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Old 04-23-2017, 11:51 AM   #1
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Dual Wheels and Valve Extenders

Been working on fixing things up on my new Class C MBS 2400R. One of the things that I do not understand is why does the factory send out DRW units with no possible way of finding the valve stems to check air pressure?? Logic would state that if you can't see it at the factory, and cannot reach it, then the customer is going to have the same issue. I'll be making a trip down to the local Les Schwab dealer tomorrow to have them take a look at seeing what we can do to fix the problem. When I mentioned "metal" valve extenders, he was adamant that that was not what I wanted. Don't really know why. Also, he said any type of extender was just another opportunity for air leaks. I can see that, but it seems that there is not any option other than putting a set of extenders on. I don't think you can pull the rear wheels and realign the holes enough to allow clear access, at all times, to the valve stem(s) to check pressures or air up if needed. Have most people added extensions, and if so, what type have proved successful form day one?
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Old 04-23-2017, 11:55 AM   #2
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I'm in the same boat with my dually. Let me know what they say, if you don't mind.
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Old 04-23-2017, 12:53 PM   #3
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I bought my sunseeker MBS 2400R used. It had braided Steel extenders on it, with metal clips to keep them from flopping around. Looks like Dicor-LS734N2FC-Stainless-Steel-Extender. Looks like my outside dually has the valve stem mounted on the inside with an angled steel extender like this https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Masters...JG9J9TJPGGV2S4

I don't see how I could check pressure or fill without them. Lots of people on these forums use them
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Old 04-23-2017, 12:55 PM   #4
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Here's another option I'd like to look into.

http://www.dualdynamics.com/products/cross-fire/
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Old 04-23-2017, 01:05 PM   #5
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Go to Your Tire Shop Supply.com, and look at the dually valves, for the Class C Sprinters.
They carry sets specifically for the Sprinter. The rears consist of long one piece valve stems for the inside rims and shorter curved for the outer rims.
No screw on type extensions...these are one piece design and they work.
Put a set on our Ford based Lexi, which had the stainless braided screw on type extensions, that always leaked a few psi.
New ones on since last Nov, and no more leaks.
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Old 04-23-2017, 01:32 PM   #6
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A number of forum members have installed metal valve stems (not extenders) from yourtireshopsupply.com Here's a link to their product which includes six stems and which I had installed on my 2015 Solera:
DL1SP13FR Chrome Duallyvalve Kit W/ Front Stems
You should verify that these are right for your unit. Also note that installation is a non-trivial matter. I went to a local auto tire shop for my first shot at installation ... that didn't go so well. I ended up reinstalling the stems at a tire shop that specializes in truck wheels and tires.

It's important to ensure that the stems are torqued properly and that the wheel covers can't rub against the stems. I enlarged the wheel cover holes a bit and use zip ties to hold them in place so they can't rotate.

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Old 04-23-2017, 03:51 PM   #7
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Joel, Grumpy and Dave - reading through info at Tiresupply, there is a statement about (probably) not being able to balance inside tire with long valve stem as it won't fit on the machine. How do you handle this situation? Also, since wheels seem to be made of different material, steel vs alum, do you have to swap rims at rotations? Never dealt with DRW so a lot if this is a mystery to me.
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Old 04-23-2017, 10:36 PM   #8
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I still have the Air-Flexx extenders that came with my MBS. I know a lot of people on this forum bad mouth them but in 2 years I haven't any problems. A positive is they have the pressureless style.
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Old 04-24-2017, 07:48 AM   #9
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FWIW

[QUOTE=DaveJordan;1484098]A number of forum members have installed metal valve stems (not extenders) from yourtireshopsupply.com Here's a link to their product which includes six stems and which I had installed on my 2015 Solera:[INDENT]DL1SP13FR Chrome Duallyvalve Kit W/ Front Stems

I recently purchased their Rear 'kit' for inside Steel/outside Alcoa aluminum. The kit includes the rubber stabilizer grommets. Now that I see how it all works, here is what I can tell you for sure :

1. Don't bother wasting your money on the rubber stabilizers. It will be impossible for you to use them, as the long valvestem from the steel wheels would need at least a 60 degree bend to hit the hole straight on. They come 'straight', and you would break them trying to make that much of a bend.

2. The steel wheel extended valvestems don't move - so you don't need the rubber stabilizers.

3. You will have to 'bend' the steel wheel extended valvestems to get them to hit the center of the alcoa holes and not rub on the edges. You need to bend maybe 1/2 inch - which isn't that much. I have already sent an email to the vendor about the need to make a bend. I have not yet heard back from them.

4. If you are planning on putting a TPMS system on that screws to the end of the valvestem, you don't want to use flexible extenders, and certainly not the Air-Flexx (I was using them). I think you would be asking for trouble.

Hope that helps others avoid some of the pitfalls I just ran into.

My rears are now on solid valvestems with Tireminder TPMS - and are working just fine.
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Old 04-24-2017, 08:32 AM   #10
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3. You will have to 'bend' the steel wheel extended valvestems to get them to hit the center of the alcoa holes and not rub on the edges. You need to bend maybe 1/2 inch - which isn't that much. I have already sent an email to the vendor about the need to make a bend. I have not yet heard back from them.


The manufacturer mentions on their web site that the long stems may have to be bent.

**Please Note**

Inner Stems will have to be bent in order to be centered in the outer hand-hole - please refer to the following bending Instructions

Installation Instructions - Bolt In Valve Stems

Step 1

Stack the Duals
Check if the inner stem is centered in the hand-hole

Step 2

Bend the valve stem slightly, so the stem is centered in the hand-hole. (When bending support the base and keep the valve cap on to protects the threads).

Step 3

Re-stack the duals to confirm that the valve stems are centered.



Mine did not take much bending for steel wheels. Don't know about Alcoa.
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Old 04-24-2017, 09:46 AM   #11
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Yes, BEND Inner Valve Stems

Absolutely have to bend. However, there is no way to bend enough to be able to hit the rubber stabilizer hole - as you would have to come in at practically a right angle to get it through the little rubber hole.
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Old 04-24-2017, 09:56 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by High Desert View Post
Joel, Grumpy and Dave - reading through info at Tiresupply, there is a statement about (probably) not being able to balance inside tire with long valve stem as it won't fit on the machine. How do you handle this situation? Also, since wheels seem to be made of different material, steel vs alum, do you have to swap rims at rotations? Never dealt with DRW so a lot if this is a mystery to me.
Not much help here.

To be honest, I don't recall what the tire shop did about balancing - I haven't noticed any problem. Also, I know that some heavy truck shops can do wheel balancing with the wheels mounted on the axle.

All my wheels are all steel. But it would be a major pain to rotate them at all. I haven't done it yet, and probably won't unless I notice some sort of problem developing. I think rotating them at all would require reinstalling the valve stems. (Well, maybe you could swap wheels from one side of the coach to the other, putting them in the same relative position...but I don't think that's recommended...)

Good luck!

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Old 04-24-2017, 12:01 PM   #13
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This is on my rig, no issues and I have TPMS on stems.
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Old 04-24-2017, 12:10 PM   #14
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Air-flexx

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Originally Posted by SSmbs View Post
I still have the Air-Flexx extenders that came with my MBS. I know a lot of people on this forum bad mouth them but in 2 years I haven't any problems. A positive is they have the pressureless style.
X2

I like the idea of pressureless stems since they won't leak if damaged. They are lighter than metal ones and won't create an issue with the balance.
The tires I have seem to have extra rubber at the valve stems which initially prevented proper operation so I simply shaved down the ends of the extenders to allow them to screw on a little more. It's been easy to use since.
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Old 04-24-2017, 01:19 PM   #15
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Sorry for the long post.

I knew that a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is critical to my piece of mind while traveling in my 2015 MB Class C. I learned right away that the MB steel wheels are not real accepting to standard steel valve stems, due to the amount of curvature at the point where the stem seals to the wheel.

After much debate among technicians at the local Les Schwab that does a lot of work for a Sprinter dealer in Portland, I accepted brass-core high pressure rubber stems as the next best alternative to solid stems. I had Wheelmaster in Vancouver (WA) install the appropriate set of braided extensions on the duals, with the outside ends pop-riveted to the center of the chrome wheel covers. I then added a set of TST 507 flow-thru sensors to the anchored extensions on the duals, and put the front sensors directly on the stems of the front tires.

I have 2 years / 20,000 miles on the present set-up, and no failures. However, the dual wheel cover seems to be getting some outward force from the braided extensions, so the steel “pawls” that bite into the steel rim are breaking off, causing the wheel cover to first rattle/squeak. Nylon wire ties solved that problem, as I have heard that it’s not necessarily caused by using valve extensions attached to the covers.
As I mentioned, the monitor system really helps give you piece of mind when you encounter different paving conditions, etc, and the sound / feel of the vehicle would make one worry of a possible low tire. Too bad that an internal-sensor monitor system isn’t available on the MB 3500 chassis. I feel having the monitor definitely enhances the safety of driving the vehicle.
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Old 04-24-2017, 01:28 PM   #16
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30 dollars for set of extenders times 1000 rvs is 30 thousand dollars. Its a convenience item not a required safety item. Let the customer purchase one .
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Old 04-24-2017, 01:40 PM   #17
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I put dually valves on my rear tires and steel extenders on the front. Using a zip tie I attached the fronts to the wheel cover so they don't flop around.


I also have a tire monitor system to constantly read my air pressure and tire temp. I have not had any problems with leaks. However, never use rubber extenders. . you are asking for trouble.
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Old 04-24-2017, 06:15 PM   #18
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Caution about wire-tying extenders to hubcaps

Just a word of caution from threads I have read over the past two years. If you wire-tie your valvestem extenders to the hubcaps, it is possible to lose a hubcap and blow-out a tire as a result. It never occurred to me until I read about it happening to someone. Check your hubcaps
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Old 04-24-2017, 06:43 PM   #19
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Zip tie the hubcap to the steel rim
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Old 04-24-2017, 06:44 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by nusslejj View Post
Just a word of caution from threads I have read over the past two years. If you wire-tie your valvestem extenders to the hubcaps, it is possible to lose a hubcap and blow-out a tire as a result. It never occurred to me until I read about it happening to someone. Check your hubcaps
Many of us also wire-tie the hubcaps to the wheels. UV resistant or stainless steel wire ties.
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