Finally stepped up

[jimlaurielucy]

Tradeded our class C this week on a used 2013 Adventurer model H.  Yes ,used 2013.  Litlle different from class c but drove from North Carolina to Florida uneventful. It drove great and it is exciting to learn all the new systems.  I was advise to run 90lbs in front tires and 89lbs in rears. Does that sound right? Also I had extenders on the class c and they recommended not puting them on the new coach .  They felt it increases tire failures.  If so do you use a special chuck to get to the inner tire.  Thanks so much to this group for helping us decide what coach and what size would best fit our needs. .

 

[Clay L]

There should be a placard on the wall next to the driver with the pressure for the tires. This is with the coach at maximum allowed weight and should be adjusted per tire charts after you have the coach weighed.

I have used the braided metal extenders on two coaches. They cost me two tires on the one and no problems on the other. A dual foot chuck may work and may not. I had to have flexible extenders on this coach but changed them out for solid metal DuallyValves.
They aren't cheap but sure make it easy to check and add air.

 

[afchap]

A double-foot truck type gauge should do it, and I would want Alligator caps rather than regular valve caps so you can check/add air w/o having impossible job of taking off and putting on the inner dual valve cap. Alligator caps are hi-pressure double-seal caps. BUT, I also would use solid metal extensions. I have 9 years and over 60k miles on mine w/no problems. It would be a very good idea to also use a stabilizer around the extension where it passes through the wheel hole to keep it from flexing the valve stem when rolling. I have Alcoa stabilizers on my Accuride aluminum wheels, but don't know what might be available for steel wheels.

 

[RCtime]

Congratulation on your new coach.  You picked a nice one for sure.
regarding your tire pressures.  The best way to accurately know the correct pressure for your tires is to have a 4 corner weight check done.  Until its weighed you are guessing.
Weigh your coach fully loaded ready for travel, with full fuel and fresh water..  Adjust your front and rear tire pressure to the heaviest tire-s on the axle.
The manuacturer of your tires will have a weight chart, adjust to the weight of your size tire plus 5-10 pounds.
ex.  I run mine 95# front and 100# rear  I chose to go the plus 5# simply because it rode softer.
Safe travels

 

[John Canfield]

..The best way to accurately know the correct pressure for your tires is to have a 4 corner weight check done.  Until its weighed you are guessing...

Exactly!  Even if you can't do a 4-corner weigh, get the axles weighed.  Then find your tire inflation chart and inflate the tires to your axle load and add 5 psi for good measure.  Also, load your axles to the same percentage - for example if your rear axle is at 90% of max capacity, load the front axle to 90% (or balance the loads out to where the percentage is about the same.)

With a 4-corner weight, then you can also tweak the side-to-side loads.

Congrats on your 2013 rig!  Lucky you!

 

[Quillback 424]

I have used the braided metal extenders on two coaches. They cost me two tires on the one and no problems on the other. A dual foot chuck may work and may not. I had to have flexible extenders on this coach but changed them out for solid metal DuallyValves.
They aren't cheap but sure make it easy to check and add air.

Let me just reinforce what Clay has already stated. I negotiated valve extenders when I bought my MH. They put on braided metal extenders. When I left the dealership the wind was blowing about 25 MPH so I drove a 100 mile triangle to see what the wind effect would be. When I got home I realized that I had checked everything on the MH for two hours with a tech and another two hours on my own and, while I had admired the job they did installing the extenders, never once thought about checking tire pressures. The four tires without extenders were at 90#. The right inside tire was at 60# and the left inside was at 30#. I quietly cussed the tech for not testing the tires after he put on the extenders and then inflated the tires to 90#.

Two days later I tested the tires and they had both lost air. I went back to the dealership where my salesman took a new set off the display and had the tech show both of us the adjustment procedure. That is the point where you realize the risk of utilizing this type of extender. After adjusting them daily for a few more days, I took them off and threw them in the corner of my garage to await the day I will cut them in half and put them in the garbage; they will never be sold to another RVer. For now, they simply remind me to do some research before spending good money or giving up some negotiating leverage.

I will also probably put on Dually Valves but, as yet, have not been able to match the correct valve from their website to my rims. For now, my dual headed airchuck and tester works just fine.

 

[SargeW]

I have never had any luck with the extenders either.  I waited and had the long metal valve stems installed.  Easy filling, and since I run a TPMS (Tire Pressure Management System) and there are pressure monitors screwed onto each valve stem, the metal valve stems were a necessity. 

 

[indiana journey]

I have had the "Wheelmasters" SS braided valve extensions on one of my previous motorhomes and had nothing but problems with them. They were thrown in the trash can. Whe we got our 2004 Journey, I did a little more research. I purchased the "Dicor" SS extenders and tried them on our new MH. They are still there. I have taken them off several times and put them back on when I was finished with the work being done. They haven't leaked at all since new. Maybe I'm just lucky. They are much better engineered and better built than the "other" extensions. While the solid ones are indeed much better, I rotate my tires every two years and would have a hard time doing that with the solid extensions. Good luck with whatever you end up useing. Bottom line, check your tire pressure everytime before you "head out".
Good Luck,
Indiana Journey

 

[John Canfield]

The only thing I want screwed on my valve stems are the little stem caps, this includes tire pressure monitors.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Our gas chassis coach came factory-equipped with Wheelmaster flex extensions and they worked fine for 5 years, but the factory had them firmly mounted with no chance at all of flopping around. However, my first choice would be the solid stainless types if they will do the job (may not be sufficient for the duals, though).

 

[Ernie n Tara]

I only lost one tire to extenders, but I' m coming around to Johns attitude (and I have a full set of tpms); its simply too much of PITA to make it worth while to use the tpms.

Ernie

 

[99WinAdventurer37G]

Tradeded our class C this week on a used 2013 Adventurer model H.  Yes ,used 2013.  Litlle different from class c but drove from North Carolina to Florida uneventful. It drove great and it is exciting to learn all the new systems.  I was advise to run 90lbs in front tires and 89lbs in rears. Does that sound right? Also I had extenders on the class c and they recommended not puting them on the new coach .  They felt it increases tire failures.  If so do you use a special chuck to get to the inner tire.  Thanks so much to this group for helping us decide what coach and what size would best fit our needs. .

The problem with the extenders is that they can snap off, as well as cause the tire to lose pressure.  I used to use them on all my trucks inside tire.  Then after several failures, I've switched to TPMS as others have said.  They haven't been perfect either, but I haven't lost a tire due to them, only fails to read a pressure of a tire.  Then you have to check it manually.