Stainless Steel Simulators??
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Palm Bay, Florida
Stainless Steel Simulators??
I have a L99 F350 (Dually) XLT. It came from the factory with Alcoa aluminum wheels. I replaced them with (raw aluminum) aftermarket aluminum wheels. THESE wheels are a real pain in that they require polishing at least twice a year to be kept looking nice. The last 2 "tire techs" that changed tires managed to (1) use a freaking clamping tire machine on ALL 4 wheels and put DEEP gouges in them. (2) used some other machine that scuffed my 2 front wheels near the lug nut holes. (I recently replaced all 7 tires (with Firestone Transforce H/T 2s) and brand new steel wheels for my inners and spare wheel. I am now strongly considering ordering 4 more brand new steel wheels and a nice set of high quality bolt-on stainless steel simulators. This way I can rotate all 7 wheels/tires anytime I want w/o having to dismount anything.
My question is, having no experience WITH simulators other that seeing them on all kinds of trucks and RVs what is the very best quality BOLT-ON set simulators? and DO properly installed ones make any typical "Hubcap" type noises? Thanks & sorry for the long post.
My question is, having no experience WITH simulators other that seeing them on all kinds of trucks and RVs what is the very best quality BOLT-ON set simulators? and DO properly installed ones make any typical "Hubcap" type noises? Thanks & sorry for the long post.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,448
Likes: 2,934
From: Reed Point, MT
I have a L99 F350 (Dually) XLT. It came from the factory with Alcoa aluminum wheels. I replaced them with (raw aluminum) aftermarket aluminum wheels. THESE wheels are a real pain in that they require polishing at least twice a year to be kept looking nice. The last 2 "tire techs" that changed tires managed to (1) use a freaking clamping tire machine on ALL 4 wheels and put DEEP gouges in them. (2) used some other machine that scuffed my 2 front wheels near the lug nut holes. (I recently replaced all 7 tires (with Firestone Transforce H/T 2s) and brand new steel wheels for my inners and spare wheel. I am now strongly considering ordering 4 more brand new steel wheels and a nice set of high quality bolt-on stainless steel simulators. This way I can rotate all 7 wheels/tires anytime I want w/o having to dismount anything.
My question is, having no experience WITH simulators other that seeing them on all kinds of trucks and RVs what is the very best quality BOLT-ON set simulators? and DO properly installed ones make any typical "Hubcap" type noises? Thanks & sorry for the long post.
My question is, having no experience WITH simulators other that seeing them on all kinds of trucks and RVs what is the very best quality BOLT-ON set simulators? and DO properly installed ones make any typical "Hubcap" type noises? Thanks & sorry for the long post.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,609
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From: Arizona
I can tell you that I hear of problems with simulators a lot on the Airstream forums (some of the Sprinter based Airstream Interstates used them) with noise and getting lost. Some have added fasteners with varying degrees of success but most people complain about them. I know the new Alcoa wheels come with a special baked in coating called Dura Bright that is actually embedded in the surface permanently but I'm sure you know how expensive they are. I am wondering if you could do a coating on your raw wheels, wouldn't fix the gouges and wouldn't be as permanent as Dura Bright but at least they would be easier to keep shiny. I have Alcoas on my motorhome and I cleaned them with aircraft grade aluminum cleaner and polish when I got the rig and ever since then I just wipe them down with the paper towels I clean the windows with while they are still damp and they look like new, except for some scratches on one of them which you don't really notice. Or if the simulators aren't too pricey just give them a go, I don't think noise on a 1 ton truck is a big deal myself. Airstream folks tend to be perfectionists though.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2020
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If you are going with simulators, the key is to get ones that are fastened by the lug nuts, not just snap on covers. I had some on 16.5s on an old class C motor home a few years ago...they were high quality, fit good and over all the noise the motor home made going down the road, no noticeable rattle. Just looking at Pacific Duallies, looks like 325 for a set of over the lug simulators. Personally, I think the tire shop that ruined your wheels needs to be buying you some new wheels....that is unacceptable! Scuffs may be a hard case to make, but gouges are pretty obvious.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,381
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From: Cambs, England
From personal experience this is a bad idea, because of the thickness of powder coat vs paint. I had the spare wheel on my dually done, the inevitable happened & had to change the wheel at the side of the road, it seemed pretty tight going on, but it was raining hard & I just wanted to be back on the road so I systematically tightened the lugs until it was mounted, checked them a few miles down the road and everything was good.
A week later i called into my friends tyre shop & got the original tyre fixed, we could not get the powder coated wheel off the hub, I even tried driving it around his yard with the lug nuts backed off! We tried everything (apart from the hot spanner) and ended up using the BFH, a block of wood & after around 20 minutes we had beaten it into submission.....
Because the wheels are hub centric the additional thickness had reduced the bore making it an interference fit. Lesson learned.
On my Fontaine truck I have simulators, they are from https://www.phoenixusa.com/
I recently bought a couple of new retaining nuts & they were great to deal with.
A week later i called into my friends tyre shop & got the original tyre fixed, we could not get the powder coated wheel off the hub, I even tried driving it around his yard with the lug nuts backed off! We tried everything (apart from the hot spanner) and ended up using the BFH, a block of wood & after around 20 minutes we had beaten it into submission.....
Because the wheels are hub centric the additional thickness had reduced the bore making it an interference fit. Lesson learned.
On my Fontaine truck I have simulators, they are from https://www.phoenixusa.com/
I recently bought a couple of new retaining nuts & they were great to deal with.
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Fleet Mechanic
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Didn't even know they had simulators for the 16" steel wheels. 19.5" on the 450/550 I've seen.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Palm Bay, Florida
Didn't even know they had simulators for the 16" steel wheels. 19.5" on the 450/550 I've seen.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
I am also thinking of getting them powder coated in a color that looks like highly polished aluminum-but still would have the potential of damage by INexperienced tire techs......My powder coater charges $60 per 16" wheel for media blasting and powder coating.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Palm Bay, Florida
I was thinking of having the raw aluminum aftermarket wheels powder coated in a color that resembles highly polished aluminum.
Still would have the problem of these complete crap inexperienced tire techs which is all we seem to have in my area here.
Still would have the problem of these complete crap inexperienced tire techs which is all we seem to have in my area here.
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Didn't even know they had simulators for the 16" steel wheels. 19.5" on the 450/550 I've seen.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
Are the aftermarket aluminum wheels you bought reproductions of the originals or totally different aftermarket ones? There is a place in Michigan on Ebay selling new reproduction ones for around $300 each I think.
The aftermarket wheels are American Eagle Alloy 058 series in the "stock" size of 16" X 6", I'm thinking now of having the 058s powder coated in a color that resembles highly polished aluminum but still would have the problem of the inexperienced tire techs.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,271
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From: Las Cruces New Mexico
Pacific Dually's are great, have them in my class RV, and they are solid they get held on by the lug nuts.
Another option for your wheels is to have them clear coated after the finish polish.
Another option for your wheels is to have them clear coated after the finish polish.
