Is there a trick to checking rear tire pressures

[13STL]

Anyone know of a way to check the rear inside tire pressures. Neither of the inside tire extenders work at all. We can't get a reading.

[Tireman9]

HERE is a blog post on hose extenders. Note the outer ends are firmly attached (pop rivets)

You can send me email if you need faster reply. Email is posted under my picture on the blog.

[13STL]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

HERE is a blog post on hose extenders. Note the outer ends are firmly attached (pop rivets)

You can send me email if you need faster reply. Email is posted under my picture on the blog.

Could not open your blog post.

[Tireman9]

Sorry. Try it now.

[john.tucson]

If they are still using the limp fiberglass valve stems, ditch them and get steel. The originals were nothing but trouble.

[Gidyupgo]

13STL, my dual extenders wouldnt let me check pressure either. I took my extenders off and use a truck chuck/gauge with a straight end. Works great to check and add air. The simulators had to come off to get my hand through to remove them, but once off, I put the factory caps back on and reinstalled the sims. I can now check and add with Sims on.

[brucemc]

I use extenders, but in a different way. On our old Four Winds/Ford, it had the tiny "hand" holes (The ford "engineer" who came up with these should be made to check every RV in the world) so I had to come up with another method without using permanently installed extenders.

Here's the tools:



Short permanent extension on outer dual - I had rubber valves, so I added a small support wire:



View through the "hand hole" to the inner dual schrader valve:



Using the length of 11/32" rubber hose, remove the cap:



Cap removed:



Using the long neck dual foot valve gauge, check the inner dual:



If the tire needs air, screw on the extension. The female end is fixed, so it can be rotated using the hose:



Extension attached:



Attach your compressor and fill to the desired pressure + a pound - it helps to have a screw fitting, rather than the press-on style:



I add a pound extra to compensate for the lost pressure when unscrewing the compressor/extension fittings.

I put the same style extension on the outer dual of our new Sunseeker and will use the same process. I have the new Pacific Dualies wheel liners, and the hand-holes are about half of the size of the original GM hand-holes:



Hope that helps!

[Tireman9]

brucemc

Very good job of addressing the poor design. Valve support are good temporary fix till metal stems are installed in the wheels. Few people think of the stress they are placing on valve stems when they push on it with pressure gauge or air chuck.

One suggestion. Change the caps from plastic to metal. If the core develops a leak the plastic will not retain your 80 psi but metal caps with internal O-Ring should.

[brucemc]

Our new Sunseeker has all metal caps - and we no longer own the Ford... so that is the new owner's issue.

Also, the Sunseeker has metal stems as, I suspect, they are part of the TPS system.

[13STL]

Brucemc, Thank you! Very informative and helpful.

[JLeising]

Originally Posted by 13STL

Anyone know of a way to check the rear inside tire pressures. Neither of the inside tire extenders work at all. We can't get a reading.

Several of us have had difficulty checking pressure and adding air to tires with the AirFlex (yellow "composite" tubes with black "nylon" or similar ends). Issue is the center core doesn't extend far enough to press the tire valve with a normal guage or tire air chuck. Several of us have solved by trimming a few threads of the black "nylon" end off, exposing more of the core. The AirFlex extensions are "airless" - only are filled with tire air when the core is depressed and presses the tire valve - e.g. when checking pressure or adding air. If something happens to the extension while driving, the tire should'nt deflate.
As I've mentioned here before, I tie the extensions to the wheel covers and the wheel covers to the wheels to avoid the extensions whipping around while driving. 65 K miles and on second set of tires now with no extension issues.

[Wolverine 1945]

Man this can be a real PITA !!!
The first time I checked ours I keep loosing more air that I could add,,, I even took the Hub Caps off !!! I have since found if I hold the flex tub with needle nose pliers,,, I can do real well !!!

[Tireman9]

Sounds like the low cost "plastic" short extension is not much more than a gimmick to allow the RV dealer to point it out and imply they are doing you a favor by having this "feature" on the RV. When in reality it seems to cause problems for many.

When properly installed (bolted down) the longer (pressurized not "airless") woven steel hose set along with TPMS seems to be best solution.

If I sold this stuff, which I don't, that would be the only type I would carry.

[Wolverine 1945]

Personal I am always looking for a way to fix or do things with out spend any of my SS check !!!
LOL !!!

[Creativepart]

When I owned a travel trailer I had a number of tire blow outs. So we want to avoid this happening on the RV. I bought solid dually valve stem extensions and had a tire dealer install them. They came with rubber "football" shaped stabilizers to anchor the inside tire stems. These make it easy, solid and accurate to check and air up the tires.

They also make adding TPMS sensors more secure.

Since having these installed I haven't had to add any air to my tires in more than 3000 miles over 4 or 5 months. Highly recommended but not cheap. About $250 for the stems and installation.