valve stems

[mdka99]

the inner duels have flexible extensions and I have an extremely hard time putting air in. 22.5 wheels and steel simulators. Anybody have any ideas?

[Wayne M]

Get some Dually Valve stems.

DUALLY VALVES

[John Locke]

I used these Dually Air Valve adapters on my previous RV, always worked great to make it easy to air up the rear tires. Easy to install, you don't have to dismount the tire.

[Wayne M]

Do not confuse what John posted as the "Dually Valve" I posted. Dully Valves I posted is a company and they have an outstanding product.

[John Locke]

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Do not confuse what John posted as the "Dually Valve" I posted. Dully Valves I posted is a company and they have an outstanding product.

Oh good point Wayne, I didn't mean to use the "Dually" name. I meant dual wheel air adapters. My mistake. The adapters I referenced are a less expensive solution that folks may want to consider. I think the "Dually" brand solution is the ultimate, super high quality, however you need to dismount each tire off the rim, install the stems and rebalance things, correct? For 6 wheels that could be another $100+, but if you're getting new tires, that's a good time to consider the Dually product.

[Wayne M]

Yep! It is $30 a tire on an RV to dismount and install valves and for me that is $240 but I had it done.

On my old MH I had an RV dealer install they type you are talking about. Did the job and I put it in storage. Inside dual went flat sitting in storage. Called roadside assistance and the tire service pulled the tire off and we found that on that brand new flexible extension where the metal meets the braid there was a leak.

I have since done some research on those flexible braided extensions and I am now under the opinion that they are a potential problem, more so then the solid valves.

I know, I know - many have used them without problems and I'm one of the few that had a probelm and it was "out of the bag."

Let's see, 8" long on the ground by approximately 5 inches or so in width, and on 8 tires for me, equals 320 square inches of life support system for 23 tons rolling.

Did I calculate that correctly? Math is not really in my realm.

[Free Ranger]

I e put thousands of miles on Dually Valves and, combined with TPMS, it is the way to go. Make sure you get the correct models for your wheels and then find a very reliable installer. The secret is getting someone who will take the extra time to read the installation instructions and follow them, ensuring that the bends are correct for your wheel and simulator holes, and that the stems are tightening correctly without cutting the gaskets. To be safe, order additional gaskets from them when you order your valves. The secret really is in finding the right installer.

[John Locke]

Originally Posted by Free Ranger

I e put thousands of miles on Dually Valves and, combined with TPMS, it is the way to go. Make sure you get the correct models for your wheels and then find a very reliable installer. The secret is getting someone who will take the extra time to read the installation instructions and follow them, ensuring that the bends are correct for your wheel and simulator holes, and that the stems are tightening correctly without cutting the gaskets. To be safe, order additional gaskets from them when you order your valves. The secret really is in finding the right installer.

Interesting about the concern for installation. Most people don't have a tire installer they know that intimately, enough to be assured they take the time to actually read the instructions. Thanks for the tip.

[kcgrant43]

I asked Winnebago why valve stem extenders were not offered as an option for my 2015 Vista and they said the flexible extenders wiggle while the tires are rolling and can leak from the flexing. I will try the ones recommended by Free Ranger.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by mdka99

the inner duels have flexible extensions and I have an extremely hard time putting air in. 22.5 wheels and steel simulators. Anybody have any ideas?

I simply drove to an auto parts store and bought 1 6" steel valve stem extension. I use it to add air to 1 inner dual wheel, then remove it. The steel valve cap may be removed/replaced by sliding my hand between the duals if the stem is on the bottom. BTW, never use plastic valve caps, they are not designed to hold pressure if the valve core leaks.

[akeagle]

I put flexible extensions on the duals of my Class C and quickly realized the possibility of chaffing on the edges of the wheel or simulator holes. I cut suitable lengths of 3/8" black wire loom (Home Depot carries it) and slid them on the extensions where there was potential contact with the wheels/simulators. I checked them at both ends of our Alaska/Indiana/Alaska trip and saw no evidence of chaffing on the loom.

[PZachary]

Not sure what your RV is, the borg metal stems are quality and trusted by many owners. I to had the same problem airing the dual tires. These solved the problem, and I am also able to use a tire pressure monitoring sysetem with these stems. Expensive yes but, IMHO worth the peace of mind and ease of maintenance.

BORG Equipment & Supply Corp. Inc. - Automotive Equipment & Supplies

[BobC]

I agree with PZachary but installation can be expensive so the best time to do this is when you're having new tires installed.

[Morich]

I see a fair amount of misleading info on the installation point. Number one is to know what it takes to install these and then to judge how difficult it will be for you or somebody you hire. A valve stem extension is pretty simple to screw on, so if you can find the valve cap and manage to unscrew it, there is a good chance you can figure out how to screw the extension on, right? But where the leaks come in is not how smart we have to be nor how talented, but how careful we c heck our work. If you have a leak after you screw something together and you don't find it until the tire is flat, shame on you! Anybody that has any experience will know to check their work with a simple soap check!
That's where finding the right person to do the work makes a lot of difference. If they don't check their work, they are not worth much, no matter how smart they claim to be.
So I ask myself, "who do I trust to screw a valve stem extender on, me or somebody I don't know?" DUH!

[BobC]

Morich, I'm not referring to the screw-on type of extenders in my earlier post.

I was referring to the rigid, Dually Valve extensions by Borg and others, that install in the rims in place of the pre-existing valve stems. Although the tires do not need to be fully removed, the bead does need to be "broken" and the tire compressed to allow access to the inside of the rim. The tires also should be re-balanced. According to the site below, the estimated labor time is 2 to 2.5 hours (and much less if you're having new tires installed):

Tire-Man: Kit #1-6FCD Installation Instructions

For me, this isn't a DIY project.

[rarebear.nm]

I also wanted easier access to the valve stems, but mostly needed to be able to attach TPMS sensors on the valve stems. Went with one piece solid Borg valve stems. Very happy with the results. Discount Tire charged only $30 to do all six tires. While the bead was broken I switched from fixed wheel weights to balancing beads. IMO the ride is much better now.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

I also wanted easier access to the valve stems, but mostly needed to be able to attach TPMS sensors on the valve stems. Went with one piece solid Borg valve stems. Very happy with the results. Discount Tire charged only $30 to do all six tires. While the bead was broken I switched from fixed wheel weights to balancing beads. IMO the ride is much better now.

$30 is a fantastic deal! TPMS was my reason for converting from flexible as well. I didn't want the TPMS sensors flailing around.

[akeagle]

a quick way of checking your own handiwork - or someone else's - is to fill a spray bottle with water and a small squirt of dish soap so you can spritz all valve stems and extensions. If there's a leak, you'll be greeted with a bubble show. This also works if a slow leak in a tire might be suspected. In this case also spray where the tire bead meets the wheel. I've had slow air leaks on my four-wheelers and found bead leaks due to corrosion of alloy wheels which would not allow the bead to seal properly.

[MkgBen]

I bought 6 new tires from a long-time commercial and passenger tire store -- one that does retreading and is used to dealing with tires much bigger than my 22.5" ones. I expressed my concern about the inner rear tires and they ended up mounting a stainless extension long enough to extend through the vent holes in the outer tire. They also put on "semi-trucker" stainless valve caps which do not have to be removed to fill. The set up has worked great for me for 2 years. I told them: If you want me to check the air pressure in all 6 tires regularly, make it easy for me."

[Dennis L]

I went with "Crossfire Pressure Equilization System" for the duals in the rear. Shows when the pressure is too low and equalizes the pressure in the duals. No more problems adding air.