Rear wheel chrome cover removal - Mixing tire brands on dual wheel OK?

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enduroracer

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Posts
10
I recently purchased a 2000 Coachmen Mirada and one of the air hose extensions
has came loose on a rear outer wheel(behind the chrome wheel cover).  I need to remove
the chrome wheel cover that has the eight chrome nut caps.  Two of the nut caps have dimples,
so I assume these are the ones that can be taken off to remove the wheel cover?  Is it OK to
use a lug wrench or socket to remove these caps?  The RV came with a small T-handle wrench that
fits the nut caps, but I can't get enough torgue on it to remove the caps by hand.  Is there a
better tool for removing these?  Any hints for removing the chrome wheel cover would be appreciated
as I can't put air in the tire right now.  Also does anyone know of a source for purchasing nuts with
the same thread as the valve stems (5/16 by 28?)??  5/16 by 24 is not a fine enough thread.
 
enduroracer said:
Is there a better tool for removing these?
Click to expand...

Yes. In my case, I went to the tool store and purchased a socket of that size. The hand tool that came wiith my rig was useless if the lug was tigntened down as it should be.

Edit 1/13/07: My wheels have 2 wheel cover lugs. Yes, the lug covers do have dimples to tell them from the rest of the chrome lug covers. The wheel cover lugs are thinner than wheel lugs, so that is why the T wrench vs. the lug wrench to get them off.
 
Most covers are removable by pulling them off by hand. Some do not come off but are permanently attached. I have found many times that the manufacturer has used an impact gun to put these caps on and they can't be loosened with the wrench. Normally those that are pulled off by hand don't allow for the T handle wrench to fit over them. If it did then it would be too small for the actual nut.

You may find two, three or even four nuts holding the covers. It depends upon the size of the tire.
 
Jim,
On mine, all the nut covers are press on and there is a plier-like device with soft plastic covered jaws, each half of a hexagon, which grips it for removal. Underneath is a thin nut that actually holds the cover on and can be removed with a regular socket wrench.
 
Karl,

I have seen those plier type devices you have. Not very often you run across those. The T handle is meant to remove the nuts with or without the chrome cover attached. It doesn't have jaws like your device.  As I said, if the T handle  doesn't fit over the cover then the cover must be removed first. It can be confusing. That is why I make sure I show each customer where and how many nuts are involved. I really hate it when the air gun is used to put them on!!!
 
I have a 1999 Coachmen Mirada (34 ft), so I assume they are the same.  The two dimple nuts are the ones you remove.  They are threaded and you remove them just like a lug nut.  The T-handle tool is worthless.  Go buy yourself a socket!  After you get the retaining nuts off, just pull the cover off.  It can be semi-stubborn, but it will come off.  Be careful to line it up right when you put it back on.
 
Thanks for the help guys.  I used a 1 1/8" socket and breaker bar to remove the nuts.
Since these two nuts just hold the chrome cover on, I assume you do not need to
re-torque them on as tight as the wheel nuts.  By the way, the leaking hose extension
turned out to be a leaking inner wheel on the rear dual.  It does not appear to be holding
air at all(inner tire).  Is it OK to drive it to the tire shop this way?  You can't tell the tire is
flat just by looking at it since the other wheel holds it up.  I noticed the inner tire was
newer but a different brand.  Is it ok to mix tire brands on a dual axel (on the same side)
as long as the tire size is the same, or will there be slight variances in tire circumference from
different tire brands?  Could this have caused the tire to become dismounted somehow.
It appears to be debeaded and leaking air.
 
You can drive it like that, but keep your speed down.  I wouldn't go more than a few miles like that, however.  We had to do that in OR a few years ago and the closest tire store was over 10 miles away.  If you have road service and a spare, you would be better off to have them put the spare on before driving to the tire store.

It's never a good practice to mix tire brands on the same axle, let alone on the same side of a dual axle.  All tires on an axle should be the same brand, size, and date code.  One of the tires will be taking more of the load and that could have been at least part of your problem.
 
Karl said:
Underneath is a thin nut that actually holds the cover on and can be removed with a regular socket wrench.
Click to expand...

Karl, I am missing one of the thinner nuts that hold the chrome cover. Any idea where I can find another? I looked all over North Austin after buying my new used rig to no avail. Not sure which vendor to contact otherwise. Actually, if one does not tighten those more than they should, the T Wrench will work OK.
 
Bob Buchanan said:
Karl, I am missing one of the thinner nuts that hold the chrome cover. Any idea where I can find another? I looked all over North Austin after buying my new used rig to no avail. Not sure which vendor to contact otherwise. Actually, if one does not tighten those more than they should, the T Wrench will work OK.
Click to expand...

Bob,

In Quartzsite, there is a place on the south side of Kuhn Street just east of Hwy 95 which has lots and lots of wheels and wheel parts. I found a nut cover which got knocked out of my right front wheel cover a couple of years ago. It took a lot of digging through their parts bins to find what I needed--they are not too organized. Good Luck.

Richard
 
Bob,

The Gambler does have nut covers. I bought some last year. Unfortunately, they had nuts already inside but they were the wrong stud size for my 16" wheels. Never thought to check. Wait until I get there  (Tuesday or Wednesday) and we can go together. Want to pick up some other stuff too.
 
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