wheel simulators to me.

As K Charles said, tap them with the wrench or something. Six will go "tink" and two opposite each other will go "clunk"; the clunks are the real nuts. Even if you locate the identifying dimples, I think it's quicker and easier to just tap them rather than scrutinizing closely to discern the difference.

[Coelacanth]

[PartyOf_Five]

Or turn them with your wrench - all will spin freely except the 2 tight ones 🙂

[K_Charles]

Tap on them with something, most will go "tick tick" two will go "clunk clunk". If it is a sumulator, those two are the nuts.