Tire Pressure Extensions

[tconn308]

Hello everyone!

I do 90% of the maintenace on my coach. We have a 2014 Itasca Sunstar 35F. It is almost impossible to check the rear inner tire pressure. I want to add extensions so make like a litte easier. I always check tire pressure before a trip now matter the distance.

any suggestions?

thanks,

Tim and Sherri

[Wayne M]

Try Dually Valves

[Frank Miller]

Valve stem extenders are available on Amazon from about 1 inch to over 6 inches. Some are straight and some are curved. If you add extenders, make sure that the o-ring seals don't get damaged from over tightening.

I would also check the tire pressure for several days in a row after putting the extenders on as they tend to leak if not tight enough. To keep from having the extender rub on the outer wheel rim, there are valve stem stabilizers that should be inserted. They come in different sizes and shapes to match the rim.

[HenryRH3]

You can see that I am a total newbie, but not stupid. I do not do 90% of my mainenance but wish I could.
I have checked the tire pressure on our 2018 40AH Tiffin Phaeton frequently. However, I never realized that the rubber grommets on the outside rear tires were in between the two rear tires. Something just did not look right. In port St Lucie I had some tire folks come by and look. The rubbing had all but eliminated the extensions. The rear inside tires were then reading very low. Dangerous. I removed the extensions and got a better pressure gauge and will upgrade the length of the compressor hose. Based on the damage I saw and the pressure I saw I doubt I will use the extensions again.

[Fyrflie]

Another option is to have a tire shop install longer valve stems making them easier to access.

[Crasher]

Valve stem extensions work very well if the right ones are installed correctly and stabilized properly. I have used them for over 20 years without a single failure.

[BCam]

There are "extenders", either flexible or rigid, that screw on to your existing valve stems and then there are "extended valve stems" that replace your existing valve stems and are mounted to your rims.

IMHO, extended valve stems (although more expensive) are the way to go, especially if you have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) so as to minimize any vibration from the extra mass of the tire pressure sensors. In order to mount the extended valve stems, your wheels will need to be removed from your rig and the tire bead "broken" in order to gain access to the inside of your rim. The tires don't need to be completely removed from the rims. For most of us this isn't a DIY job. Although it's cheaper to have this done when you're buying new tires, I've seen several postings here and on Winnieowners.com with reports of this being done relatively inexpensively, so shop around.

In terms of extended valve stems, those made by Borg get favorable reviews and that's what I had installed (also available on Amazon):

Dually valve kits for Motor-homes, Busses and 6-wheeled chassis

If new tires are on the horizon, you can always install a set of valve extenders and move up to Borgs or the like when you get your new tires installed.

[Ray,IN]

I use a straight truck tire chuck on my compressor, the angled ones will not work on inner truck tire stems.

[Wayne M]

Post #2 was a link to Dually Valves.


Great product.

[veraken]

Regardless of which extension you get, buy a tire pressure monitoring system, TPMS.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by veraken

Regardless of which extension you get, buy a tire pressure monitoring system, TPMS.

I 2nd that. The less you have to tamper with the extenders/caps to check tire pressure, the better. Before our pre-flight/walk around, we turn on the GPS and TPMS, do our walk around and by the time we're finished, the TPMS is registering on all tires, including the toad. We don't mess with anything as long as all pressures are in the acceptable range.

The cost of quality extenders and a good TPMS will be more than covered if it prevents one low pressure incident or blow-out.

Of course, we are also some of those weird people who carry a mounted, aired up spare, and the tools to change it ourselves if we find ourselves out of cell phone reception for the roadside assistance!

[Gary RVRoamer]

Good quality flexible valve extensions work fine IF properly installed, meaning routed carefully to avoid wear and firmly stabilized so they don't flop around. Solid extenders are sturdier but also shorter (about 6" max), so may or may not be sufficient to slve your problem.


My own preference is the have the valve reversed on one tire of the dual pair so that the valve faces outward instead of inward. That makes access simple. The only drawback is that the tire with the reversed valve cannot be moved to a different position without changing the valve orientation back again. Since it is rarely necessary to rotate motorhome tires, I don't consider that a problem. I've run mine for years that way.


Definitely get a TPMS so you don't have to manually check pressures all the time, as well as providing a tire safety warning if needed. And if you find a tire needs air added regularly, get the leak fixed. It is not normal to have to add air every week or even every month.

[tconn308]

Great feed back! thank you! Is there a recommendation for a TPMS? I searched Amazon and they run any where from $40 to $400.
I am not a believer in the most expensive is the best one. there are some good reviews on the lower priced systems. I did notice that they come with 4 monitors and obviously I would need 6. I did not look to far into it till I got some suggestions.

[veraken]

This is the system I have and have been very happy with them. If you shop around, you may get better pricing.

https://www.amazon.com/Sensor-Monito.../dp/B078P5GG76