Ford e450 tire pressure check and fill problems

[ddro]

We just bought our new Itasca Spirit 33 foot long motorhome and I am having one hell of a problem checking and filling the tire pressures. The inner wheels have braided stainless steel extenders I assume that go through a wire connector that mounts on the outer wheel and I have a heck of a problem trying to check and fill them as the valve stem (or extender) is flexible and I have to hold pressure on them to get the gauge and chuck on them. I really have to push the gauge and chuck hard onto the stem to get any reading and to fill. Also the damn outer stems face inward, how the heck are you supposed to get a gauge or chuck on them?
On our first trip I got a screw in the inner tire and a flat. Luckily I noticed the outer tire looked low and after checking found the inner flat. I was able to get about 35 PSI into it and drove a mile down the road and had the flat repaired. (lucky)
When we got home I decided I wanted to check the pressures all around again and the wheel covers make it almost impossible to check when they are installed and I have no idea as how to get a chuck or gauge on the outer tires with the stems facing inward.
Anybody else having trouble or have any ideas?

[johnwalkerpa1]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

The best on the market,that are the original,are Tire Man any others are Knock offs.

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.

Agree 100%. Get them sooner rather than later and save yourself a ton of aggravation. Yes, there are cheaper solutions but this is a case where it pays to spend a little more to buy the best..

[Mich_F]

This is the style pressure gauge others have referred to.
I have about the same MH and checking the rear tire pressure is a hassle. I usually end up just popping off the wheel liners and then checking the pressures. Our liners just pop off, while other liners are held on by bolts, which I prefer. I have used stainless steel extensions where the mounting brackets for the extensions, are riveted onto that style liner, without having any problems. With our style pop off liner, if you attached the extender to the liner, and your wheel liner pops off, you have some serious issues.
Be careful with those holes in the liners, the edges can be sharp.

[The_Logans]

A dual head tire gauge is a MUST, no other way to do it. The braided stems are worthless, you need three hands to check the pressure and/or fill the tires. I have to remove the wheel covers, and then use needle nosed vice grip pliers to keep the thing in place while I check or fill.

As soon as I get some extra bucks, it's off to the commercial tire service center to get the stainless steel valve extenders put on.

[DrewE]

If you're trying to use a normal "car" tire gauge, you will have a terrible time (without the fancy extenders, at least).

You need a tire gauge with a dual head. One faces frontwards for the inner tire, and one faces backwards at an angle for the outer tire. Similarly, there are dual head inflation chucks for compressors, which are also nearly necessary.

I found that a dual head gauge with the frontwards facing head in line with the gauge body was much less inconvenient for the inner tire than the more common type with both chucks angled. You can find a variety of models at a truck stop (or the usual online sources).

It's rather important to keep the tire pressure on each pair pair of dual tires equal (or as close to equal as possible); I try for no more than 1 psi difference here. It's not quite so important for the two pairs to match each other, though of course that's the general goal and they shouldn't be greatly different.

[IAMICHABOD]

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.

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.

[Vulcan_Rider]

jk31668 wrote:
sometime if the valve isnt readily visible or accessable, just take a tire iron or heavy screwdriver and pry off the wheel cover. its just a big hubcap

Not all are the same. My wheel covers are bolted on. That suggestion would result in damage and frustration.

I had the braided extenders put on all 4 of my rear wheels.
It still takes two hands to check the pressure or add air though.
And that adds an extra point of possible leakage too (wonder how I know that ??)

[harley-dave]

Get a double sided chuck like the truckers use to reach those inward facing stems. I replaced all the stems with solid stainless steel extenders that curve around so all the stems are outward facing. Have Alcoa wheels so no wheel covers.

Dave

[jk31668]

sometime if the valve isnt readily visible or accessable, just take a tire iron or heavy screwdriver and pry off the wheel cover. its just a big hubcap