My Chevy Rims

[fleetwoodorbit]

My 2003 crew factory rims are peeling which now look like crap.

 

I went to a local tire/rim dealer and they told me that if I pull a fifthwheel, that I should not install after market rims. Reason that factory rim are installed and hub mount which no space between bearing and rim center hole. After market has a slight space between the bearing hub and rim which the studs take the weight and more chances of breaking the studs when pulling a heavy load.

 

So what should I do? Buy another set of factory or is there a after market rim that works???

 

Jay

[Ranger]

I think they're full of b.s. I've seen a crapload of trucks with aftermarket rims pulling goosenecks and 5th wheels, and I've never seen any on the side of the road missing their wheels. Yes, it probably has more of a gap than stock wheels but the axles are heavy duty and can take the strain.

[ursandal]

I assume they are saying this because after market rims are not hub centric. As long as the rim has the right weight load limit I wouldn't worry about it. I've always thought that the tire is the weak link for towing but I'm no expert. You can get hub centric rings that will also solve the issue if you are worried about it.

[plowking]

I drive a F-550 powerstoke in the winter for the highway dept. We have had the center seized to the hub from corrision. The tire shop we go to has purchased a wheel puller to get stuck wheels off. The wheel on the Ford has to be tight, the lugs are hub piloted. This means the lugs have spacer washers mounted to them ,so because they aren't cone shape,the rim could move if center was oversized and oblong the lug holes . The truck also has a sander. The sander dealer cautioned us to load the truck slowly with the front end loader. Fast loading could break lugs on rear tires from instant weight all at once. plowking

[Zembonez]

Hub centric wheels locate the wheel properly when installing instead of relying on the lugs to do the centering. This results in a perfectly centered wheel installation. (less bounce, etc) The load bearing capability is in the lug stud / lug nuts and the friction they create.

 

Many aftermarket wheels come with plastic hub centric rings which accomplish the same thing. I would not install a set that was not hub centric or did not have rings available because of wheel hop, not because of load bearing capability.