Drive Axle hub covers

[LarryB]

Jon, what is your source for this comment, I would like to get more info on the subject.

Thanks

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Larry,

Back in the early 90's at Prevost Proud Rallies that preceded the FMCA conventions part of the rally schedule was technical sessions put on by Prevost. The technical sessions were intended to conver a broad range of topics and when necessary Prevost would invite suppliers such as Michelin, Detroit Diesel, Allison, etc.

There were subjects covered that were what I would call as not politically correct because Prevost had to be very careful it did not piss off the converters who at the time were buying almost 50% of the Prevost output. Bill Campbell, one of the owners and at the time a vice president was usually the one to cover the topics sure to irritate converters, but had to be covered because of potential liability.

The one that really got everyone excited was his insistence that the Prevost axle weight limits were never to be exceeded, and at the time there were two converters who exceeded them as the coach was delivered to the customer, and when the customers added their stuff to the bays and cabinets the weight went up even more. A lot of people get pretty pissed off over that, including the converters who were building heavy coaches, and their customers who were buying them.

At around the same time Bill Campbell made it clear Prevost was not only opposed to any lug cover system that went beneath the lug nuts, but that Prevost accepted no responsibility for an problems or damages that might occur as a result. I cannot remember whose hub caps they were, and they might have been T Kane's, but Bill actually held up the bracket that was to be installed under the lug nuts and explained how the ability to properly torque the nuts, plus retain the torque was impossible. At the time the bracket shown had holes that lined up with the studs, but the cupped or countersunk configuration was not shaped into the bracket, the producer apparently assuming torquing the nut would draw the shape into the bracket.

I have since seen lug nut mounted brackets with a groove or step in them to allow the nuts to directly contact the wheel, but to also secure the bracket. My guess from that would be someone producing those brackets is conforming to what Alcoa (wheels) and Rockewell (hubs) require so the wheels are properly torqued.

I have no clue where to find information relative to this topic. Perhaps Alcoa addresses it or maybe Rockewell. I know it was important enough, like axle weight limits for Bill Campbell to risk the ire of his converter customers to make a serious plea to owners to get those hub caps off the coach and to buy the covers that did not mount between the wheel and the lug nut. I know there are some full covers available that cover the lug nuts, but that have brackets that are secured on top of the lug nut via the excess stud threads. Those for example would be completely acceptable as are the covers that use a center mount stud and somehow attach to the nuts or bolts that hold the axle or hub housing cover in place.

This is not exclusively a Prevost issue, but is applicable to any bus or heavy truck.

This was at a time when Prevost could be counted on to really support the coach owners, even though their real customers were the converters.

[LarryB]

Thanks Jon, I am thinking this type of wheel cover mounting may account for some cracked wheels. I have never heard of a coach or bus loosing a wheel but have certainly seen more than a few cracked wheels. I always thought the cracks were from over torquing the nut with the ever popular 'rattle gun' used at tire stores. Maybe it is a bit of both.

[ToyMan]

I ordered 2 drive axle hub covers from Prevost. They are ABS plastic and have a screw on type setup. The cover comes with 10 gray and 10 white lug nut adapters that slip over the lug nut. This allows the "silver bullet" to screw onto the lug nut adapter.

I tried the white ones and they will not stay tight. I swapped them out for the gray ones and was able to get them real tight. The kit comes with a plastic lug nut cover wrench. $125 ea or 2 @ $112.50 ea.

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