Five-minute fix

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Rollie

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2005
Posts
144
I posted this a couple of years ago but thought I would share again ...

Five minute fix ...
So my motorhome has stainless steel wheel liners, which dresses it up but also makes checking the tire pressure a chore.? I had not been able to find a tire pressure gauge that will work on the outside tire without taking the wheel liners off.? After much research I learned of the Air Guard II inflation system ... a handy looking hose extender that simply screws onto the valve stem and then has a bracket that attaches under one of the lug nuts.? Should be a five-minute job.? ?I had other things to do on Saturday morning so I didn't get around to starting this simple project until just before noon.? They say it was the earliest date on record for hitting 100 degrees ... but it was just a five-minute job.? The first part of my learning curve was that not only is it impossible to check the air pressure with the wheel lines on it is also impossible to install the Air Guard II without first removing the wheel liners.? TIP #1... when removing stainless steel wheel liners wear gloves because the edges of a wheel liner are as sharp as a butcher knife!? The cut on my finger looked much worse than it really was ... about an inch long ... my wife though I should go to the emergency room ... but I explained to her that the bleeding was probably much worse because of the blood thinner I was on.? Possible because of the bandage, or my bifocals, I could not, for the life of me, get the Air Guard II? to screw onto the valve stem ... after about 20 minutes of fiddling in the 100 degree heat I was getting a little frustrated and hot.? I decided I needed a little shade ... so I quickly set up the unit's patio awning.?
TIP #2 ... when you suddenly need to get up from working on a tire valve stem you should always remember the awning support arm ... head wounds always bleed profusely and I think the blood thinner made it worse.? I tried several times to get the Air Guard II to screw on, but nothing seemed to work.? I decided to try the other set of wheels to see if it was easier.? I knew this time that the wheel liner had to come off ... but on this wheel some gorilla with an air gun had torked the lug nuts to about 400 pounds.? I tried for 30 minutes to get it loose.? I sprayed it with WD40 and tried again ... I put all of my weight on it and finally it let loose ... all at once.? My knuckles successfully protected the tire tool from hitting the driveway cement.? The bleeding was probably worse because of the blood thinner.? The stinging sensation was probably worse because of the WD40.? Two hours after I started my five-minute fix the Air Guard II was finally installed ... it just all of a sudden seemed to screw on just like the directions say.? The driveway looked like a crime scene ... I looked like I had been in a bar fight ... and by the way, none of the tires needed air.

Rollie
 
You should compare stories with Joe Lacey :)  Thanks for a morning chuckle.
 
Rollie,

Many years ago, my father was back in the hospital again with his heart problems. Because an early, heavy snowfall was expected that night, my Mother asked me (in my Father's room) to go to her house and install the plow on the garden tractor. Sure Mom, no problem. Mounting brackets were too narrow to fit over the frame so, lying on my back,? I took a lug wrench and tried to pry it apart a bit. Lug wrench slipped and my forehead right above the eye prevented serious damage to the wrench. Knocked out for a few minutes, much blood (probably due to deep gash), drove back to hospital and stopped in the emergency room for a eight stitches. Returned to Father's room and Mother couldn't decide who needed the bed more! ;D
 
Rollie

>>Two hours after I started my five-minute fix the Air Guard II was finally installed <<

Several years ago I was installing "Cat Eyes" an air equalizing/filling system using a 3/4 ratchet with a 7 foot pipe? cheater bar. The drivers side came off OK but when I tried the passenger side the pipe bent almost in half until the socket exploded...that was the first time I learned about RH/LH threads on truck/RV axles, I took it to a tire shop & they installed it for $10.00.<G>


Terry
At Clark Fork, ID
 
Well,,, With the Pressure Pro, once I get it installed, I do have to remove the covers to put them on, and to add air, but once they are one I'm supposed to be able to check the pressure.... from the driver's seat, don't even need to step out in the 100 plus temps
 
Ned said:
You should compare stories with Joe Lacey :)? Thanks for a morning chuckle.

Years ago, 1997, Joe Lacy was one of the first people to respond to my post.  At that time he said he enjoyed my sense of humor ... of course it isn't so much a sense of humor as much as a series of interesting events.  I am sure there will be more ...
Rollie
 
Karl said:
Rollie,

Many years ago, my father was back in the hospital again with his heart problems. Because an early, heavy snowfall was expected that night, my Mother asked me (in my Father's room) to go to her house and install the plow on the garden tractor. Sure Mom, no problem. Mounting brackets were too narrow to fit over the frame so, lying on my back,? I took a lug wrench and tried to pry it apart a bit. Lug wrench slipped and my forehead right above the eye prevented serious damage to the wrench. Knocked out for a few minutes, much blood (probably due to deep gash), drove back to hospital and stopped in the emergency room for a eight stitches. Returned to Father's room and Mother couldn't decide who needed the bed more! ;D

Sounds like we were born un the same lucky star!!
Rollie
 
Terry A. Brewer said:
Rollie

>>Two hours after I started my five-minute fix the Air Guard II was finally installed <<

Several years ago I was installing "Cat Eyes" an air equalizing/filling system using a 3/4 ratchet with a 7 foot pipe? cheater bar. The drivers side came off OK but when I tried the passenger side the pipe bent almost in half until the socket exploded...that was the first time I learned about RH/LH threads on truck/RV axles, I took it to a tire shop & they installed it for $10.00.<G>

The best $10.00 you ever spent.  I always seem to turn a five-minute fix into several trips to the hardware store.
Rollie
 
John In Detroit said:
Well,,, With the Pressure Pro, once I get it installed, I do have to remove the covers to put them on, and to add air, but once they are one I'm supposed to be able to check the pressure.... from the driver's seat, don't even need to step out in the 100 plus temps


Checking the trip pressure is still part of my "roughing it" experience ... the old back to nature but srtill having air conditoning and a micowave.?
Rollie ;D
 
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