Tire pressure ... AND What in the world are these chrome Lugnuts??

[AlpineDave]

I was having a more-difficult-than-it-needed-to-be time airing up my tires from 60lb (where the previous owner had them) and the 80 lb the tire specified, so I thought I could remove the chrome facing on the real duallys, but ... TWO QUESTIONS:

1. What is the consensus about how much air to run in RV tires LT225 x 175 R16s??
2. How do I get the chrome facings off?

- I tried prying at the rim -- started to bend
- I researched, and some say look for the two with the "notch" at the base -- NONE of mine have that
- tapping with a wrench, they ALL sound hollow and "pingy"
- Some videos say I need a 1 5/8 socket to get these off, but they sound so hollow and weak, I am worried I would mangle the outer hollow chrome nut
- What size are the lug nuts beneath these chrome monsters?

I am trying to put the proper impact sockets in my tool bin of my new RV, and this one's a head-scratcher. Hopefully, others who have already figured this out will be willing to educate me. Thanks ahead of time!

 

[ducksface]

If all 8 are identical
They pry off.
Look carefully.
On the locking kind It's not a notch, it's two dimples on two of the lug covers.
If you can wait until tomorrow I'll get a picture for you.

I run 60 to 65 in my front tires.
And 55 to 60 in my duals.
Same size tires as yours.

Why do you think 80psi is correct?
Where did you get your info?

 

[16ACE27]

the 80 lb the tire specified,

You don't inflate to the tire maximum.
There is a placard in your RV with tire information including the pressure to run when the RV is loaded to its maximum weight.

The PO probably had it right.

 

[Jimbo57]

I was having a more-difficult-than-it-needed-to-be time airing up my tires from 60lb (where the previous owner had them) and the 80 lb the tire specified, so I thought I could remove the chrome facing on the real duallys, but ... TWO QUESTIONS:

1. What is the consensus about how much air to run in RV tires LT225 x 175 R16s??
2. How do I get the chrome facings off?

- I tried prying at the rim -- started to bend
- I researched, and some say look for the two with the "notch" at the base -- NONE of mine have that
- tapping with a wrench, they ALL sound hollow and "pingy"
- Some videos say I need a 1 5/8 socket to get these off, but they sound so hollow and weak, I am worried I would mangle the outer hollow chrome nut
- What size are the lug nuts beneath these chrome monsters?

I am trying to put the proper impact sockets in my tool bin of my new RV, and this one's a head-scratcher. Hopefully, others who have already figured this out will be willing to educate me. Thanks ahead of time!

In my opinion the fronts are press on and rears in photo there appears to be Phillip screws between lugs, never heard of those but doesn’t mean they weren’t added. They don’t look to be hex lugs just fake lugs

 

[AlpineDave]

You don't inflate to the tire maximum.
There is a placard in your RV with tire information including the pressure to run when the RV is loaded to its maximum weight.

The PO probably had it right.

Thanks for the advice, I'll go let some air out of those tires now.

 

[Scubawise]

If all 8 are identical
They pry off.
Look carefully.
On the locking kind It's not a notch, it's two dimples on two of the lug covers.
If you can wait until tomorrow I'll get a picture for you.

I run 60 to 65 in my front tires.
And 55 to 60 in my duals.
Same size tires as yours.

Why do you think 80psi is correct?
Where did you get your info?

75 front
80 rear on driver side sticker.
For 5 years my settings?

 

[AlpineDave]

If all 8 are identical
They pry off.
Look carefully.
On the locking kind It's not a notch, it's two dimples on two of the lug covers.
If you can wait until tomorrow I'll get a picture for you.

I run 60 to 65 in my front tires.
And 55 to 60 in my duals.
Same size tires as yours.

Why do you think 80psi is correct?
Where did you get your info?

Do the individual nut covers pry off, or the whole round rim cover? What do you use to pry without damaging?

 

[ducksface]

The whole hub cap prise off.
There should be a few videos on YouTube.
The lugs are just pressed in as decoration.
Use a wide screwdriver if you have one.
Otherwise a trip to harbor freight for their $10 prybar set.

Pry Bar Set with Grip, 3 Piece

Amazing deals on this 3Pc Pry Bar Set With Grips at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.googleadservices.com

Google Search

 

[dkoldman]

This is what you look for. There will be two on each hubcap. When you find them they will come off, might be seize a little, may take some muscle power, but they do come off. Just make sure you are dealing with the two with the dimples. I added extenders to avoid have to take off just to add air.

Speaking of air, you may get a million answers on how much air and some take it down to actual weight. But unless you are hauling gold in your RV, just do what ACE said above and look at your placard, I call it a yellow sticker that should be inside on driver site. Send a picture if you like ad it will tell you what the air should be based on TMC Engineering.

DO NOT GO BY WHAT THE TIRE SAYS IS MAXIMUM

i.e. my tire maximum is 120psi, but RV Mfg (yellow sticker) says 82 psi

I would not even go by what someone else says with the same coach, because they may be wrong too. Go by your Yellow sticker from TMC. If you can't find it, call TMC.

 

[Scubawise]

Do the individual nut covers pry off, or the whole round rim cover? What do you use to pry without damaging?

I was having a more-difficult-than-it-needed-to-be time airing up my tires from 60lb (where the previous owner had them) and the 80 lb the tire specified, so I thought I could remove the chrome facing on the real duallys, but ... TWO QUESTIONS:

1. What is the consensus about how much air to run in RV tires LT225 x 175 R16s??
2. How do I get the chrome facings off?

- I tried prying at the rim -- started to bend
- I researched, and some say look for the two with the "notch" at the base -- NONE of mine have that
- tapping with a wrench, they ALL sound hollow and "pingy"
- Some videos say I need a 1 5/8 socket to get these off, but they sound so hollow and weak, I am worried I would mangle the outer hollow chrome nut
- What size are the lug nuts beneath these chrome monsters?

I am trying to put the proper impact sockets in my tool bin of my new RV, and this one's a head-scratcher. Hopefully, others who have already figured this out will be willing to educate me. Thanks ahead of time!

Fyi big O tires can help you.
Here in NM, flats fixed free.
They changed my front tires & rims were a pain...

 

[AlpineDave]

This is what you look for. There will be two on each hubcap. When you find them they will come off, might be seize a little, may take some muscle power, but they do come off. Just make sure you are dealing with the two with the dimples. I added extenders to avoid have to take off just to add air.

Speaking of air, you may get a million answers on how much air and some take it down to actual weight. But unless you are hauling gold in your RV, just do what ACE said above and look at your placard, I call it a yellow sticker that should be inside on driver site. Send a picture if you like ad it will tell you what the air should be based on TMC Engineering.

DO NOT GO BY WHAT THE TIRE SAYS IS MAXIMUM

i.e. my tire maximum is 120psi, but RV Mfg (yellow sticker) says 82 psi

I would not even go by what someone else says with the same coach, because they may be wrong too. Go by your Yellow sticker from TMC. If you can't find it, call TMC.

View attachment 1320977

Thank you very much, I will order a few extenders today and lower my tire pressure to the sticker suggestion.

On the lug nuts, I have felt around each one, and there is no dimple/indent in any of them. I'll try a careful prying today also.

 

[dkoldman]

Thank you very much, I will order a few extenders today and lower my tire pressure to the sticker suggestion.

On the lug nuts, I have felt around each one, and there is no dimple/indent in any of them. I'll try a careful prying today also.

Lets align with a few material facts and they you ay proceed as you deem fit.

1. You either have a full wheel or hub caps. Based on your picture it is a hubcap because of the way the stem out through the hole on the hubcaps
2. Hubcaps for RV have two lugs that twist off to permanently hold the hubcap in place because if it were snap only, it would likely bounce off the first pothole you hit.
3. Hubcaps come with a T handle tool to hand remove the 2 lugs we are discussing. Actually it is just one tool that comes with the RV. If you see it around, it confirms 100% have twist off lugs. Looks similar to this.

4. Any socket that fit will work, but it is NOT to be Torques like the actual wheel, it only holds the hubcap on

5. Not sure what your RV is but only other is to take a crowbar on side to see if it will flip out. Maybe it is a cheaper aftermarket hubcab? idk. If you take good pictures around 4 of the lugs on one hubcap we can help to confirm no dimple, but normally one of the 4 should come off.

 

[AlpineDave]

Let's align with a few material facts, and then you may proceed as you deem fit.

1. You either have a full wheel or hub caps. Based on your picture, it is a hubcap because of the way the stem out through the hole on the hubcap
2. Hubcaps for RVs have two lugs that twist off to permanently hold the hubcap in place because if it were snap only, it would likely bounce off the first pothole you hit.
3. Hubcaps come with a T-handle tool to hand-remove the two lugs we are discussing. Actually, it is just one tool that comes with the RV. If you see it around, it confirms that 100% of them have twist-off lugs. It looks similar to this.

View attachment 1321012

4. Any socket that fits will work, but it is NOT to be torqued like the actual wheel; it only holds the hubcap on

5. Not sure what your RV is, but the only other option is to take a crowbar on the side to see if it will flip out. Maybe it is a cheaper aftermarket hub cab? idk. If you take good pictures around 4 of the lugs on one hubcap, we can help to confirm no dimple, but normally, one of the four should come off.

I will do some prying into this (see what I did there?) and report what the final result was on the hub caps for the benefit of others who may have the same question. Thanks to all for your input and assistance!!

 

[Lt Keefer]

Not trying to muddy the waters, but my last Class C had the press on type of wheel simulators. They took two pry bars to remove and a rubber mallet to install. When installed, they stayed on. I've never removed the 'screw on' ones on my current coach, I have no reason to, the wheels are too big for me to mess with.

 

[dkoldman]

Not trying to muddy the waters, but my last Class C had the press on type of wheel simulators. They took two pry bars to remove and a rubber mallet to install. When installed, they stayed on. I've never removed the 'screw on' ones on my current coach, I have no reason to, the wheels are too big for me to mess with.

and OP may actually have press on simulators.

I have had two blowouts, but I personally only removed mine when it was brand new just to see how that T Handle Tool worked and then when putting the extenders on all of the wheels. It was painful to add air, and that air chuck that goes behind at an angle was even worse for me, so I just got extenders to make adding air easy.

 

[Scubawise]

Thor sent me free tire extenders.
2 years later I told them I never received
They work great.

 

[dkoldman]

Thor sent me free tire extenders.
2 years later I told them I never received
They work great.

4 of the Extenders I bought were NOT OEM parts. I believe 2 were 45s; and 2 were 135 degrees. Then I have 2 flexible braided extenders that were OEM for the dualies. One was hard to accept air so it got replaced under warranty. A year later I had issues again, so I bought a pack of the braided extension real cheap from China before tariffs. I actually took the outside dually tire off to make sure I got the new extension on good. That is when I learned I would never try to repair my own flat That tire was heavy as ****. A you tube video of me trying to put it back on would have a half million view within a week. I had to keep looking around to make sure no one was watching. The shame of it all.

 

[AlpineDave]

Well, duckface had it right. The chrome caps pry off around the whole perimeter with pry bars. I took my time and didn't pry too much to bend the chrome, but not until I got ALL AROUND the wheel did the cap give way and come off. AND I confirmed the lug nut size is either 7/8" or metric 22mm - both fit well, but 7/8" has slightly more play. I will keep the 22mm in my toolbox for on-the-road emergencies along with my pry bars, pneumatic 20-ton bottle jack, air compressor, and impact wrench. Seems like a lot to change a tire, but if I ever need to replace a tire, I don't want it to ruin my day.

 

[ducksface]

Have you tried that 20ton jack with your compressor?
My air jack requires a full size compressor to make it work.
And
We all should change a tire, at night using a flashlight, NOW at HOME so you'll know what to expect THEN in a strange UNFORGIVING spot along the ROAD.
Make a party of it by inviting friends with lawnchairs to come and watch.

"If I had my druthers"(name this movie and play and comic strip);
I'd rather not have the spare than not have the knowledge.

No spare=Instant phone call for help.
No knowledge=3 hours of fumbling and a begrudged phone call for help.

 

[AlpineDave]

Ha, well, I do have. full-size spare, and I am glad to have it.

I have NOT tried airing up the 20-ton pneumatic jack with the air compressor I have, but it sounds like that could be a challenge, and I should go back to the 8-ton bottle jack.