Check inside dual pressure?

[ox1]

[disclaimer]

Now I am in reference to the 16" wheels on my '99. I don't know if some of the newer/bigger trucks have bigger wheels and more room or not.

[/disclaimer]



I just blew out the outside dual the other day, and given enough time and thought (as I was assuming and started posting aboot the subject from the poor qlty tire view ) I fingered out the issue.

I had my fronts and inside duals swapped around a month or so ago (Hate to pay someone to werk on my truck, but only so many hrs in a day eh?) and the feller that did it mentioned that the inside dual was real low on pressure when he pulled it out. (Like 20# I think. )

Just my bed is heavy, plus the up to 5000# loads we set on top of it at times. So - in dooing some math - it comes up with that tire loaded well beyond the rating all too regularly, so I guess I can't blame the tire.

I have the long "Billy Big Rigger" type guage, but hows a feller to git the his paws down in there to take the cap off to check it? Those wheel openings aint that bloody big!

I run two sets of wheels/tires and generally change my tires every fall/spring, but every cpl yrs last yrs winter tires are this yrs summer tires - and then I git new come fall eh? So normally I would be checking them every 6 months on average and generally don't find much wrong. Maybe the occassional @ 65#, but that would be on the set going back on even at that. (I doubt that I check the tires comming off unless something obviously wrong... )

I bought a set of them thar braided hoses aboot 12-15 yrs ago for another truck and never put them on. They just look to be a big PITA. Maybe they are worth it?

What doo the rest of you doo? (Especially the guys that are actually werking the trucks. )

.

 

[SHobbs]

I carry a piece of rubber hose with me thats just big enough to slip over the valve stem cap which can then be turned and removed without dropping it. I took a piece of a coat hanger ( any stiff wire will do ) and taped it to the outside of the hose to make it more rigid so it stays straight and does not droop when replacing the cap. I tried it without the wire and it was difficult getting the cap back on. Cheap solution that works or at least has for me.

 

[B.G. Smith]

The 99 I had came with the plastic extenders on the rears, about 1 1/2" long. I know lots of people will say they are not reliable but i drove mine 120,000 miles with no problems. I also have them on present truck, 30,000 so far. bg

 

[HBarlow]

I leave the valve stem cap off the inside rear tires and carry a four inch brass stem extension purchased from a truck tire store. I can screw it on the inside rear tires reaching through the small wheel opening to check or inflate the inside tires.

 

[Geno's Garage]

I've been using these for a couple of years, with no problems. AIR PLUS - INNER VALVE STEM EXTENSIONS (PAIR)-Dodge Cummins and Ford Power Stroke Diesel Truck Accessories - Geno's Garage It sounds like you already have a set. If you use them, you'll need to ensure they are tight enought on the stock valve stem to prevent leaking (obviously). It is a little difficult to do this by hand, so I uses a socket on the cap to tighten, then hold the extension with a pair of pliers, and loosen the cap. Hope this helps.



~Andy

 

[Grizzly]

I use a double head, long stem trucker gauge to check the dual wheels. I use the outside head on the tire gauge for the inner tire and the inside head on the tire gauge for the outside tire. I have the same type of long stem double head tire inflater.



Works for me.

 

[jelag]

I run 19. 5" tires on my trucks and don't rotate them... we run new tires in front and recaps in the rear. . we have installed 8" long valve stems on the inside duals so we can get to them to inflate them and check them... .

We get a little over 90K miles this way, on the rears and close to 100K on the fronts...

We only do work on the front end if there is a tire wear problem and they start to cup or degrade...

We don't rotate, or remove or re-balance during their life... We have over 500K with a F550 doing this, and 260K on one of our 3500 dually's and close to 750K on an F350... .

Everything else is under 100K on the 19. 5"... we sort of copied UPS by using the same tires, and standards...

All the trucks are highway trucks except the driver I use for hunting 2-3 times a year...

 

[Grizzly]

I run 19. 5" tires on my trucks and don't rotate them... we run new tires in front and recaps in the rear. . we have installed 8" long valve stems on the inside duals so we can get to them to inflate them and check them... .









I've used the 8" long valve stem extensions and had one rupture on the right side inside dual at highway speed, which resulted in loosing all the air fast. That was on my 95 DRW in 2000. Since then I only use my long stem double headed trucker's gauge and long stem double headed air chuck. Works for me.

 

[FJfonda]

Grizzly,

I use a 14" long dowel with a piece of fuel line pushed on one end--- take a cap off the front stem and go to the auto parts store to get the right size. Then head to the hardware store and find the right size dowel.

My 04. 5 came with 1 1/2" extenders (zero pressure style) that work pretty good as well.

 

[WILLD420]

If I were to use and extender, I would buy the spendy stainless steel braided ones. Any of the solid types are subject to a lot of forces on the valve stem that it wasn't designed for.

If you have any doubt about how much force is on that stem at 80 mph, look at a tire that has rubber stems mounted out by the rims edge. The stems will actually wear the paint off the rim and wear a low spot in the stem within 20K miles.

I'm also a big fan of the big-rig extended guages and air chucks, but they aren't always available out on the road.

 

[icman95]

I bought the extenders posted by and sold by Geno's Garage in post #5 above. Love them. I also have the trucker's gauge, but couldn't get it in there enough. I waited until a tire rotation and put the extenders on. Now checking the pressure is as simple as doing it on a car. I find that I'm more apt to do it now, so it's better for the truck, tires, and my safety. A hugely worthwhile investment.