Tire valves and extensions for dual rears

[Rvliberty]

We are driving a Winnebago View 2012 with dual rears. Inners have rubber valves with plastic extenders. Outers have metal valves. The inners have been a pain. One inner has had a leak. We have had it pulled and checked. No persistent leak. Still leaked. First the plastic extension broke. Removed it...still leaking. Then when putting air in we heard leaking at the valve stem.

We want to put a TPMS on it but i am concerned about weight and vibration. Should we go to metal valves?  How can we best stabilize the extensions, if necessary?

Suggestions?

 

[afchap]

Rubber valve stems and plastic extensions on MH tires should be a criminal offense! You need metal stems, and while you are at it you should try to get long metal stems that extend through the outer wheel so you can easily cehck/adjust pressure. If long stems cannot be found, long solid metal extensions would be a decent solution. I have long metal extensions on mine with 9 yrs and over 60k miles with them causing no problems. I have had TireTraker TPMS sensors on them for a couple of years.

 

[Foto-n-T]

I agree, rubber valve stems are a no, no period.

Go to a truck tire shop and have these things changed before you lose a tire.  A regular automotive tire shop may or may not have what you need but someplace that specializes in truck tires will.

For those others of you reading this, if you have to use valve stem extensions make sure that they are metal.

 

[visch1]

I'm very satisfied with Borg valve stems. A bit pricey but quality is there in a place thats important to me.
Some reading:
http://www.borgtiresupply.com/owner/duallyvalve.pdf

 

[Karsty]

I have had nothing but aggravation with this problem until recently. I went to the RV dealer ... they were clueless. I contacted Winnebago ... they're solution was that it was a dealer problem. That was helpful??

Next I went to the Mercedes dealer ... after the second time and me whining and complaining about not being able to easily and properly check or add air ... they finally added a 180? valve extension for the outer rear tire and a regular extension for the inner rear and front tires. All my extensions are metal ... although the valves themselves are rubber. I can't for the life of me understand why Mercedes or however would use rubber valves. Unless I have a problem sooner ... I will have all the valves replace with metal valves and the metal extensions when I get new tires.

So far ... I have not had any problems that I am aware of. That being said, I just this morning installed a DORAN 360RV Tire Pressure Monitoring System. I haven't taken the RV out to see if it has affected the tire balance ... it is raining here right now and I just hate getting wet.

Here are two pictures ... the one shows the front tire with the valve extension and the TPMS sensor. The other is of the valve extensions on the rear wheels with no TPMS sensors ... yet ... it is STILL raining!!!  :-[

I'm thinking that I will try and find a set of shorter valves extensions for the front. It seems that the dealers either do nothing or it's overkill. I think this is overkill ... at least with the sensor sitting on the end.

In any event, as soon as I take the RV for a run I will report back on the results.

 

[Foto-n-T]

As far as tire balance is concerned, Doran claims that the transmitters really shouldn't affect the balance.  I can tell you that on my 5th wheel tires I did have them re-balanced with the sensors in place just on general principle.  On my truck (Freightliner FL50) I did not.  Given the size and weight of your tires compared to the weight of the sensor I don't think a re-balance is warranted, but.....

Doran will also tell you that rubber valve stems can cause issues.  It's unfortunate since replacing them is probably not going to be cheap but I would advise replacement with metal valve stems soon.  Other than that I think you're going to really enjoy the Doran system.  If you have signal issues you will probably need to install a booster though.  The FCC mandates that the transmitter strength be so low that very often they just don't work well unless you install the booster.

Expect the sensors to last from 4 to 5 years and since the batteries are not replaceable you will need to replace the entire sensor at that time.  I'm calling Doran this morning to do just that, I'll be replacing 6 of my 12 wheel positions.  When the 5th wheel is parked for more than a month I typically remove the sensors to save the batteries, but not the ones on the truck.  After almost 5 years they're pretty much toast.

 

[Clay L]

I'm very satisfied with Borg valve stems. A bit pricey but quality is there in a place thats important to me.
Some reading:
http://www.borgtiresupply.com/owner/duallyvalve.pdf

X2

I had the Borg DuallyValves installed when I got new tires a couple of years ago. Wish I had done it nine years ago. Sure is easy to add and check air now.

This is their web site HERE.

They come with rubber like stabilizers that fit in hand holds in the rim and prevent them from bouncing.

 

[Karsty]

X2

I had the Borg DuallyValves installed when I got new tires a couple of years ago. Wish I had done it nine years ago. Sure is easy to add and check air now.

This is their web site HERE.

They come with rubber like stabilizers that fit in hand holds in the rim and prevent them from bouncing.

I like the Borg DuallyValves you mention and have bookmarked their web site for future reference.

IT HAS STOPPED RAINING ... 

So ... I finished installing the last 4 sensors to the rear dual wheels and have taken a quick test drive. All seemed good. No unusual vibration so I'm thinking the balance is good. As was mentioned the sensors only weigh 2/3 ounces according to Doran. The rear ones would counterbalance each other in any event I would think.

I can't say that I have ever given it a second thought before, but the the air pressure increased by 5-7 PSI over a short 20 KM drive at speeds around 100 KMH. I gather that is not usual. Tomorrow I will head out and find a good quality digital gauge and level out the air pressure in all tires tomorrow.

As an aside ... Foto-n-T ... do you use the little "locks" that Doran includes with the sensors. They seem to be a bit of a pain to install on all tires ... although I suppose in the long run cheaper than replacing a sensor if one fell off or were to "walk off" at the hands of someone else.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Expect the sensors to last from 4 to 5 years and since the batteries are not replaceable you will need to replace the entire sensor at that time.

I can't speak to Doran sensors longevity, but my Pressure Pro sensors have lasted a minimum of 7.5 years. I still have 6 of the 10 originals and it is now just over 8 years.

 

[Jim Dick]

At the dealership where I used to work in the summer we would install rubber extensions on gas coaches but they were reinforced with a steel braid jacket. Personally I would put on solid steel extensions.

Just be sure to use a rubber grommet on the hole in the wheel to lessen the vibrations. I just had to replace one of mine because it disappeared sometime, probably when they replaced or rotated the tires. Be sure to check the wheel type so you can get the proper grommet. One size does not fit all!

 

[Foto-n-T]

do you use the little "locks" that Doran includes with the sensors. They seem to be a bit of a pain to install on all tires ... although I suppose in the long run cheaper than replacing a sensor if one fell off or were to "walk off" at the hands of someone else.

Yes and no.  I use them on my steer tires simply because the sensors are out there for all to see and I'd rather not have one grow legs.  On the drives I can hardly get to the things so I don't worry about somebody stealing one, it would be easier to steal the truck.  On the 5th wheel I have them on there but they aren't tightened.  I do that because I tend to remove the sensors on the rig when it sits still for more than a month.

As far as them falling off, I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[Clay L]

I like the Borg DuallyValves you mention and have bookmarked their web site for future reference.

IT HAS STOPPED RAINING ... 

SNIP

I can't say that I have ever given it a second thought before, but the the air pressure increased by 5-7 PSI over a short 20 KM drive at speeds around 100 KMH. I gather that is not usual. Tomorrow I will head out and find a good quality digital gauge and level out the air pressure in all tires tomorrow.
snip

The pressure increase you saw looks normal to me. As the tires heat up the pressure goes up. You will find that even sunlight will cause an increase in pressure on the tires it shines on.

It is not uncommon to see the tire temperature increase from 70 degrees F to 120 degrees or so after a few miles on the road.

 

[Karsty]

Yes and no.  I use them on my steer tires simply because the sensors are out there for all to see and I'd rather not have one grow legs.  On the drives I can hardly get to the things so I don't worry about somebody stealing one, it would be easier to steal the truck.  On the 5th wheel I have them on there but they aren't tightened.  I do that because I tend to remove the sensors on the rig when it sits still for more than a month.

As far as them falling off, I wouldn't worry about that.

Thanks Joe ...

My fronts are sticking out pretty far as well so I'll lock them in. The rears ... I'll see. I'm not sure that my ERA will be sitting much. I tend to use it for day trips and weekend trips periodically so it's not likely that mine will be sitting more than a week if that.

I went into the local auto parts store today to look at a digital tire gauge. The lady said they had one on sale for $10.00. I decided to pass on that!! Next time I am in the US I will check out Camping World.

Clay ... thanks for that info ... I knew the pressure increased with driving ... just didn't realize how much. I never really had any reason all these years to check. With the TPMS now it is right in my face and I am just so much more aware. I also noticed the pressure go up from the time I installed the sensors as the ERA sat in the driveway in the sun during the afternoon. Interesting.

Thanks again to everyone for their information/opinions/comments and expertise to this novice.

Karsty

 

[EMan508]

I installed the TireTraker monitor system and have a problem with one valve extension from the inside rear tire.  The sensor (and I tried several) doesn't depress the valve pin enough to get a reading. Oddly the tire pressure gauge does get a reading. I called the sensor manufacturer and they told me to adjust the valve pin location on the extender with a standard valve removal tool, which I did.  If I move it outward then neither the sensor or gauge works. If I screw it in then only the gauge works.

Do I need to replace the valve extender or is there a way to adjust the "real" valve that the extender screws on to? The extender (tire valve end)doesn't seem to have a surface for a wrench to help loosen it either. Being the inside tire, this is not a fun fix.

-Eric

 

[Ned]

I've had that happen a couple of times and the only solution is to either adjust the valve core (not the extender) or replace it.  The first time I had the tire dealer send a truck and replace the valve core, the second I was able to unscrew the valve core just enough to not leak but to allow the sensor to work.  The first was an inside dual, the second a front tire.

 

[EMan508]

Is it possible that extension valve isn't tight on the real valve or would that cause an air leak?

 

[fredethomas]

I have used Link Cats Eye system for 13 years.  Connects both rear tires together to one schradder<sp>.  The indicator for pressure looks like a cats eye where the lids open when the pressure falls below a set figure.  The air can flow from one tire to the other as the crown of the road changes.  But. If a tire fails and 10% of the air is lost the air transfer stops.  I just walk by looking at the "eye" to see if I need air.  Freightliner stores have them and I think they are on line.

 

[EMan508]

If I remove/replace the valve itself (not the whole extension) completely from the end of the extension (therefore letting all the air out of the tire) to replace the valve will that break the seal of the tire to the rim and cause a leak or other problems (like exploding in my face)?  I feel like the valve itself should be replaced next as that is "easy" to do. Would I be wise to place a jack stand under the axle to relieve a bit of the strain on the remaining outside tire while swapping the valve?

These are 22.5" tires - FYI.

-Eric

 

[Ned]

You can replace a valve core without deflating the tire.  It only takes a few seconds to remove the old core and insert the new one if you have the proper tool.  I doubt you'll lose more than 10 psi or so even if you took your time.