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Old 08-14-2013, 05:10 PM   #1
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Air-Flexx extensions pressure??

This has me stumped?

Both of my inner dual valve ext. are pressure less. Which I believe they are supposed to be. But with that said how do you check the tire pressure?

I also tried to add air to pressure up the ext. with no luck???? Nothing in or out, the valve stem pin is just sitting there loose.

The tires are not flat and do have pressure in them.
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Old 08-14-2013, 05:19 PM   #2
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The stem in the airflex is supposed to press the stem in the valve when you check the pressure or add air. The air chuck (adding air) or the pressure guage is supposed to press the stem in the airflex sufficiently to open the tire vlave - pressurizing the airflex only whjile you check the pressure or add/release air.
On my 2012 Solera "S" - and on several other units per posts earlier on this forum - the stem in some of the airflex extensions is too short to do its job. Some have corrected by cutting a small amount off the airflex threaded sections so the stem can extend further - sufficiently to depress the valve stem. Others have searched around and found chucks with long enough valve depressers to work without modifying the airflex extensions.
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Old 08-14-2013, 05:35 PM   #3
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I believe they work the same way as the airless Wheelmasters work. There is a shaft inside of the tube that when you press on the schneider valve on the one with your tire gage the shaft operates the valve on the stem on your tires. So the only time there is air pressure in the tube is when you have pushed the valve on the end with you tire pressure guage.

Hope this makes sense
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Old 08-14-2013, 06:30 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JLeising View Post
The stem in the airflex is supposed to press the stem in the valve when you check the pressure or add air. The air chuck (adding air) or the pressure guage is supposed to press the stem in the airflex sufficiently to open the tire vlave - pressurizing the airflex only whjile you check the pressure or add/release air.
On my 2012 Solera "S" - and on several other units per posts earlier on this forum - the stem in some of the airflex extensions is too short to do its job. Some have corrected by cutting a small amount off the airflex threaded sections so the stem can extend further - sufficiently to depress the valve stem. Others have searched around and found chucks with long enough valve depressers to work without modifying the airflex extensions.
Got it, thanks!!!!

I cut about 1/4" off the threaded section of the valve and all is good.
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Old 08-14-2013, 06:34 PM   #5
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Be sure to tie up the extensions (wire ties to the wheel covers, also tie the wheel covers on with wire ties). My experience - the extensions can whip around while driving and can activate the valve stems, letting air out (even after stopping). Tied up so they can't whip around - no problems in 17000 miles.
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Old 08-14-2013, 08:03 PM   #6
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Here is the airflex website. air-flexx valve extensions - top notch technology for the toughest environments. If you search around you will find some interesting information regarding tie down, and what is the proper valve stem rubber or metal, to attach to on the inner and outer rear wheels.
One issue I see is during the recommended MB tire rotation described in the maint section, you will run into a conflict because only one of the rear wheels has a metal valve stem, while the other is rubber. That will not allow you to do the recommended rotation of the wheels, per MB, because Air-flexx has specific requirements on which rear wheel valve stem must be metal and which can be rubber. Not sure who set up the rear wheel set with stems, but there would be a conflict upon rotation of the tires as recommended.by MB.
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Old 08-16-2013, 10:29 AM   #7
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Thinking more on this, most likely it was FR who added the Air-flexx extenders for the convienence of them. But, that conflicts with the recommended tire rotation pattern by MB. Any thoughts on this? At the very least, FR should review the valve stem requirements (rubber, steel, inside, outside) on the rear wheel set, to allow for a rotation without having to replace valve stems. IMHO
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Old 08-16-2013, 10:43 AM   #8
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On our 2012 Solera "S", there is no issue with tire rotation. All six tires have the same rubber valve stems. On the inner duals, the Air-flexx extensions are simply screwed on to the valve stems. On the outer of the duals there is a steel 90 degree screwed to the rubber valve stems before the Air-flexx extensions.
As our Solera uses rubber valve stems all around, and as the outers have the added weight of the steel 90 degree on them, I am most comfortable fastening them as I mentioned above (also, I had air loss before I secured them). I did follow your link to the Air-flexx site where they say not necessary to secure up to ~8 inch long extensions, but my experience - plus the "extra stuff" mentioned above (rubber valve stems and steel 90 degree pre-extensions)... I have had no problems AFTER I secured them.
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Old 08-16-2013, 08:47 PM   #9
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Air-flexx site is fairly specific about using ONLY on steel valve stems and NOT attaching to wheel cover. Interesting - my Solera came with all rubber valve stems and I had to fasten the Air-flexx extensions to make them work.
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:11 PM   #10
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I guess I missed that the 90 degree steel is screwed to a rubber valve stem. I didn't look at it as close as I probably should. To be honest, I never seen that done before, but this is my first rodeo in RVing. Maybe a more complete way to deal with this issue, would be to remove the air-flexx extensions until the time you decide to check/add tire pressure. That way you would be safe if you have a hub cap fly off.
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:14 PM   #11
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As mentioned above, I also tied the wheel covers to the wheels.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:05 AM   #12
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J, oh I understand your reason, safty first is the number one concern and I agree. But just think, we are talking in this forum about "wiring" your hubcaps to the rims for safty sake. That would be an excellent selling point by some FR salesman on intial purchase, don't you think. I'm sure some alternative will evolve in the future, for now it's all just heads up information, to make readers of this forum aware of the potential problem.
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Old 10-25-2016, 03:27 PM   #13
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If you have the air-flexx plastic extenders..GET RID OF THEM! Just spent 3 weeks on the road having to keep inflating the inner wheels of my sunseeke because they leaked and it was a pia to get air into them because of these pos's. Purchased an all steel stem kit from tire-man-iwjsp.com for $155 and had Ford dealer install ($400.00). These stems are not screw on extenders they a full length one piece stems that require removing the wheels and tires. They extend beyond the liner (hubcap) and allow you to add air with out removing the hubcap. Over time..definitely worth the expense.
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Old 10-25-2016, 08:40 PM   #14
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The airflexx extensions should not be pressurized unless pin depressed. Were you still using the oem rubber valve stems? They leak pretty easily with wear from any extender attached. The vibration causes them to wear at the rubber base. I had one fail this way with a slow leak. No problems after switching all tires to short metal valve stems. I kept the airflexx so I could move them as needed when tires are rotated. No problems so far.
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Old 10-27-2016, 05:10 PM   #15
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Two days with no pressure loss and Tire Minder sensors installed. With the air-flexx my inner tire's pressure would have been down 40Ib this a.m.
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