Tires and Air Pressure

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The point was if you're going to use extensions get metal stems.
And if not going to use them, still use metal stems!

I have mine replaced to metal on the very first tire service with any that are rubber. I even stock metal stems at home in case the shop doesn't have any (yes, I have experienced motorcycle shops that only stock rubber stems). I won't risk my life with those. I will tolerate them until the first tire change and I don't even like doing that.

I notice cheap rubber stems even on new 40K$ Harley motorcycles!

IMO, nobody should even buy a new vehicle with rubber tire stems. Perhaps that will be one way to make sure they are no longer used.

-Don- Ashland, OR
 
Btw, My valve stems are metal and look like they have a short extension on them that is fine for the outside tires.
Thats not a short extension, that is a service thru cap. you fill right thru it, it keeps out dirt and crud but allows filling and pressure checks. Dill makes them and you also find them as Alligator V2B caps. Searching Amazon I see lots of imitations out now. Those are not threads on it, they are gripping grooves for clip on chucks.

10 pack of Alligator V2B caps

Dill 6541-P USA-made dual seal caps

Charles
 
Dual head tire chucks are made to fit through the rim cutouts and fit snugly on the both of the stock valve stems. They work this way on truck tires, the reason they don't fit RVs are the chrome wheel covers. The cutouts in the wheel covers are smaller than the rim cutouts so the stock rim doesn't show and this messes up the angle.

I don't like the flexible extension hoses - my Trek came with them and on all 4 hoses, centrifugal force caused the edge of the rim to saw through the metal braid and was working on severing the rubber hoses.

I removed the hoses and got a JACO Lightning T-series air chuck after seeing it in the Escapees magazine. It's head rotates 360 degrees so you can adjust it to mate snugly on both tire valve stems despite the wheel cover restriction.

https://www.amazon.com/JACO-Lightning-Tire-Chuck-F-NPT/dp/B07ZHMB9BF/
 
My wheel "simulators" slide over the studs after the wheel is tightened and two fake looking lug nuts screw over a couple of the studs to hold them on. I've got a small cordless impact that takes me about 30 seconds to remove the simulators. The double headed chuck works fine after that.
 
I removed the hoses and got a JACO Lightning T-series air chuck after seeing it in the Escapees magazine. It's head rotates 360 degrees so you can adjust it to mate snugly on both tire valve stems despite the wheel cover restriction.

https://www.amazon.com/JACO-Lightning-Tire-Chuck-F-NPT/dp/B07ZHMB9BF/
That is a cool unit. I am going to try a simple short chuck today on my home air compressor (too big to haul around). I might be able to reach the inside tires at the right angle with a simple short chuck. I also have some assorted valve stem extensions that are supposed to be here tomorrow. If I don't find a combo I like I am ordering that Jaco chuck and a Viair compressor. I would really like to avoid hauling one more thing though. Between tools, block levelers, emergency road hazard reflectors/lights, outdoor umbrellas, and grills there is little room left for my DW's luggage :D I might have to back through the onboard stuff and downsize.
 
Thats not a short extension, that is a service thru cap. you fill right thru it, it keeps out dirt and crud but allows filling and pressure checks. Dill makes them and you also find them as Alligator V2B caps. Searching Amazon I see lots of imitations out now. Those are not threads on it, they are gripping grooves for clip on chucks.

Charles
Charles, thanks for that explanation. I was a little confused by those. At first glance I thought they were caps then it was clear I could inflate right through them. I did mistake those as threads. I would have been puzzled if I tried to put a cap on them.

I grew up doing mechanic work on a farm and driving logging trucks as an early teen (before I had a DL) but this topic has taught me more about the simple concept of tire stems and air compressors than I ever knew. I am glad I did not have to learn it the hard way.
 
I have a Dewalt 20v air compressor (DCC020IB) which uses the same batteries as the drill and sabre saw I carry. Works great.
With a large battery I can air up 4-6 tires from 50lb to 80.
 
Charles, thanks for that explanation. I was a little confused by those. At first glance I thought they were caps then it was clear I could inflate right through them. I did mistake those as threads. I would have been puzzled if I tried to put a cap on them.

I grew up doing mechanic work on a farm and driving logging trucks as an early teen (before I had a DL) but this topic has taught me more about the simple concept of tire stems and air compressors than I ever knew. I am glad I did not have to learn it the hard way.
The Dill manufactured one I referenced does have threads, I suspect because they already have the machinery to cut those threads, but the German Alligator ones do not, and they were the first ones on the market, and most common, I'm not sure what the proliferation of new clones have.
 
IMAO, those rubber tire stems should have been made illegal before they were even invented.

-Don- Ashland, OR
And for the last several years, Ford owners have been removing the factory metal stems and replacing with high pressure rubber because the steel stems cause galvanic corrosion to the aluminum wheels....
I agree that extensions and rubber aren't a good combo though.
I use a long dual foot chuck from NAPA, and carry a 6 gallon pancake compressor that will do 150PSI. Works great on truck inner and outers, and the 110PSI on the trailer tires.
 

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Ford owners have been removing the factory metal stems and replacing with high pressure rubber because the steel stems cause galvanic corrosion to the aluminum wheels....
IMAO, rubber and plastic doesn't belong anywhere in vehicles, except tires where there is nothing better yet. Or is there? About time they had such for RVs . . .Even if they are some type of plastic or whatever.

In my Jeep, I discovered the hard way that a pulley was made from plastic. It broke apart on the freeway. Another was the plastic necks in the heater core that broke and the inside of the car steamed up in seconds making it impossible to drive. I have other such stories, as I am sure many others here do. If they cannot use a decent valve stem on an aluminum wheel, then don't use aluminum wheels! Simple enough!

The first thing external TPMS say about their sensors is "do not use with rubber stems".

-Don- in rainy Ashland, OR
 
IMAO, rubber and plastic doesn't belong anywhere in vehicles, except tires where there is nothing better yet. Or is there? About time they had such for RVs . . .Even if they are some type of plastic or whatever.

In my Jeep, I discovered the hard way that a pulley was made from plastic. It broke apart on the freeway. Another was the plastic necks in the heater core that broke and the inside of the car steamed up in seconds making it impossible to drive. I have other such stories, as I am sure many others here do. If they cannot use a decent valve stem on an aluminum wheel, then don't use aluminum wheels! Simple enough!

The first thing external TPMS say about their sensors is "do not use with rubber stems".

-Don- in rainy Ashland, OR
Yeah, I was pissed off at Tire Rack when I ordered new tires and wheels for my Jeep. They wouldn't put metal valve stems in the wheels. Never thought about the corrosion problem with the dissimilar metals. I wonder if using brass stems instead of steel stems would help that?
 
Anyone with a DP try the engine onboard compressor? Saw a video where they were claiming it worked. (not sure if gas MH also has a compressor)
 
Anyone with a DP try the engine onboard compressor? Saw a video where they were claiming it worked. (not sure if gas MH also has a compressor)
Yes, it works just fine, if the engine is running and the air pressure has built up. I've done it on both my Beaver and Ventana.

A gas rig typically wouldn't include an air compressor since it doesn't have air brakes or air suspension. An old truck I drove many, many years back had air brakes in both the gas and diesel versions, but I've not found that on RVs.
 
A dumb question, do you typically have to remove the valve stem from the tire valve before you install a valve stem extension?

I got some 4” straight, metal, valve extensions to put on my metal valves. I just put them on without looking and snugged them down with a wrench. When I pushed in on the valve stem no air escaped. When I took them off to look at them it seems there is nothing to depress the valve stem on the tire. A valve stem tool did come with the extensions.

I was kind of hoping they would work like those pass-through caps. I was even considering taking them off after I air-up since I have read some unpleasant stories about valve extensions.
 

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When we had a 5er I carried and used one of these 150# 12V compressors:12v 150 PSI Compact Air Compressor
When we bought this MH I bought a 120V 150# Fini pancake compressor for $100, it has worked flawlessly since 2013.
tiercel, NO, extensions are exactly as your picture. The core is left installed, the extension has a rod from top core to depress the core in the valve stem.
I never leave an extension installed, It is screwed on, air added, extension is then removed.
 
I have a three gal air compressor at home, but I wonder where most of you top your air off when on the road. My guess is truckstops.
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.
 
When I checked the air pressure in these tires they were in the 45 - 50 psi range. My BiL said he always had his mechanic check the tires when he had oil changes or state inspection. :oops:

I put 2 "O-rings" in the bases of this extension. snugged them on the valve stem with a wrench and could get no airflow. Maybe I will pull the "O-ring" out and tighten them again to see it will depress the tire valve stem.
 

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