Mixing Wheels

[cliffn]

I have a D unit with single axle which I plan to put a tag axle on in the near future. The truck now has all aluminum wheels and I want to use aluminum on the tag for appearance sake. In order to save money is it advisable to use steel wheels on the inner dual and aluminum on the outer? Since I already have the four aluminum wheels on my drives I could use those for the ones that show and purchase four steel wheels for the ones that don't. Obviously, I am planning for the tag to use the same size wheels/tires as my drives. Thanks for any helpful advise. Cliff

 

[Sterling_owner]

I personally don't see a problem with it, I've seen a lot of trucks setup like that. I'll let one of the more knowledgeable guys chime in and tell you for sure.

2 1999 Sterling Semis
2000 Ford F650 24ft box truck
Now hiring driver in Cleveland, Ohio area.

 

[Weave]

Yes, you can do this Cliffn, it is very common. It is recommended however that some plastic lug spacers be used between the duals, as sometimes the reaction between the steel and aluminum cause the wheels to almost weld themselves together making them difficult to break apart. (I remember this from an article in Land Line.)
-Weave-

 

[guest]

CliffN...do you have hub pilot wheels or the old style wheels that require a "barrel nut" ?

If you have the old style, the length of the wheel studs can come into play big time. I have had some serious problems on the dump trucks where they came from the factory with double steel wheels. When the alum. wheels were added, in effect, the the extra thickness of the alum. wheel actually cause the outer nut to rest on the barrel nut out past the end of the stud. I seen this actually sheer the barrel nut off at the end of the stud.

Another problem that I have ran into is with trucks that came equipped with double alum. wheels and were changed to either alum/steel or double steel. In this the wheels studs will be much longer to accomadate the extra thickness of the alum. wheels as mentioned above. When you put either one or two steel wheels on that hub, more of the stud is exposed. If you go back with the same barrel nut, it can bottom out on the end of the stud, leaving the inner wheel completely loose. The way you can check this is to tighten one barrel nut and take it back off. By looking into the inner part of the barrel nut, you will see a ring at the bottom of the threaded hole where it bottomed out on the stud. It can do this even though you it looks like it tightened up. Always check it when you make these changes!

I am sorry for making such a long reply here and if you have hub pilot wheels, these things don't apply.

Bottom line: If you have barrel nuts, be very careful when changing alum. to steel and steel to alum. My local mech./parts store actually had a chart that he let me look at that told me what length studs and barrel nuts I needed. I would suspect that there is a chart somewhere on this worldwide web that would tell you the same.

Don't be discouraged with all this...it is possible and it is possible to spend as much on barrel nuts and studs as you do on the wheels, but there's nothing like a nice set of alum. wheels


Let me know if I can confuse any further..lol.
Somehow, I doubt it..lol.



Have fun, but make it safe!