Winnebago 22.5 Alum Rim Corrosion

[vb98]

I have a new Winnebago Adventurer class-a motor home with 22.5 alum wheels, using Versa Liner Hub Caps , VAC8275,, I have serious galvanic corrosion occurring around the liner contact point to wheel.. Now there seems to be a who's to blame finger pointing between Ford (which supplied the rims) , Winnebago (who installed the caps), and Dicor (who supplied the caps).. Anyone else having this problem??

[gauto5150]

Steel caps on aluminum rims, with no insulator between would cause corrosion eventually no doubt.
I blame them all.

[Petro]

I have the same problem on my aluminum wheels by the lug nuts. It is caused, just like gauto5150 says, by steel nuts on aluminum wheels with out insulators between nuts and wheels.

Don

[rtb]

Having same problem ----not as severe----------stainless to aluminum no separator-------- just a matter of time---------- Yes, Dicor provided the hubs and someone else provided the wheels---but it still comes down to what is and has been good engineering practices of protecting dissimilar metals from each other. Winnebago team should have caught this problem and addressed it before the unit ever was allowed to leave the factory.

[FleetMan]

Why don't you blame Mother Nature, Chemistry and the Laws of Physics for the galvanic corrosion? Now that you have recognized what is happening, take action to mitigate it!

[steve4539]

vb98-Had the same problem new Adventurer purchased last Aug. 2011, noticed pitting and corrosion on the wheels. Dealer put clear rubber tubeing around edge of cap to seperate liner from the rim, looks like the stuff you would use on a car door edge?.Talked to the dealer 4 or 5 times about replacing wheels,kept hearing winnebago is looking into the problem.One year later still no results and no one will own up and do something.steve4539

[dengraham]

Hi FleetMan,
What do you recommend for the situation?? Some kind of separator or chemical treatment, or polish?? Or, something else??

[FleetMan]

The aluminum wheels on the late model Ford Superduties were notorious for the aluminum wheel fusing to the steel mounting surface. Most people, after they got the wheels broken loose coated the mating surface with anti-seize and that solved the problem. For these 22.5 wheels, I'd polish them as clean as possible and make sure I had some sort of a barrier between the steel cap and the aluminum wheel. A coating of anti-seize at the touch points may do the trick, perhaps some other type of barrier to insure no contact.

[oldyoungs]

Our new Adventurer looks like vp98 but not as bad. So should we all be going back to Winnebago asking for a fix for this? Or do we talk to our dealers.

[vb98]

Winnebago has sent a full set of Dicor SS Caps, nuts/covers, spacers (isolator ring between cap&rim), and cap wrench.. Ford MotorHome Support wants Winnebago to take care of the entire issue.. The rims are make for Ford by/in Japan.. I'll put my engineering hat on:: I firmly believe a corrosion resistant component was left out of the alum alloy.. No one wants to address the correction of existing corrosion, my depth of corrosion measures .012" around the entire circumference of SS Cap to rim mating surface.. There presently is not a structural issue, but corrosion is similar to cancer must be removed/treated, or in this case possibly replaced (4-rims)..

[steve4539]

vb98-Did you contact Winnebago in Forest City or the dealer where you purchased your motorhome.Would like to know what steps you took to get problem resolved so fast.Appreciate your help. thanks steve4539

[gewilli]

Your wheels are clear coated aren't they? Most wheels now days are coated. This tells me that the clear coat failed at the lug nut holes which is a manufacturing defect..

I had the problem and switched to non-coated wheels in '09.

[vb98]

Contacted Ford MotorHome Support, Winnebago, and Dicor all direct.. No need to speak to anyone that can't make decisions.. The issue is not resolved but @least there is an official document trail, and the spacers are in place..

[vb98]

Yes there is a coating, there should have been a tighter controlled standard for the manufacturing which included size, contour, composition of alum, and coating..

[Mr_D]

We have Dicor covers and uncoated Alcoa wheels. I went to an auto supply store and bought plastic door edging that was "chrome" color. Put it around the rim of the hub cover. Covers up the slight gap and no erosion problems.

[gewilli]

I would contact the wheel manufacturer directly and ask for tech support, with pictures. That is what I did with my Accuride coated wheels and they replaced them. Freightliner and Winnebago in my cse were no help.

[dc8cappie]

I was hoping someone would tell us what they used to clean theirs.

[gewilli]

For my un coated accuride wheels, accuride recommends "Chrome Shop Mafia" polish from 4 State Trucking. Com. Its good stuff and easy to use. I use the polish and the wax.

For coated wheels, if the corrosion is under the coating (as my old wheels were), as I understand it, you have to remove the coating. Not an easy undertaking.

If you have scuffs in the clear coat, Winne has directions in their technical service bulletins.

Good luck.