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Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:37 pm
by Wanderer2
I am still working on getting ready to go. Serviced the generator, my batteries died, replaced those. Back up camera in place. I am trying to find a place to put valve extenders on the rear four wheels. I don't even see a valve to check the pressure. I know that I would never find it on the inside wheels. So called a ford place, they put them on but don't know what I need and I have to bring the stems. When I was at camping world, they weren't sure which ones were the right ones. Called coach house, they couldn't give me a definitive answer either. He said probably 7" stainless steel might work, depending on the tire. So called a truck place, they referred me to a local tire shop who said they don't do that. Sooooooo-i feel like I am getting the run around. Any suggestions? This doesn't seem that difficult if I just knew what kind to get. :roll: Sorry- just frustrated right now trying to get a straight answer. I live in a small town so not many options, except an hours drive away and I am wondering how many places that I will have to go to so they can put an eye on the tire. Is there anyone that carries them and installs?

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:51 pm
by OregonLuvr
My RV Repair shop carried them and put them on and mounted them for me. Make sure they mount them solidly to your wheels or they come loose and can flop around and wear out your valve extenders over time and cause air loss. I like the braided ones. I am on my second set in 9 years.

karen

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:01 pm
by Wanderer2
Thanks Karen, I think that my biggest problem is lack of RV repair shops right here. There are two Camping Worlds here but everyone says that they are horrible and to stay away from them. Also expensive for everything. They do carry the braided extenders but I am not sure which length to buy.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:49 pm
by Bethers

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:58 pm
by Acadianmom
I always have to order mine on line and my tire place will put them on. I have to have one for both the inner and outer wheels because I can't reach the outside valve stems either. The last time I ordered some it was from RVupgradestore.com. Be sure and get the stainless steel braided ones, not just the rubber ones. The camping world near me doesn't have them. I think the tires on the Coach House are 16". The 19" extenders are for Class A's.

It looks like there should be a better solution but I haven't been able to find one. I have talked to 2 tire places that work on commercial trucks and they couldn't help me.

Martha

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 9:04 am
by Wanderer2
Thanks ladies. I am going to another tire place today to see if they can do it. Since I can't even see the stems, I don't know if they are rubber or metal. Need metal for the extentions, from what I read. I just want to make sure that I have the right ones when I take it in for install.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:37 am
by retiredhappy
Just be sure you get the metal ones, NOT the rubber ones. The rubber ones I initially had put on leaked constantly.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 9:21 pm
by Wanderer2
Thanks Karen-will do.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 9:39 pm
by Wanderer2
Well, just an update on what I did. I still don't know if this is the right option, but going with it for now. The garage where I get my car serviced looked at them and said that the extenders wouldn't work. My valves are facing inward on the outer tire and out on the inner ;)
Also one of my simulators was cracked by the nut holding it on. Soooooooo-removed the wheel simulators in back, have to get a two sided tire valve and I am just going to scrub down and paint the rims. :? For now that will have to do. When I get new tires, I will probably do that different, but for now with all I have to do, I don't want to spend anymore time on it.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:48 pm
by Acadianmom
Has the garage where you get your car serviced ever looked at RV tires? I'm pretty sure the valve on my inner tire is facing toward the outside of the RV(toward the outer tire) and the valve on the outer tire is facing inward. The point of having valve extenders is so you can check your tire pressure and add air if needed. You can have a flat on the inside dual tire and not even know it. If you run it like that it will get hot and explode. Good way to start a fire too.

I now have a tire pressure monitoring system. The last time I took my RV in I had a slow leak in one of the tires. I knew there was a very slow leak because of the monitor. The tire guys messed around with the tire and said they couldn't find a leak. I told them there WAS a leak. They finally took the tire off and put it in a vat of water. The tread was separating. If I hadn't argued with them I could have had a blow out on a trip.

Martha

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:09 am
by monik7
My rig came with some flexible extenders when I bought it new. When I recently got new dual tires at Les Schwab, they replaced the flexible ones with some straight, stiff ones at no extra cost. I was happy with the flexible ones. Never had a problem. However, the ones they replaced them with are easier to work with.
Sandi

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 1:18 am
by Bethers
I agree that your garage is probably not used to rv tires.

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:21 am
by Wanderer2
Well :o Now I am going to worry about those tires until I am satisfied. I really am not. I think I will take it in somewhere else when I leave here that knows about RVs. They say they do but... I will get a recommendation from an rver wherever I am. I just about exhausted my options here. Thanks for warning me about the problems. TPMS would be a good idea too. Would I take it to an RV place or truck place?

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 3:54 pm
by Acadianmom
I don't know what part of the country you are in but some have said Les Schwab tire company is good. We don't have them around here. I wouldn't go to a store where you can tell they do mostly cars. I use a Goodyear Tire place near me that works on all kinds of vehicles, cars, farm equipment, delivery trucks and hot shot trucks. I can stand and watch what they are doing. I don't know any RV place around here that sells tires or works on them. I kind of doubt any would even put the valve extenders on. One of the RV dealers in Lafayette use to carry the extenders but Camping World took them over and their store carries about what you can buy at Walmart.

Maybe ask at a campground near you if they would recommend a tire place or ask a mobil rv service. I would keep trying until you get to where you can check your tires yourself. I carry a portable air compressor and have used it many times. Not many places have air compressors any more. Some you can't get an RV close to and a lot don't even work.

I would read a lot of reviews on the TPMS. I think I have the Pressure Pro but it use to be Hopkins. It has served me well for about 7 years but I find it hard to program. Maybe a newer one would be easier. What ever you get you have to be able to operate it. A tire place is not going to do it for you. I usually take the sensors off myself and label them because they have to go back on the right tire.

I took a picture of my wheel and will try to post it. I post pictures so seldom it usually takes me a lot of bad words and time. :roll:

Martha

Re: Tire Valve Extenders

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 4:34 pm
by Wanderer2
Thanks Martha-I think it is something that I will need a recommendation for. I want to be able to do it myself and just watched a you tube video about ViAir from RV geeks. I will look that up. I will get it straightened out and sooner will be better than later. I just need a good recommendation. Time for more research on the TPMS and compressor. Thank you so much!