HOW TO CHECK AND ADD AIR TO WINNEBAGO ERA REAR DUAL TIRES

I've done several searches on this and can't find anything on this topic. I have the 2012 Winnebago ERA which is on the 2011 Mercedes/Sprinter 3500 chaises (dual rear wheels). The valve stems are not long enough to allow you to check the tire pressure or add air. I had the dealer add extensions which they did. I can check the front but still can't reach the outer rear tire valve. As for the inner tires ... that is a mystery ... even to the dealer. They don't have a clue how to check the air on the inner  rear tires.

CAN ANYONE POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE.

It seems ridiculous that you can't check the tire pressure and add or remove air as necessary.

Edit by John:  changed message icon to Topic Solved

The outer tire valve on a dual tire faces inward, so you need a gauge or chuck with a dual foot, which means two ports facing in opposite directions. Here is one:
http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Truck-Gauge-Release-Valve/dp/B0058D6D0K

BTW, you don't have to have the outer tire valve facing inward - that is done solely so that all the tires have the same valve position. You can have a tire shop re-position the valve on the outer tire so that it face out instead of in. It's a quick and easy job, but requires dismountng the tire.

If the valves don't stick out far enough form the tire, maybe you need longer valve  stems. Or maybe the tires aren't properly mounted, so that the valves line up with the cut-outs in the wheel trim so that they are accessible.

Cold you post a photo of your rear wheels so we can see what you are trying to deal with?  Valves that are hard to access are a deterrent to proper tire maintenance and lack of tire maintenance (pressure checks and topping off) is sure to lead to early failures.

I also recommend a tire pressure monitoring system - another aid to always having correct tire inflation pressure! Pressure Pro is an excellent brand of TPMS.

Thanks Gary ...  will look into that dual gauge. And I will post pictures tomorrow ... if the snow is not too deep. We are currently under a winter storm watch in the area and may get upwards of 2 feet in some areas. Should have left for the south I reckon.

Karsty,

Most any auto parts store will have either that one or a straight gauge with the stem that comes out to read the pressure.  I have one like that and of course the tire measuring system I have on the MH and car, pressure pro.

It seems ridiculous that you can't check the tire pressure and add or remove air as necessary.

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  Indeed it does ...and it seems even MORE ridiculous that your dealer can't help !!!  How did they do the proper pre-delivery checks to properly prepare the delivery for sale ??? ...they apparently did not!

The dual foot tire gauge should be a part of the solution. My outer dual valves face outward, and I have solid metal extensions on the inner duals so the valves are accessible in a hole in the outer wheel.  I also replaced all my valve caps with Alligator Caps" ...they are high pressure caps with dual seals that you do NOT have to remove to check/add air pressure. That can be very helpful in tight areas.  The Alligator Caps allowed me to check air pressure in all tires almost as quick as I could walk around the RV. I eventually got a TPMS.

Gary RV Roamer said:

BTW, you don't have to have the outer tire valve facing inward - that is done solely so that all the tires have the same valve position. You can have a tire shop re-position the valve on the outer tire so that it face out instead of in. It's a quick and easy job, but requires dismountng the tire.

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That's what did when we got new tires - makes life much easier.

Thanks to everyone that offered a reply. I will be going to a local tire store that deals with commercial vehicle/tires and have them do whatever has to be done so that I can check the tire pressure more easily and quickly.

"afchap" ... you are absolutely correct. The dealer is incompetent (in my opinion) when it comes to the ERA in any event. I've heard other horror stories about them as well.

I will also be looking at the "Alligator caps" and proper gauges to checked pressure. I currently have a truck tire gauge that I was using on the van and that might do the trick.

Attached is a picture of the current dual rear tire. The red arrow points to the value stem that I can see. This currently has a 3"- 4" extension on it now and is still difficult to reach.

The dealer suggested that the inner valve stem is under the stainless steel cover that I would have to take off by unscrewing the two screws to get access. That doesn't seem reasonable to me ... but I will check when it isn't so cold to get out there.

Jim ... I will look at a TPMS ... I had a factory installed one on the Sienna van ... but the after market ones aren't cheap. But then again safely is not something to be compromised.

Thanks again.

Karsty

Karsty said:

...Attached is a picture of the current dual rear tire. The red arrow points to the value stem that I can see. This currently has a 3"- 4" extension on it now and is still difficult to reach....

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That looks to me to be easy to service with a truck tire gauge and truck style inflator (assuming you can access the valve stem cap with your fingers.)  No problem bending the stem a little so that it is centered in the wheel opening.

Maybe I'm not explaining the problem well enough. Does this ONE valve stem fill BOTH inside and outside tires. If not then I have no idea how to check and inflate the inside tires.

The picture does't show it too well ... but the valve stem is still inside the wheel ... with the Alligator caps that were mentioned in a previous post this won't be a problem.

Oh... now I understand the issue.  Let me check.

The picture looks very much like the wheel covers on our Navion.  You will need to remove the wheel liner to get to the inner valve stem.  The whole cover prys off, don't remove the two small screws.  There should be an extension on the inner valve stem, but it will still be somewhat hard to get to.  You really need a dual foot ( truck ) pressure gauge.

David '10 Navion

John Canfield said:

Oh... now I understand the issue.  Let me check.

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Nothing to add to the thread from Winnebago.  They leave tire inflation up to the chassis manufacturers.

First off ... John, thank you for your efforts. Much appreciated. And Dave ... thank you for your suggestion. I'll check it out. The ERA and the Navion/View are on the same chassis I believe so if they have dual rear wheels they should be the same.

I would however be remiss if I didn't comment on this situation. If it wasn't so pathetic ... it would be laughable. Neither the dealer nor Winnebago can offer a concrete solution as to how to check and add/remove air to the rear dual wheels. Truly pathetic!!

I have just done an Internet search on "valve stem location on Sprinter dual wheels" ... and came up with several hits from the The Sprinter Forum and advertisers offering solutions. It seems that the Sprinter Forum members have expressed similar concerns. Here is the link that came up for one of them: http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6278.

The Mercedes dealer that I will have to deal with is about 1 1/2 hours away and I am not due for service for another 8,000 KM. I suppose a special trip might be in order to see if I can get more information on this dilemma.

There is a good local tire dealer here in Niagara and I think I will try them first, however.

I have to say that I have owned dozens and dozens of vehicles over the years and this is a first. It would seem to me that this is a safety issue and if the dealers and manufactures are no able to offer a solution they may be leaving themselves open for legal action in the event of an incident that results in injury or death as a result.

I am sitting here shaking my head.

UPDATE **** UPDATE

Success!!! Finally!!!

After going to a local tire shop I was able to find out where the valve stems for the rear wheels/tires are located. Something that both the dealer and Winnebago were not able to provide.  The attached pictures shows the locations: the inside tire valve stem is marked in red. It has a valve stem extension put on by the dealer at my insistence. The outside tire valve stem is located directly opposite and is marked by the blue arrow. It is next to impossible for me to reach. It is pointing in toward the centre of the vehicle and will need one of those angled extensions that will allow me to have the valve stem facing out.

Now ? since I am dealing with valve stems and tire pressure ? tire pressure monitoring systems were mentioned by previous posters.  I note that Pressure Pro was mentioned. I also note that another system by Doran was mentioned in another thread. I assume that both will do the job. The Pressure Pro seems more expensive according to their web site ? $500 for 6 tires vs. $400 for the Doran system for 6 tires.

They both look pretty easy to install ? even for me.

Thanks to everyone for your assistance.

Good for 'ya and thanks for the update! 

On another note - every tire problem I have ever had in 60K + of RVing has been directly attributable to the Doran/Pressure Pro (they were clones of each other a few years ago) TPMS.  My system is now happily gracing a landfill somewhere in the great state of Texas.  Never again.

John Canfield said:

Good for 'ya and thanks for the update! 

On another note - every tire problem I have ever had in 60K + of RVing has been directly attributable to the Doran/Pressure Pro (they were clones of each other a few years ago) TPMS.  My system is now happily gracing a landfill somewhere in the great state of Texas.  Never again.

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That's interesting. In all the years I've been driving I can only recall one occasion where I had a flat on the road. Went over a batch of nails than must have fallen from a construction vehicle or something. Did what I usually do ... called CAA (AAA) and they came and changed the tire.  ;D

I'm pretty conscience when it comes to my tires. Check them regular ... and now that I know where the darn valve stems are ... I can check these one now.  ;D I would never leave on a long trip with worn or even half worn torn tires. I know that something can happen at any time ... and since I have a spare and still have CAA ... I will probably delay the TPMS for the time being.

I suppose the first time that something happens I will run out and get a set ... hopefully that never happens on the road. [knocking on wood]

As a side note ... i am currently at the dealers for some minor warranty work. Also getting them to install valve stem extensions on the valves that they couldn't find ... the ones I found yesterday. Good timing!!

I bought a tpms for two reasons ... to monitor the toad tires, and because I had some inheritance $$ to buy it with. When I pulled into a site one afternoon and got out to check position, I found a rear tire on the toad expelling it's last gasp of air ...I apparently found a nail as we entered the RV park. The tpms tells me what the toad tires are doing while underway. The first system I bought caused me lots of grief and was returned under warranty. The TireTracker system has been great. Before I got a tpms I absolutely checked pressure in every tire before hitting the road. The Alligator caps and the setup of my dual stems made that very quick and easy. Even with the tpms, I inspect the tires frequently.

Can it not be generally assumed that if you can see one tire valve on a set of duals, then the other one is located diagonally opposite the visible one? I thought this was always the case ( for purposes of wheel balance).

Alfa38User said:

Can it not be generally assumed that if you can see one tire valve on a set of duals, then the other one is located diagonally opposite the visible one? I thought this was always the case ( for purposes of wheel balance).

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Alfa38User ... Can it be generally assumed??  I never assume anything.  We know the story about the "ass", "you" and "me".  :-\  In my case I am totally new to Rving and driving a vehicle with dual rear wheels. When I can't see a valve stem and have no idea where to even look ,that made it difficult for me to understand the whole dual wheel thing. Now ... having finally found out where they are ... it makes sense. So in the future I will ASSUME that the one set of valve stems are opposite the ones I can see. 

That still doesn't solve my problem unfortunately ... the dealer still hasn't  added valve stem extensions that I can reach easily. I have given up on them completely for any work. I will be looking at another option ... either going to a local RV dealer in Niagara Falls, NY which is closer to me anyway. Or just going to the local tire installer.  I know for sure when it is time for new tires I will be having new valve stems installed properly so that I can easily reach all of them.

Thanks again everyone for your input.

Karsty

The "other" valve stems in a dually pair are typically directly opposite, but there is no hard and fast rule that says they have to be.  The reason for the opposite location is balance, but the location of an ounce or two of valve on tires that weigh upwards of 150 lbs each is not a big factor.