Purpose of motorhome beauty rims.

[garyb1st]

Unless there is a downside to removing the rims, I'm going to do that and paint the wheels black. I saw a video of a luxury motorhome with polished black rims and it looked great.

Since one of my rims was only held on by one lug nut (takes two) and I failed to tighten it properly, it came off while on our last outing. We recovered the rim but now I need two lug nuts. Bought one a while back but the thread pattern was wrong. That's why there was only one holding it on. So one wheel is without the rim.

I could probably find some proper lug nuts and put the rim back on but I like the look of the wheel without the rim.

So is there any downside to just taking them all off and painting all the wheels black?

 

[OldWEB]

In most people it is vanity....

 

[SpencerPJ]

But, but, it will lose its beauty. Only downside I see, black will show the dirt worse

 

[John From Detroit]

There is indeed a downside but it's minor. The "Covers" (Simulator is the techinichnical name I believe) like hubcaps on a car help to keep rain and such off the lug nuts thus reducing rust.. A rusted lug nut is no fun.. I've had to remove a couple (or at least loosen them) when I handed the heavy duty 4-wau luig wrench back to the troopers.. It had been Twisted along the shaft that fit the car. That's how rusted they were. Troopers were seriously impressed. (I know how to "Throw my weight around" where as they used strength.. I used my weight)

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

You're going to put a fair bit of work into painting the rims (remove, prep, paint, install) and then the plain steel lug nuts will stand out. You can get chrome lug nuts but that's going to cost way more than the pretty cover nuts. I kinda like the "wheel simulators" as they're called, as I can take them off with a simple hand tool, wash and polish them off the RV then reinstall. Can't argue with the idea if you like painted wheels, there's no reason not to but it will come at a price of time, effort and some material.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[CharlesinGA]

I hate the simulators. When I bought my Winnebago View, the broker had just installed a new set of simulators as some of the original ones were missing. As soon as I got it home, I removed them and stored them in a box. When I sold the MH I asked the buyer if he wanted them, and he did not, so they still sit in the box collecting dust.

Charles

 

[johnhicks]

I finally threw the things away and painted the rims dark grey.

 

[garyb1st]

Thanks for the replies. If I paint them, I'll clean, sand lightly and give them two coats of paint.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's your coach - decorate it anyway you like. There is no meaningful downside to removing the simulators. They are just decorative and are not water or dust proof.

 

[johnhicks]

Grainger for nuts. You'll have to know what you need.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Motorhome wheel covers are way more trouble than they're worth, IMO. Their biggest drawback is they stop a dual foot tire chuck from working with the stock valve stems because to keep the wheel from showing the holes on the cover are smaller than the corresponding holes on the wheel the tire chuck is designed to go through. This keeps the chuck from lining up properly with the stock valve stems.

Get rid of the wheel covers and you can also get rid of the valve extenders.