24 inch Alcoa's wont center
Greetings All,
My 2006 Mega Cab has 24 inch /ten lug Alcoas all around. The wheel adapters (not spacers) are steel. These wheels are hub-centric.


I had the brakes and hubs (rotors) changed last week. Since then the truck has had a bad vibration at about 45 to 55 mph then goes away at 60 or so. Before this work the truck drove and rode fine, like any 7200 pound truck would ride empty.


Discovered the rear duals and adaptors are eccentric to the hub when tightened !
Removed and retightened rears three times and CAN NOT get adapters or rims to center. The rim lug holes are about 1/8 inch larger than the studs.


QUESTION; Is there a lug nut (or a centering ring) for the 24's that is cone shaped or tapered to help center these big boys? We measured and tried everything we could think of (shims etc) to try and center them. No luck.


Any ideas?


Thanks in advance Dave

 

Alcoa makes two types of wheels, hub centric and bolt centric. They are different part numbers. You mentioned that you have hub centric wheels and that is correct for the Dodge. However, the adapters must also be hub centric. Where the adapter flange centers on the axle hub. So, when mounting the adapter, Use a dial indicator to make certain the flange is running true and centralized before and after tightening. Of course it is necessary to make certain the wheel center locates concentrically with the adapter center flange(s). Lastly, once the wheel and tire is mounted, rotate the wheel assembly with an indicator in place and observe both the wheel and tire. There should be adequate stud to wheel hole clearance to allow the wheel center to be boss. (clearance here is normal). In this case, there is no requirement for cones as in the case of a bolt centric automotive type wheel. The wheel center to hub or adapter should be tight, maybe .010" clearance. I am assuming your statement that the wheel is mounting eccentrically is fact and that you have checked this with a dial indicator. If not, you could be chasing your tail in that your problem is not the wheel. The real problem is a lumpy tire, the most likely fault, not the wheel. Please remember that these wheels and tires are rated for 7500 lbs. per wheel loading. The wheels are 3/4" inch thick forged AL6061-T6 and weigh about 70 lbs. each. Those 24" tires are around the same weight or higher. That's a bunch of unsprung mass and if the tire is lumpy and or out of balance, you will think you are riding a pogo stick. If the tire is round, it can be balanced. If it is lumpy, get rid of it. You will never be able to eliminate the vibration and that vibration will trash your wheel bearings, shocks and ball joints. In both 22.5 and 24" tires lumpy is common, as it has little or no impact when used on big rigs. On wheel balance with these wheels and tires, you have to choose one of two methods. The first is the automotive normal way with wheel weight applied appropriately on a balancing machine. Again if choosing this method, the balance must be spot on because of the high rotating mass. The other method is the most common on big rigs of throwing a bag of balancing powder in the tire at mounting time. The powder will destroy the plastic bag immediately upon use and self distribute over a few minutes and balance out the wheel. This does work OK when running on the freeway and will continue to dynamically balance the wheel and tire throughout their life, but has no effect or create even more imbalance at lower road speeds or traffic. It is one way or the other, but not both.

 

At work, we bought some lug nut centering nuts. It looks like a regular hub pilot nut, but has a shoulder that goes into the rim. Use 2 at 180* from each other. Then tighten lugs, remove the centering lugs. I think they came from Meyer's Tire Distributer.

 

Tire Balancers, Tire Balancing, Wheel Balancer and Wheel Balancing from Centramatic
This will work well to smooth thinks out

 

That solution is not correct for hub centric wheels. It is the hub itself that must define wheel center, not the stud. The studs may be off center, that's why there is a large clearance between stud and stud hole in the wheel.

 

You could take the adapters as they are steel have a bead welded around the face and have it turned down to center the rims!

 

That doesn't work either. There is a series of flanges on the correct adapter that are more than 1 inch long concentric to wheel center that the wheel slips over. Remember these flanges must be long enough to center dual wheels.

 

THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME AND REPLIES!!


We found the solution that none of you thought about! It was right in front of me the whole time ! and it works every time........................................


I sold the truck! LOL


Took the 24's off, remounted the original chrome wheels and tires and traded her in on a 2013 Lime green Ram Longhorn, Lifted and Loaded!


Thanks again for all your replies.

 

That's one way of fixing the issue!

 

That solution is not correct for hub centric wheels. It is the hub itself that must define wheel center, not the stud. The studs may be off center, that's why there is a large clearance between stud and stud hole in the wheel


How many lugs have you seen off center? Very few, if any. It may not work 100% of the time, but **** near 98% of the time it will work. Mayne have to turn the hub 90* and then it may run out.