tire valve extension adventures

Just in case there's some mis-communication between posts above, my most recent link that I provided above shows various solid metal valve extenders - not flexible valve extenders. Those in the link I gave are about like the ones Chuck designs - or maybe they are Chuck's, but just shone on a different (distributor?) website.

I didn't show the link to the Tire Man steel valve stems (designed/invented by Chuck) because the Tire Man website seemed confusing in that only rims were shown under the "Products" tab - not pictures of the actual valve stems. Tire Man should add pictures just like the photos in the website link I gave to the Your Tireshop Supply store.

I agree - solid metal (brass or stainless steel) valve stems are the only way to go with heavy vehicles like an RV. I have had them on our Class C for several years now ... ever since I had a rear dually flat 2000-3000 miles from home due to a leaking crack in one of the rubber valve stems that came stock on our rig.

The last thing you want to do is put those flexible extenders on your valve stems. They have a tendency to leak and if they get loose from the anchoring point they can flop around and not only do damage to your wheel but suddenly deflate the tire.

What is needed is a extended valve stem that will let you quickly check your tire pressure. They add no extra weight like the Extenders would and balancing is no problem.
The best on the market,that are the original,are Tire Man any others are Knock offs and of inferior quality.

Chuck is the original designer of these an he has been around for years. If you have any questions just give him a call, he is always happy to help.

Here's about the best kind of extensions to retrofit onto motorhome tires - the types for the rear duals are especially needed for ease in checking pressures and changing air pressures:

http://yourtireshopsupply.com/advanced_search_result?keywords=Dually+Valves

Having my own issue with the inside valve extensions on the rear (dually), the coach is relatively new, aside from driving it home from CA when we bought it and a short few hundred mile trip at Christmas time it's not been out yet. Figured I'd check tire pressures this morning. Front tires were over inflated by ~10 psi, rear outside tires under by about the same, got all that taken care of, but when I put the gauge on the rear inside extension tubes I get nothing! Tires are inflated, I can feel it, unless they are solid rubber!! Doesn't appear that the extension tubes are properly connected at the valve end, or is there some 'trick' to doing this that being an RV newb I am unaware of? Anyone got any ideas other than take in to get looked at?

Thanks

When you have extenders, even really short ones that just eliminate the valve cap for convenience (hard to reach into the hole and unscrew a cap) you should have a piece of sturdy tubing that can be pushed onto the extender and used to tighten or loosen it. I have a piece of wood doweling in the other end as a handle. You need this to tighten the extender or to remove it. Once in a while an extender will stick after you remove your gauge or inflator and as your pressure hisses away you want to get that extender off FAST.

I got my recalled Michelins replaced yesterday. I asked for medium or long rubber stems. Mediums worked nicely with my old plastic extenders. They gave me long stems and very short plastic extenders in place of valve caps - they work nicely, too.

Only had one extender fail in 6 years; it was a metal one.

Common wisdom is tires are good for 5-7 years, 2006 tires need to be replaced, in my opinion. Good tread does not equal safe tires. Interior cracking may cause a blow out. Tires are the first line of safe travel. Just my opinion of course............

thanks. the mh is a 2006 as are the tires

Per Anon 125:

..."the outers are little solid pipes in a V or L shape.
they were completely loose."....

X 2, I had the same problem, so I took the outers off....

You have a 30' Sunova, correct?
Which size wheels, 19.5" rims?
And how OLD are the Tires?
I'm amazed the two tires that went flat didn't fly apart or cause blowouts on the inners.
Are your tire valves METAL (you won't see rubber except the edge of a gasket)?
If they're METAL, you can leave the extensions off and trust a TRUCK tire shop to gauge and air up your tires. The best Gauge and Air Chuck for this are "dual foot" where one foot (part that connects to the tire valve) is straight ahead (for Front Tires and Rear Inner Tires) and the other is backward-facing (for Rear Outer Tires). Or, you can install AIRLESS extensions. An Airless Extension has a depressor built into it that pushes the core of the actual tire valve ONLY when you push on the end of the extension with Gauge or Chuck. I think you had air-carrying extensions. With those, if the connection to the tire valve, or the extension itself, develops a leak, the tire goes flat. You could bore a hole in the side of an Airless Extension and there would be no leak till you put a gauge onto it.
Or are the valves RUBBER? You can still take the Tire Shop approach. I DO NOT recommend any form of Extension on Rubber Valves! That's how our Class C was when we got it. Rubber Valves, Flexible Inner and Solid Outer Extensions both air-bearing. I was constantly adding air. By that I mean before every monthly outing. The front had little straight extensions and the rubber valves would leak when I pushed my gauge onto them. Completely Unsatisfactory.
How old are the tires? The last four digits of the DOT Code on one sidewall are the Week and Year they were made. If they were several years old then stood "for years" even without being used, you may not make the 4000 miles without a blowout.
BORG valves are about $120 a set, Tire-Man sets are a little more. The tires have to be partially dismounted to install either. 16" tires suitable for RV are roughly $150-$250 each. For 19.5" tires I can only guess, maybe $100+ more. One blowout can cause more damage to the RV than the cost of a set of tires.
Be careful here...