WW W

[John316]

And I took them off and never looked back. Really glad to have them gone. They looked nice, but I really like to see my wheels.

John

[Lin]

Now I'm confused, John.  I thought you stopped looking back when you removed the mirrors!

[luvrbus]

We removed a set of Balance Masters from the front wheels of a bus today that was ticking like crazy he had aluminum wheels,simulators are not a good idea IMO

[chessie4905]

   After dealing with those things on the 4104, I'll never use them again. What a pita to remove and re-install. Ours had aluminum pipes that supported them on the rear with nylon lug nut shape retainers with chrome lug nut covers. Rear covers stuck out to match front wheels. Looked nice though...so so to me.

[Van]

Tom talk to Gary @ BB there now seems to be a supply of aluminum rims flowing, what with all the bus dis-mantling going on by Richard up in the north end. 

 V.

[lvmci]

Thanks Van, starting a 5 day job, took off the simulators, right side, no noise, lvmci...

[lvmci]

Hi All, well John and Lin were correcto! Simulators indeed were the problemo. Took them off, passenger side, clicking sound gone! Included is some pics on how Im solving the issue. Turns out, the wheels are two nuts short of a proper set. The hollow bolts coming off the wheel lugs, 1 1/4" and the nuts to fit it, were just tightened down with a gap between the wheel, simulator and hub cap of about 1/2". I put two rubber washers and a fiber washer on the wheel side  and a fiber washer on the hub cap side, thereby holding the simulator and hub cap in a rubber mounted pressure sandwich. Will have to check every so often for tightness, but I think this will solve the clicking sound. Im happy to know the bearings, lube and most importantly the rear brakes are fine, but kicking my self for about $3/400 worth of looksee by ww williams for a non existent problem, I guess its the cost of finding out stuff for my bus, lvmci...

[lvmci]

With the hub caps on, then the nut cap,( a hub cap for a nut.), lvmci...

[lostagain]

Tom, my solution to your problem would be to toss those simulators in the trash. I prefer bare wheels, so I am able to feel for unusual heat from the hub or brakes, and look for loose wheel nuts or cracked rims when I do my pre trip and stop while on a trip.
Aluminum wheels look nice. Also steel wheels can look nice when freshly painted.

JC

[John316]

Lin,

I find it helps the aerodynamics of the bus, if we don't have mirrors .

LV, glad you found the source of the problem. Always something.

John

[lvmci]

Thanks JC & John, what have you done with your bare wheels? Painted or polished? Black or silver? I kinda like the stainless look, but I'm open to other looks, as long as its not the cork screw effect that might messmerize other drivers as I pass them! Lvmci...

[John316]

Thanks JC & John, what have you done with your bare wheels? Painted or polished? Black or silver? I kinda like the stainless look, but I'm open to other looks, as long as its not the cork screw effect that might messmerize other drivers as I pass them! Lvmci...

Ahem...ours were painted at one point. lol

They need to be painted again, but right now they are just bare.

[lostagain]

Tom, on my old bus, I kept the steel wheels painted white. Rustoleum. Touch up once a year to cover up scratches from demounting/mounting. On my current 5C, I have aluminum Alcoas that are polished. I re-polished them once last winter one day that I was really bored.

JC

[luvrbus]

Several I know of that replaced their steel wheels have went the powder coating route done in chrome or aluminum they look good,tough and easy to clean fwiw

[RJ]

Tom -

I vote with JC - White Rustoleum paint, can be done with the wheels on the coach.

Another benefit:  IF you happen to have a lug nut that loosens, you'll easily see the rust mark streaks it will leave radiating out from the points of the nut.

FWIW & HTH. . .