Steel vs Aluminum Wheels

ronfisherman wrote:
Here is picture of a cracked aluminum wheel.

Tire was still inflated. Wheel had to be replaced.
My MH had Aluminum wheels. Lot less problems than SS liners.

I have had a steel wheel crack and leaking air. Was glad to then justify moving to aluminum.

Gjac wrote:
To me the main advantage that has not been mentioned yet is the manufacturing process and tolerance. The steel wheels are stamped in a die and may be with in .030 of an inch. The Al wheels either cast or forged are machined within .005. This makes for a wheel that is more accurate and easier to balance at high speed using less weight. Having said that, having hit a big pothole with mine it is easier to straighten a steel wheel with a hammer without cracking the wheel because the steel is more ductile that a cast Al wheel which is more likely to crack. The forged Al is stronger than cast and more ductile than cast but not as dutile as the stamped steel. The Al wheels look nicer but for me when I consider the cost vs performance benefit I would stay with the steel wheels.

Steel wheels have become rare in Class 8. They don’t pay.

To me the main advantage that has not been mentioned yet is the manufacturing process and tolerance. The steel wheels are stamped in a die and may be with in .030 of an inch. The Al wheels either cast or forged are machined within .005. This makes for a wheel that is more accurate and easier to balance at high speed using less weight. Having said that, having hit a big pothole with mine it is easier to straighten a steel wheel with a hammer without cracking the wheel because the steel is more ductile that a cast Al wheel which is more likely to crack. The forged Al is stronger than cast and more ductile than cast but not as dutile as the stamped steel. The Al wheels look nicer but for me when I consider the cost vs performance benefit I would stay with the steel wheels.

CENTRAMATIC balancers all around. (BALANCE MASTER nicer yet). Quite common now in Class 8. My 579 Pete has them at every position. The shop at Alvarado, TX is great to deal with. (And my 35’ Silver Streak is so equipped).

Have a look at STENGEL BROTHRS “Wheel Centering Tools”. Even if you have to buy your own, reducing Vibration is worth every effort. Research as a topic in big truck resources.

With whatever you all have been using in MOHO-land to keep duals at same pressure, such as CROSSFIRE.

I’d imagine Roger Marble has ideas.

Ron, Tnx for that info.

Ron, rather than mess with the long stems (yes there is a set made for the Alcoa wheels) and the associated issues (proper torque of the retaining nut, easily torn seals during installation, difficulty in installing the duals without damaging the stem of the inner wheel as you attempt to put the outer wheel in place and get lug nuts started) consider using the standard short rubber 80 psi rated truck stems like you are using now, and use a long stem tire servicing chuck and a long stem gauge. One with a straight end and a angled back chuck would probably work well.

THIS POST Shows what I am referring to. If you opt for the long Borg stems, especially on the inner wheels, be sure and carry a package of spare seals for the stems, a small tube of blue locktite, and a tiny torque wrench and proper socket), as changing a tire on that wheel requires (depending on the tire machine used) removing the stems, then removing the tire, then installing a new tire, then re-installing the stem with new seals, and finally inflating the tire. Again, this depends on the tire machine design, and you never know what you will encounter on the road.

Charles

Did I miss the forged vs cast discussion?

There are pros and cons to each but I believe Alcoa’s are forged and milled and stronger than cast.

The Alcoa wheels are hub-centric. That is one of a number of reasons why I will be buying that brand.

The few other brands I stumbled on to, it was not clear if they were hub or lug centric, also not clear about material thickness and material quality. Alcoa has tight quality control standards and processes.

I feel there is too much riding on wheels to consider anything but Alcoa because they are "tops" in the industry. Too much can go wrong with alloys on a motor home.

Is the inner steel wheel used as a HUB centric wheel to align the new alloy wheel which is LUG centric ? Is that why its done that way ?

I would think a HUB centric wheel like an OEM wheel would be the stronger option for an rv . Often enough I see aftermarket alloy wheels with cracks and broken studs on medium duty trucks. Maybe it depends on how many potholes you hit and how much weight is carried.

Here is picture of a cracked aluminum wheel.

Tire was still inflated. Wheel had to be replaced.
My MH had Aluminum wheels. Lot less problems than SS liners.