Hello Everyone!
Nubian Nomads here on our way to Southern California. When lo and behold our wheel started spitting lug nuts. We have a bad wheel but no one has the 22.5 x 6.75 Aluminum 6 Lug Wheels. What to do?? We are stuck in a quaint remote village called Blythe, California. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as always! Can we get a conversion kit? The 10 lugs are everywhere!
Try these people they are specialists in older wheel types:
Catalog: Budd Wheel | Wheels Now Inc. Catalog (http://www.wheelsnowinc.com/catalog/index.php?brandID=2)
Keith
Try John at Parkhouse tire in Santa Ana, ca. Multiple store high volume commercial tire dealer. He had one for 97 320.
Try calling Stockton Wheel. Back in the day they could find (or build) a wheel for anything that rolled. Perhaps they can help?
Stockton Wheel (http://www.stocktonwheel.com/index.html)
You can see if you can get a steel rim. The steel one will be thinner so you may have to clean up the studs.
After doing a exhaustive online search for that wheel, I am having zero luck. I think your best bet would be if you can locate a wrecked/burned U225 that is being parted out. That may require getting on the phone and calling all over the country, because the RV wrecking and recycle yards are not good about posting their inventory online.
Have you called the factory? They may know of a possible parts source. If not, they might be able to tell you what other Foretravel years and models used the same size Alcoa 6-bolt wheel. If it was used on other models, that would help expand your search parameters when calling the wrecking yards.
Nubian,
There were 2 talked about here on the Forum recently that were totaled due to fire damage. We sent you a P/M when this was in the classified section.
Pamela & Mike
Please confirm that your wheels are really 8.25. OE was 6.75 on the U225.
If 6.75, send me a PM, I know a retired Foretravel owner who may still have one/two.
The wheel should not, in itself spit off the lug nuts. What is actually happening? It could be that the face of the hub and or wheel is corroded, painted, dented etc. The lugs often will stay torqued with amazingly poor lug holes. As long as the nuts can find a center and with take sufficiant torque , the wheel should stay tight.
One solution , if the wheel is faulty, is to find a high end machine shop and drill new holes. Put that wheel on the rear .
Found one of them - now in Atlanta:
92 Unihome 36' RV salv title.Rebuild,Camping site or Tiny Home Project - rvs... (https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvs/d/92-unihome-36-rv-salv/6604184340.html)
I have sent them a message. Fingers crossed.
Please post a pic and description of the issue. Thanks, MM
Call back and VERIFY. Wheel size is stamped and easily visible on the rear wheel-- all wheels the same size.
And, reconfirm that you do have a U225 (Cummins B engine, rear radiator, torsilastic suspension, propane generator).
Another good source would be stateline tire in Parker AZ State Line Tire & Wheel LLC - Tire Shop in Parker (http://state-line-tire-wheel-llc.business.site/)
928-669-8433
We have the Detroit Diesel engine but everything else is the same...rear radiator, torsilastic suspension, propane generator...
That sounds more like an O22C Grand Villa coach. (Oshkosh chassis)
Do the bay doors open from the top down or do they open from the bottom up?
Mike
Sent you a PM with contact info for a wheel for a 1994 U240 (6.75" X 22.5"). He has subsequently sold the coach.
Interesting-- never heard of a DD in a U225, but 1990 was the very first of the U225. Assume it is the 8.2 liter V8 DD.
Anyway, you will certainly want to confirm wheel PN's. There is a different PN for front vs rear-- the difference is which side is polished. Worse case is if you locate one not polished on the side you want, having to polish it would not stop me from using it.
BTW, here is information for the wheels for the 1993 U240:
Alcoa wheels 800 242-9898. 22.5 X 6.75 15 deg DC. PN 863102 outer rear. PN863101 front.
Possibly, but ORED with torsilastic suspension???
Yes I am interested in the torsilastic suspension also. it could be one of the last built like nitehawks coach.
Mike
Wow, that must be a smooth ride with air bags AND Torsilastic! (tongue firmly in cheek).
Based on the edit you just did on the original post (6.75" X 22.5" 6 lug, not 8.25") suggest you follow up with the PM I sent you for the wheel in Arizona. He sold his U240 and had this as a spare.
The bay door opens from the bottom up. It seems like we have a transition coach....lol. Hard to find schematics etc for it. Any help would be appreciated. :D
Knowing the size may not do you much good. You need the exact model number found on the inside of every Alcoa wheel. The number will be different for shiny vs matte finish. Once you have the part number, start calling around.
Might want to check to see if the rest of the wheels have the same part number.
Pierce
See my post #16 above for PN's for front and outer rear for the 1993 U240. Suspect they will be the same for the U225, but VERIFY.
And, as I posted, as rare as these wheels are, if I could locate one, even with the side I want polished not polished, not sure I wouldn't invest the time/effort to just polish it. Those particular wheels ARE scarce!
Why not consider a steel wheel to get you going. Most of our dual rears have steel inside wheels.
Tire place in charlotte,NC has a machine they put whole rim w tire in it and it will polish whatever side to a mirror, I bought a used rim for my Pete and took it down looked brand new when it came out the box. $50.00
Nubian, you might have missed one of my posts telling where you can get any information from two great guys.
Oshkosh Truck sold the chassis design to Freightliner/daimler quite a few years ago.
When I need any information I have my Oshkosh chassis number in hand before I text them. The number is usually down on the frame rail, above & a little behind the driver's front wheel. Also on a placque on the driver's left on the wall.
My number starts with V-815-2
OK, here is your contact information: fcccservice@daimler.com and the two contacts are 1) Les Michaels and 2) Mark Fraedrich if Les isn't there.
These two guys seem to be the only ones that have the information we need.
Nitehawk/Norm
We are back on the road. $700 lighter.
This lifestyle is not for the faint of heart,
But we wouldn't trade it for the world .
So what was the solution to your dilemma? It's nice to let the Forum members know "the exciting conclusion" to your harrowing tale.
And, please follow up on your other thread (ride height) by verifying exactly what coach/chassis you have.
A lot of effort has been spent because we don't know what coach you have-- ORED or U225. VERY different.
My apologies for the delay in posting an update. We were in a hurry to get on the road.
I have found out that we indeed have a one-off coach. This is what we got from Foretravel when we bought it a year ago:
Line: GVF Year Model: 90 Series: 3600 Floor Plan: SBI Chassis:
U225 Engine: 8.2
VIN: 1F96D4362LN054190 Interior: CG-CASTLESTONE GREY Exterior: BU-BURGUNDY
Started: 3/08/90 Finished : MFG: C SLS: S Del.DT: 9/30/90 Milage:
Dealer: NAC Salesman: MCGRATH Customer: Ins.DT: Milage:
Exception:
Engine: DETROIT Serial: 08G0230999 Model: 8.2
Transmission: ALLISON Serial: 2410387356 Model: MT643 Tech
Notes EDS SO History
We were able to get a steel wheel replacement at Arizona RV Salvage and they had several. The repair company was Empire Cat in Blythe, CA.
So we made it to Wilmington, Ca safely only to find out the RV Park(ing Lot) aka Ocean's 11, charged us an additional $75 service charge per month which was not originally disclosed and they required 1st & last month even if you are only staying 1 month! We will be looking for another place ASAP. So instead of the $750 I was expecting we had to pay $1,650. Ugh! Thank you all for your help.
So I assume that the wheel was run loose and ruined the holes??
A 8.2 and a 643 in a 225 Booger bob mcgrath did good for the original purchaser
No, Bob Mc Grath sold from the Foretravel factory in Nacogdoches.
Still unclear on what this is. Never heard of any U225 with anything but a Cummins B 230 HP engine. Could absolutely be a "one of a kind".
Go here: FORETRAVEL Motorhomes service and Repair Information (http://www.beamalarm.com/foretravel-links/foretravel-links.html)
Lower left (Foretravel Articles), click on the link to 1990 U225. Good write up by Bob Livingston. THAT is a "regular" 1990 U225! Good picture of the torsilastic suspension-- easy for an owner to identify, as it is entirely different than leaf spring or air suspension.
As I posted in his other "ride height" thread, once we see a picture of the suspension/he confirms it is the torsilastic suspension as pictured in the article, we can give details. But ride height specs for this suspension are unrelated to specs for coaches with other suspensions.