Sprinter Hubcaps and Extended Valves -- a warning

Dawn

Member
Hi all

My 2012 Sprinter has the basic pop-on MB wheel covers. Almost exactly one year ago, I had metal extended valve stems installed on the rear wheels.

Vibration of the left rear hubcap eventually cut a groove into one of the valve stems, resulting in a leak.

You can't see the hole in the attached photo, but you can see the groove.

Dawn
 

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sailquik

Well-known member
Dawn,
Your 2012 LTV Unity Murphy bed is built on a Mercedes Benz 519 series cab/chassis with dual rear wheels.
"The basic pop-on MB wheel covers" are actually called "simulators" as they simulate shiny alloy wheels.
Mercedes Benz has nothing to do with this product.
These are added at the LTV factory and are totally an aftermarket product.
Without the "the basic pop-on MB wheel covers"/simulators there are no issues with the OEM supplied steel
5.5J16 OEM steel wheels equipped with the OEM rubber valve stems and OEM plastic inner wheel valve stem
extenders.
The issues arise when LTV adds the simulators.
But your point is well taken.....there are serious problems with the simulators and not many solutions except
removing them and running just the OEM steel wheels that were installed on your RV cab/chassis at the
MB Cab/Chassis manufacturing plant in Ludwigsfelde, Germany.
I'm nearing 300,000 miles in various Sprinters, all running on the OEM Steel wheels with the OEM rubber
valve stems and OEM plastic valve stem extensions with no issues/problems due to valve stem failure.
Thanks for the very informative photo of how the simulators installed by LTV can damage or destroy the
valve stems, whether they are metal or rubber.
Hope this helps,
Roger
 
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synergy_58

2009 Navion and 2015 Crew
I have long had issues with those 'simulators' on my Navion, and especially with valve stems and extenders. I, like Roger, have never had issues with my OEM covers, none on my '05 Sprinter (steel wheels), and not having any issues with DW's '15 fancy smancy OEM wheels.

Two weeks ago one of my rear simulators came off doing about 25-30 mph, and disappeared into the woods somewhere. This happened on hwy 28 N, just outside of Franklin, NC city limits as we heading up to Bryson City. Wife and I searched and searched for it and came up empty. We gave up after almost an hour of looking. Usually I don't give up doing things very easily. But, in this case, as much as I just loooove these simulators, I just said "the hell with it"!

I'm actually thinking about taking them all off and painting the steel wheels, with automotive grade paint, matching some color from the Navion. I wish there were better products out there, besides these simulators and the expensive Alcoa wheels. Oh well.
 
Same happened to us. We installed Metal Valve Stems after a flat and 3 day wait (during our vacation) for 6 NEW tires! MB rubber valve stem is a passenger rated valve stem and not rated for an 11,000 lb RV. We have just removed the offending simulators on our back wheels and have painted the rims with a silver metallic paint. Looks great and now is alot safer!
 

jackfish

Active member
Zip ties keep wheel simulators from rotating and coming off.

Currently at Mendota County Park, Middleton, WI
 
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synergy_58

2009 Navion and 2015 Crew
Same happened to us. We installed Metal Valve Stems after a flat and 3 day wait (during our vacation) for 6 NEW tires! MB rubber valve stem is a passenger rated valve stem and not rated for an 11,000 lb RV. We have just removed the offending simulators on our back wheels and have painted the rims with a silver metallic paint. Looks great and now is alot safer!
That sounds good! Got any pics to share. I think I'll do the same thing.
 

alichty

2014 LTV Unity TB
Dawn - when I had extenders installed on my LTV Unity by the Tire Man last year he requested that I bring along some stainless steel ties for the simulators. He installs two on each simulator to hold it in place. He has tales of them coming off and taking the stem with them so he straps them on instead. You have to look carefully but there is one at about 1 o'clock in the image and one opposite it at the bottom:

SSties.jpg

That said I wish the simulators hadn't scored my wheels so badly or I would leave them off too. It's tempting to buy another set of wheels and have them powdercoated.
 

rdvan@sbcglobal.net

2017 Unity MB
I have a full set of never used simulators and wheels (still in the boxes) I can sell for $100 plus shipping (or pick up in the Dallas area) if anyone knows someone who needs them.
R. D. Vanderslice
Beautiful 2014 Unity MB ( with Alcoa Aluminum wheels)
To be for sale in a couple of weeks
i
 

psychoboy

05&06 Dodge Longs & Talls
Same happened to us. We installed Metal Valve Stems after a flat and 3 day wait (during our vacation) for 6 NEW tires! MB rubber valve stem is a passenger rated valve stem and not rated for an 11,000 lb RV. We have just removed the offending simulators on our back wheels and have painted the rims with a silver metallic paint. Looks great and now is alot safer!
I'm interested....how does the weight of the vehicle impact the valve stem?

I can honestly say that I don't know what pressure is required to rupture the steel tube inside the stem, or what pressure will blow the base thru the wheel, or what pressure will cause the valve itself to fail.....but I have to assume that the sidewall of the tire would fail LONG before those points were reached.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
I'm interested....how does the weight of the vehicle impact the valve stem?

I can honestly say that I don't know what pressure is required to rupture the steel tube inside the stem, or what pressure will blow the base thru the wheel, or what pressure will cause the valve itself to fail.....but I have to assume that the sidewall of the tire would fail LONG before those points were reached.
There are usually 2 groups of valve stems used in these types of rims. They are usually rated at ~50PSI for passenger cars, and ~80psi for light truck tires. There is no "special" valve stems for heavier vehicles. Just different pressure ratings and materials. The low pressure units won't just blow off, but they can leak at higher pressures. Big rigs, and heavy equipment will often use different valve stems.

On my van the rubber valve stems have been replaced by solid metal ones that use a nut and O-ring to seal. These have a longer service life, and are a bit more durable than the other types.
 

psychoboy

05&06 Dodge Longs & Talls
so....as long as the vehicle has properly inflated tires....the weight of the vehicle is irrelevant?
 

Lusitan

2016 Thor Siesta 24ST
I recently removed the rear wheel simulators on my new Siesta Sprinter because they were the source of a clicking sound that can be heard at slow speeds (5 - 10 mph) when the front windows are rolled down. After reading this thread I'm beginning to think I should leave them off permanently... :-(
 

showkey

Well-known member
The OEM wheel simulators installed by the RV up-fitter were becoming loose and noisy (clicking at low speed) .......so loose were the rear I installed cable ties as a precaution. The originals were held in place by 5 sets friction clips that grabbed the rim. Reading on line vendor warnings the simulators should NOT be able to be removed by hand, if so they too loose.

No connection to this vendor: but all in, they were $224 (free shipping, no tax) these have friction clips around the whole outside edge:

http://www.autoamenity.com/ReplicaHubcaps/Dodge-Sprinter-Hubcaps.htm

Quality fit and finish..........with a lot more clips:

 
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sailquik

Well-known member
Ahhh....I see.....a lot more clips so they remove a lot more paint from the steel wheels, which then start to rust in a lot more places.
Do the OEM 18 hole Steel Wheels, painted MB Wheel Silver really look that bad?
Roger
 

showkey

Well-known member
They do solve the problem......ugly wheels, wheel cap noise and wheel caps falling off.

Rust has not been an issue so far.........
 

1109

New member
Dawn - when I had extenders installed on my LTV Unity by the Tire Man last year he requested that I bring along some stainless steel ties for the simulators. He installs two on each simulator to hold it in place. He has tales of them coming off and taking the stem with them so he straps them on instead. You have to look carefully but there is one at about 1 o'clock in the image and one opposite it at the bottom:

View attachment 76880

That said I wish the simulators hadn't scored my wheels so badly or I would leave them off too. It's tempting to buy another set of wheels and have them powdercoated.
Doesn't having these wheel covers on make you nervous that you begin to neglect checking your wheel nuts.:hmmm::hmmm::hmmm:
I bought some nut covers that just slide over the wheel nuts for ???? $20.00 pack of 10 and painted the steel wheel with chrome paint. I admit it doesn't look as cool as the Alcoa or the wheel covers, but it works for me.
 
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I prefer the look of stock steel wheels to simulators. I would like to find a kit with chrome nut covers and chrome hub covers like the Alcoa wheels are sold with. Will the Alcoa hub covers work with stock steel wheels? (2013 3500 Sprinter)
 

MeRob

Member
My 2012 Tioga had 'short' valve extenders already installed on the dual wheels... None of my tires have valve stems/extenders protruding through the wheel covers. But this means the centre hubs and the friction fit wheel covers must be removed in order to check the rear tire pressures. However, this does give you the opportunity to visually check your rear tires at the same time.
I should add that this 'sliced valve' stem issue happened to my son. When it occurred, there was no warning, just an INSTANT loss of ALL the tire pressure...
 

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