Tire inflation issue

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steve407

steve407

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Joined
Jan 18, 2015
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131
Location
Kissimmee, FL
I went to check the tire pressure before moving the RV and had to pump them up a bit (it's just been sitting for awhile). Got a 150 psi pancake compressor from Harbor Freight and it works like a champ. HOWEVER, the inside driver side dual tire won't take air - it's down to 92psi and should be closer to 100. I suspect it is just a bad valve stem, but I need to know - if the RV is up on Jacks, can I remove the valve stem letting all the air out, replace it, and then pump it back up without damage? Will the tire going flat be an issue because of the weight?  I figure with my little 150 psi compressor it would take a really long time to pump it back up - will the compressor overheat or anything doing that?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
I'll assume that you know for sure that you don't have a leak that's keeping you from getting the pressure higher than 92psi?  Of course, if you had a leak the pressure would go down once you stopped trying to fill the tire.

My experience has been that valve stems can sometimes stick because they're slightly too tight or have gotten some dirt in them. You might want to start by buying a tire stem tool and very gently loosening the stem to see if that makes it easier to get the pressure up.  Although I've never done it myself, I've seen tire guys remove a stem and insert a new one without the tire losing all that much air. 
 
That's plenty of air to get on the road.  Stop in town at a local tire shop and ask them for help.  The cost will be minimal.  Changing out a valve stem could be dangerous, and if you have issues, then you have a flat tire, and no longer can drive to a local tire shop.
 
spencerpj said:
That's plenty of air to get on the road.  Stop in town at a local tire shop and ask them for help.  The cost will be minimal.  Changing out a valve stem could be dangerous, and if you have issues, then you have a flat tire, and no longer can drive to a local tire shop.
Click to expand...

There's a little confusion going on here. Not sure if the OP wants to change the internals to the Schrader valve or change the entire stem. If it's just the internals, piece of cake. Just get a wrench previously mentioned, unscrew the old valve, block the hole with your finger tip, then quickly insert the new valve and tighten it with the wrench.
If it's the entire valve stem which needs to be changed, this will have to be done at a tire shop. The wheel will have to be removed,  the air will have to be removed, the bead broken then replace the stem. Not something the average Joe can do.
 
Rene T is 100% correct.

Another thing, a little soapy water, remove cap, squirt on whole area, bubbles will tell all.  Squirt the whole tire while your down there.  You might have a nail or piece of glass, and again, the bubbles will appear in 10-20 minutes even on a very slow leak.

And your little compressor should be fine.  I've used the really little ones for 15 minutes strait without issue
 
Two answers: First yes, in fact the only way to do it is with the RV up on jacks

Second: DO you want to remove the CORE or the entire stem assembly?

The first is easy and you need only a core tool

The second requires you dismount the tire from the rim.

IF the tire is a 22.5" then the lug nuts are likely 450 Ft Pounds. a 3/4 inch or larger Air Impact will be needed (have done it with as half inch but had to abuse the wrench.. Over pressure).

And the tire/rim assembly is right at my load limit 6 years ago.. i'm not sure I could wrangle it today.. It is that heavy.
 
Agree with Rene re the risks & procedure.  If the problem is the valve, it is almost assured that replacing the innards (the valve core) is all that is necessary - no need for an entire new valve stem. However, at 90+ psi, getting a new pin (core) inserted into a valve can be challenging. I'd let the pressure down substantially first.

Usually when a tire won't accept air, the problem is a mismatch between the air chuck and the valve.  There is a pin on the air chuck that must contact the corresponding pin in the valve and press it inward to open the air path. If they don't mate up well, no air can flow. One common problem is that the pin in the valve is bent to the side or wiggles around rather than pressing straight in. Another is that the pin is screwed too far into the valve housing and the chuck pin can't push it in far enough. Yet another is simply that the shape of the pin on the air chuck is not a good match, either by design or because of wear. I've seen more than a few cases where changing to a different chuck solved the problem.

As for your Harbor Freight compressor, the psi is more than sufficient. Whether re-inflating is quick or lengthy depends on the CFM rating (cubic feet per second) at 125+ psi. That can vary a lot  and it's often modest on cheaper compressors, but your HF unit should do the job without hurting itself. No risk to the tire either.
 
Steve, I have the same compressor and it works really well. Not that long to fill up a 22.5 tire at all. I would try a cheap fix first and replace the core and see if that will fix your problem and the tire will hold air. If not, you may have a nail in the tire and have to take it in to a shop. Also the cheap fix can be done with the coach up on the jacks, I have done it.


Bill
 
I've had problems with various extenders before.  Sometimes as Gary mentioned just a mismatch with the inflator.  Try a different inflator perhaps?
I've also had extensions with the push valve getting bent and failing to engage on the stem's valve
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm gonna go the cheap way first - different air chuck, then second I'll try to replace stem core. I appreciate the help and suggestions!

Steve
 
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