Tires and Air Pressure

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In many, many years of owning and traveling in our Mandalay, I have never “…topped off…” my air when on the road. In fact, I haven’t put any air in my tires for years. I use a TPMS and I know what my tire pressures are at all times. The tires don’t leak and the pressures are stable.

Some people are lucky that way. Some not so much

When I first installed a 10 wheel TPMS system on my motor home and towed I headed North for an event.. about 2/3 the way there BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP low tire. Left front on the towed.

Aired it up and completed the trip
Aired it up every day during the event
Aired it up on the way home Sunday
Aired it up Monday Morning
Went to Belle Tire (Where I got the tire) and found I'd been Screwed
They removed the screw and put in a proper patch
No charge (Road hazard warranty)

Another customer of Pressure Pro did not install his right away
Same tire (left front on towed) Shredded, Rim totaled, Fender over 2000 in body damage.

Some folks are not that lucky

Parked for a while in georgia due to a bit of bad luck (Blown engine) A motor home worth about half a million pulled in (NICE rig) he was late because he did not have a 10 wheel TPMS and the tire on his towed popped.. He did not appear to have secondary damage but the tire and rim were toast (He had to put the spare on which is what delayed him) I told him about the pressure pro system.

And bought one of his CD's.
 
I had a terrible time with valve extensions today. I won't even go into details except to say I tried one on my pickup so I could see what was going on. When I removed the extension, air was shooting out my tire valve because the o-ring and valve stem depressor were still stuck on the tire valve until the air pressure spit it out.

Next, I removed the O-ring and put it on the MH inner rear tire. It would not allow air to pass through. I took it off and saw that without the O-ring, the valve stem depressor fell over and was laying sideways. I got one to work on the other inside tire, but it is not easy to put on or take off, which was my plan.

Is there any kind of air chuck that can attach to the inner valve stem without a valve stem extension? A standard long shank double chuck does not work, and neither does a short little ball chuck. BTW, The inner rear tires had about 30 lbs of air pressure in them.
 
Long shank come in two types =---- and //------ (Straight and angled)
Sometimes one works better than the other and sometimes... Different angles.

What I did using an angle head was use both hands
one on the shank and the other on a length of pipe (Floor jack handle or the leverage extension pipe for the wheel cover removal tool) and press the "Top" chuck housing with the pipe...

Not sure if a straight chuck might have worked better.
 
I am not sure I have ever seen a straight chuck. I think that might work. I need to make a trip to Auto Zone or Harbor Freight. If a straight valve stem extension works, then a straight air chuck would work. ---- That would mean hauling my own air compressor, which I would like to avoid. Maybe I should go to my tire shop and have him tell me what I need because I am confident he does not go through this nonsense to put air in dual tires.

4" extensions would work if they were good ones, except you would want to leave them on permanently because they barely clear the outside rim. It makes it too time-consuming to put them on and off. I need some 5 or 6-inch ones and just use them to check air and inflate, then remove them (although the seem sturdy on metal valve stems).

What is strange is that in repairing this motorhome and getting it up to PAR, I have ripped out walls and floors of overhangs and rebuilt them - removed window frames and glass panes, did bodywork on the rear fiberglass end-cap, and replaced the tank on my hot water heater.
However, my hardest projects have been nonsense like :
Inflating my inside rear tires
Cleaning tape residue off of the outside of the MH (that I put there)
Removing the window valance and blind
Getting a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood into the overhang
Finding a simple fitting for my new hot water tank
:):):)

Most of the stuff everyone thought was scary, and challenging was enjoyable and relatively easy.
 
12" truck duals inflator, straight chuck
OIP.s7MLvWm2u0fAtmTuOwRsawHaHa

6" are also available.
 
Thanks Ray. I have seen those online so I will probably order one. Lowes, Advance Auto, Auto Zone, and Harbor Freight don't have them in stock.

Interestingly enough I had one of my random, infrequent brain waves and I found I can inflate with a simple, little, ball chuck if I insert it between the tires and then push it on the valve (no valve extensions) with my other hand reaching through the whole in the outside rim. It's not the most convenient operation but it works. I am going to see if I can finetune that with a few different small valve extensions I have. It rained all day today so I will hit it Monday.
 
A dumb question, do you typically have to remove the valve stem from the tire valve before you install a valve stem extension?
Nope. The extension should have a thingy in it to press down the valve so you can use the valve at the other end of the extension.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
What extensions are those? I never seen one ever where I had to remove a valve.

-Don-
That is what I said Extensions you do not need to remove the valves.

Dully valves are replacement one piece (well sealing washer, nut and metal stem) valve stems only one is bent around and the other is very long. So you can check and adjust tire pressure without removing the coves on your duly's same as on a car Very nice but since they are replacement valve stems... You have to replace the valve stems

THey have many advantages over extensions Mostly they don't leak.
 
Dully valves are replacement one piece
Oh, I somehow read or replied to your message incorrectly. I see it's one word, spelled "Duallyvalve".

Dually valves (Very long valves or very bent valves) yes..
That could be what my new RV has. And they forgot to remove the valve on one side! I am taking the new RV back to them on Tuesday to fix these issues (BTW, number 5 & 6 was discovered while on their lot):


Problems I discovered with my new 2022 Entegra Vision 27A, VIN:1F65F5DN2M0A09170.

1. Cannot fill up or check one tire psi as if the extender line on the valve is somehow blocked. Right side rear inner tire. At first, I thought I had a totally flat inner tire as I got a zero psi reading. But an air compressor acts like the air cannot go in. I see no evidence of a tire issue, just of a blocked valve issue. The opposite (left) side is the exact same setup and no problems on that side, 100 PSI there on same gauge. I think the inner valve of the extender hose is not pushing in on the right side inner tire valve, making it impossible to check that tire or to add air to it.

2. Mud flap on (same) right side rear is missing and caused the cable (should be behind missing mud flap?) for right side marker light to get destroyed. Bare wires, insulation rubbed off the wires as the loose cable rubbed on the two rear tires. I found a way to hold it down with a tie for now and space out the wires so they won't short out. But this cable is now destroyed by the rubbing against the tires, and needs to be replaced.

3. Lock on black / gray tank drain door, but no lock on house battery door where all the expensive stuff is located. I guess they are afraid somebody wants to still my s--- literally. (Obviously, the latch without the lock was put on the wrong door).

4. None of my keys will lock one of the other outside doors. I think they installed the wrong lock for my keys. That door is stuck unlocked, so I can still use it, I just cannot lock it.

5. Several wheel lug caps missing.

6. Levelling jacks not working.


Well, I heard quality control on new RVs was poor these days. And that includes at the dealer where they are supposed to check everything. At least it is all small stuff. The type of stuff I would fix myself if it were out of warranty.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
Extensions no. Dually valves (Very long valves or very bent valves) yes.. They are way way way way way better than extensions.
I see very little distinction between "service thru caps" or "Dually Valves" and valve stem extensions. I bought a dual head air gauge at Auto Zone and the package indicated that "4 Valve extenders" were included. They were clearly what I would call "service thru-caps"
 
"service thru caps"
I have only heard of that when it is referring to TPMS sensors--and I do have such. It means I do NOT have to remove the wheel sensors to fill up my tires or check the PSI on a real tire gauge.

But what else can the term mean?

-Don- Reno, NV
 
I see very little distinction between "service thru caps" or "Dually Valves"
Service through caps and Dually Valves are two different things entierly
Service through caps are, as the name implies, Valve Stem Caps. Dually valves are valve STems I would assume you could put the service through caps on the dually valve stems but.. i'd not recommend it. In fact I'd not recommend the Service Through Caps on any 100 PSI+ tire.
 
My tires are stamped MAX 80 PSI. All the chassis manual says is "inflate to the rating on the tire". I started with about 30 PSI o_O

Somewhere I read or saw to inflate front tires to 75 and rear to 80 so that is my mission. So far, with shopping, forum time, and actual inflation time it has taken me hours. It is almost hilarious but I will persist. It is one of my few attributes.
 
Thanks Ray. I have seen those online so I will probably order one. Lowes, Advance Auto, Auto Zone, and Harbor Freight don't have them in stock.

Interestingly enough I had one of my random, infrequent brain waves and I found I can inflate with a simple, little, ball chuck if I insert it between the tires and then push it on the valve (no valve extensions) with my other hand reaching through the whole in the outside rim. It's not the most convenient operation but it works. I am going to see if I can finetune that with a few different small valve extensions I have. It rained all day today so I will hit it Monday.
Actually I bought mine at NAPA, that was the best example I found quickly.
The brass ones may be slightly bent to suit your specific needs, don't attempt to bend the steel/chrome-plated ones.
 
I recommend spending the money for a set of metal extended valve stems and have them installed. They will save you a lot of time and effort, and last years.

I also recommend ponying up the cash for one of the stanley FatMax power station/Air Pump.

They can inflate up to 120 psi, and jump start a Semi.
Cheap at twice the price.
 
Larsmac, that unit only has a 2star review ratings which is incredibly low. It is not from one or two bad ratings. It has over a hundred reviews. Read some of them.

I have metal valve stems. Why would I need some one to mount metal valve extensions for me? They just screw on, right? Am I missing something?
 
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