Some advice on a Chevy Suspension Upgrade

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

My guess would be that it is a crimp on chrome cover, as they aren't a lot more expensive than the plain ones.

So, it looks like there is no factory chrome wheel, per se, rather it's a painted steel wheel with a factory installed chrome plated wheel cover. I can't tell from the picture if you need to use a center cap with it. If this is in fact the case, GM's descrpbtion of the wheel as chrome plated isn't very accurate.


2004-10 GMC Sierra 3500 Pickup 16" wheel skin - Hubcaps on Wheels

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

So, it looks like there is no factory chrome wheel, per se, rather it's a painted steel wheel with a factory installed chrome plated wheel cover. I can't tell from the picture if you need to use a center cap with it. If this is in fact the case, GM's descrpbtion of the wheel as chrome plated isn't very accurate.


2004-10 GMC Sierra 3500 Pickup 16" wheel skin - Hubcaps on Wheels

That is the guess, that it is an add on piece, which isn't all that bad because the plating will be better than on an entire wheel (too many crevices that don't plate well).


The wheelskins are plastic and go over the standard center cap. I have just finished putting them on our van and they do look pretty nice. The chrome factory wheels would need the chrome center caps to go with them, which are available in the aftermarket.



I was just reading today about powder coated, vacuum deposited chrome for wheels which supposed to be very durable and nice looking, plus easier to repair if nicked up.

[booster]

I took the van for a test ride today to test the latest transmission programming experiment, and took a couple of pix of the wheels with the new plastic wheelskins on them. These are on the 16X7 steel Silverado wheels with +28mm offset. Tires are Michelin MS2 (Defender predecessor) in 265-75-16 size.







Only issue putting them on was that the metal clips weren't pushed into the covers all the way and had to be tapped with a plastic hammer to seat them. One needed to be pulled out ans shortened a little before it would seat. I also needed to file some clearance for our TPMS sensors.



The original center caps are actually underneath the wheelskins, with only the circle with the bowtie logo showing in the center, and the plastic lugnut covers showing. Our lugnut covers are chrome, but most of them on center caps are black plastic.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

I took the van for a test ride today to test the latest transmission programming experiment, and took a couple of pix of the wheels with the new plastic wheelskins on them. These are on the 16X7 steel Silverado wheels with +28mm offset. Tires are Michelin MS2 (Defender predecessor) in 265-75-16 size.

Why does the outer edge of the skin and the top of the center cap look like it's painted. A reflection?

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Why does the outer edge of the skin and the top of the center cap look like it's painted. A reflection?

As with any wheel cover, you can see the very edge of the wheel at the perimeter of the cap, so there is a tiny line all around the wheelskin at the largest diameter. These are not the same as the factory chrome wheels that would probably have the chrome piece crimped over the wheel edge, so no line visible.


The center cap is the the center logo of the cap, which is a an insert for Chevy or GMC. It has a brushed aluminum looking finish on the printed or screened surface so is not chrome.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

As with any wheel cover, you can see the very edge of the wheel at the perimeter of the cap, so there is a tiny line all around the wheelskin at the largest diameter. These are not the same as the factory chrome wheels that would probably have the chrome piece crimped over the wheel edge, so no line visible.


The center cap is the the center logo of the cap, which is a an insert for Chevy or GMC. It has a brushed aluminum looking finish on the printed or screened surface so is not chrome.

Could be a problem with my computer but what I'm seeing in your photos is what looks like tan paint similar to the van color smeared on different places of the rim and the center cap.

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Could be a problem with my computer but what I'm seeing in your photos is what looks like tan paint similar to the van color smeared on different places of the rim and the center cap.

Are you looking at the reflection of the concrete, maybe? That appears tanish on my computer screen.

[Deano]

Sorry to do this, but you just reminded me, I have a set of these skins. New in the box. I decided 4 years ago not to use them. Out of sight, out of mind.

I'm going to ask $60.00 shipped in the 48.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Deano

Sorry to do this, but you just reminded me, I have a set of these skins. New in the box. I decided 4 years ago not to use them. Out of sight, out of mind.

I'm going to ask $60.00 shipped in the 48.

The stock Roadtrek 6.5 inch steel wheel rims are 5 spoke. The 7 inch rims on Booster's coach are 6 spoke wheels. I would imagine that the skins for these wheels would be different. What do yours fit? Are they GM or aftermarket?

[Deano]

Aftermarket for the 7" wide, 6 hole wheels as on Booster's RT. They appear to be identical to his.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Deano

Aftermarket for the 7" wide, 6 hole wheels as on Booster's RT. They appear to be identical to his.

If memory serves I think they are called Imposters?

Do you suppose installing these things require re-balancing a tire and wheel?

Do you have the center caps?

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

If memory serves I think they are called Imposters?

Do you suppose installing these things require re-balancing a tire and wheel?

Do you have the center caps?

I had it out for a ride and didn't notice any balancing issues, which makes sense because they are totally symmetrical except for the cutout for the valve stem.


We have had the center caps all along since we got the steel wheels several years ago, as they are the standard ones used with them.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Deano

Sorry to do this, but you just reminded me, I have a set of these skins. New in the box. I decided 4 years ago not to use them. Out of sight, out of mind.

I'm going to ask $60.00 shipped in the 48.

What convinced you not to use them?


Prices vary hugely on the wheelskins, from what I saw, going from $60 a set to $200 depending on where you get them. We paid $63.46 for them at an Amazon marketplace store.

[Deano]

My RT is silver over dark grey, the silver painted wheels and silver body color look good to me.
I set one of the Skins on one wheel for comparison and decided. If My RT was any other color I may have used them.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Deano

My RT is silver over dark blue, the silver painted wheels look good to me. I set one of the Skins on one wheel for comparison and decided. If My RT was any other color I may have used them.

Did you get the center caps with the skins?

[Deano]

As I recall, I bought them from a different supplier during the same time frame I ordered the wheels.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Deano

As I recall, I bought them from a different supplier during the same time frame I ordered the wheels.

So you have four wheel skins plus 4 center caps for sale?

[Deano]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

So you have four wheel skins plus 4 center caps for sale?

No, I'm selling just the New Chrome Skins.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

What convinced you not to use them?


Prices vary hugely on the wheelskins, from what I saw, going from $60 a set to $200 depending on where you get them. We paid $63.46 for them at an Amazon marketplace store.

Apparently the lug nuts normally supplied with stock steel wheels have both internal threads and also an external thread for securing the center cap. But when RT supplies the AR wheel option do you know if they still use the original lug nuts or do the aluminum wheels require a different lug nut bevel and consequently different nuts?

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Apparently the lug nuts normally supplied with stock steel wheels have both internal threads and also an external thread for securing the center cap. But when RT supplies the AR wheel option do you know if they still use the original lug nuts or do the aluminum wheels require a different lug nut bevel and consequently different nuts?

The aluminum wheels will use different lug nuts. You can often find full sets of "take offs" on ebay very reasonably for the double thread version.