Valve Stem Extensions- Checking air pressure

[stick]

This is my first dually, so i haven't run into this before. Do i buy extensions for the dualls or is there a better way? The extensions just look like a leak waiting to happen.



Stick

 

[macdaddy]

This is my first dually, so i haven't run into this before. Do i buy extensions for the dualls or is there a better way? The extensions just look like a leak waiting to happen.



Stick

You are 100% correct!. . , They are a leak waiting to happen.



All though there are some extensions that work I would not recommend them. I just remove the rear liners and check the air pressure every six months. Lately I have been just putting 80 psi in the rears at my tire rotation (every 10K about 9 months) and they leak down to about 68 psi at the next rotation.



I honestly can say I cant tell any difference in the way the beast rides between 65 and 80 psi.



Mac

 

[Bill Stockard]

Do yourself a favor and check your valve stems. If they are rubber have them replaced with steel valve stems. The question is not if they fail, but when.



I haul a heavy slide in truck camper and raise and lower my tire pressures regularly between hauling the camper and driving solo. To make the job easier, I have installed 1-3/4" long steel valve stems. The longer valve stems are long enough to make it easier to air up/down and to check the pressure without extensions, but don't stick out far enough to be damaged by road debris. I use a straight in/angle tire gauge and air chuck. Thanks to TDR member B. G. Smith's tip, I use a piece of rubber fuel line to remove and reinstall the inside valve stem cap. I can squeeze my hand in just enough take off the valve stem cap on the outside duals.



Bill

 

[Deleted member 995608]

These are what I"m using Tire-Man: Kit #3-6D



Had them on for about 40K without any problems.



I will buy again for sure.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Yep, I looked at those before I bought my last set of Michelins. What do you do when rotating tires? I rotate my tires regularly and that's the only disadvantage to those valve stems that I can find. If one doesn't rotate tires, the valve stems should work great.



Bill

 

[Deleted member 995608]

The owner of "Tire Man" says to leave the rears alone. The front tires I have dismounted from the rim and remount/balance on the opposite side every oil change(5k miles).



Although I don't like the tires I bought, they are wearing extremely well w/o typical rotations.



I'm always airing up and down and these stems make it very easy w/o having to pop off those expensive rear wheel covers.

 

[JT Anderson]

I like Bill Stockard's tip about using a piece of fuel line to remove the valve stem cap. For the inside duals on my 2010 3500 I used a plastic 2" valve stem extension to get it out where my tire chuck fits okay to air up/down. But, like Bill, I'll switch to an all-metal valve stem and probably put up with removing those shiny wheel covers to check/adjust pressures. I'm thinking of grinding reliefs in the wheel cover cutouts to make room for my tire pressure checker.

Jim Anderson

 

[Grizzly]

I don't use valve stem caps. I check my inside and outside air pressure with a long stem trucker double headed air gauge and I fill the tires with a long stem double headed air chuck. Not the easiest things to use, but it works for me without removing the wheel covers.

george

 

[gsbrockman]

Holy Thread Resurrections!!!! :-laf

 

[RVTRKN]

I paid the price the hard way when I lost an inner dual while towing my 5ver, when I bought it used in 09 and towed it 1000 miles. I will never use crap like that again and I now check pressures the hard way and save myself from ruining my tire. This link is not an exact copy of what I installed, but it's close enough.
https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...zQ&ei=qIRXVPG_HsSzogSe2oDoAQ&ved=0COQCEKYrMA4

 

[Brocky]

I have a new 3500 dually with steel on the inside (with rubber stems) and aluminum on the outside. I am like Grizzly, I use the long stem trucker style gauge and chuck. At the trucking company I worked at we had a metal combo valve stem cap that you could check pressure thru. I am going to stop by the shop and steal (perminately borrow??) 6 for my truck.

 

[slingshot383]

Put a 4" extension on the inner, install it 180* from the outer, and you're good to go. This is for the ALCOA rims. Check tire pressure at least once a month.

 

[gsbrockman]

Put a 4" extension on the inner, install it 180* from the outer, and you're good to go. This is for the ALCOA rims. Check tire pressure at least once a month.

That would probably work OK for everyone with a DRW truck through 2013......but the 2014's & up integrate TPIS and a 4" extension might generate enough centrifugal force to damage the sensor.