Valve Extensions come in two 'Flavors"

 Valve stem extensions come in two "flavors". One being a longer metal stem the other is some sort of "extender" that screws onto the end of a standard stem.

If you chose the long metal stem route, you probably should have them installed by a tire shop that services Heavy trucks as they have the experience and should know how to install properly. The stem for the inner tire can be straight or almost straight but needs to be long enough to come through the outer wheel "hand hole".  The long stem may look like this one.

The outer stem can be a regular brass stem like this one.

it will help if you have a "dual foot" inflator tool. Like this.

  If you have short metal stems as shown above and a "Dual-Foot" inflation adapter you should be able to get to both the inner and outer short stems. One end you Push on the inner tire. The other end you Pull onto the valve for the outer tire.

The above doesn't answer the question for those that use TPMS or want easy access to allow measurement of tire pressure. You can use the "other flavor of extender", a flexible "Hose" extenders BUT you REALLY need to pay attention to the following:

1. Be sure to tighten the hose properly. That means no leaks (test with some soapy water) and not over-tighten.  I screw the hose on till the air stops leaking then tighten about 3/4 to 1 additional turn. I then check and confirm no air leak.

2. The outer end needs to be SOLIDLY attached.  I use pop-rivets and the small 'L" bracket that comes with the Wheel Master stainless steel hose kit (#8001 or #8005 depending on wheel diameter). Like this. (shown with TPMS sensor)

3. When adding air you should hold the hose so you are not loosening the attachment point as pushing an air chuck or pressure gauge on an extender can generate a lot of force which can bend or loosen the attachment.

4. Do Not over-tighten the hose extenders. There are small rubber "O" ring gasket seals that can be torn resulting in a slow leak.

5 As with all rubber parts, I had one of my hose seals failed after 9 years.  The rubber is any seal can eventually fail due to "old-age". This applies to hoses, rubber valve stems and any other rubber part in your car, truck or RV. One advantage of my using a TPMS I was able to see the slow ( 2 - 3 psi per hour) and after a close inspection of the hose extender confirmed.

 Some people have used a stiff extender instead of the flexible hose. The downside of these extenders is that it is hard to "attach" the outer end to stabilize the extender. This might allow the extender  to vibrate  or unscrew which can develop into a leak. I think that these "extenders" potential to leak is what has led to the negative opinions of extenders..

 

##RVT1033

Valve stem extender potential problems

Sometimes my wife accuses me of being too negative because I seem to always come up with something negative about almost any topic. I really don't consider it negative when I see there might be a way to make something or a situation better.

I guess it's in my DNA to never be satisfied and always want things to be better, easier, safer or more durable.

The simple act of checking tire air pressure is an example.

 Each time you use a hand gauge to check air (morning of every travel day) you are pushing on the valve stem. If you have a standard short (less than 2") valve stem, no problem, BUT for dual tire positions as seen on almost all Class-A and Class-C RV motorhomes there are either valve stems that have a bend in them or there are  extenders  of some type. Pushing on a bent or angled stem will place a torque on the stem mount in the wheel. This can lead to eventual degradation of the rubber seal between the wheel and the stem.  Here is what happened a few years ago to the tire of a friend of mine. He was not running a TPMS so got no warning that the valve stem developed a leak at the rubber gasket between the wheel and the stem.

 

 The tire lost air and the steel body cords fatigued due to over-flexing of the sidewall which resulted in the sidewall "blowing out". Initially he thought it might be a "defective tire" but when inflating the new tire it was discovered that the valve stem no longer had a solid rubber gasket at the wheel. So obviously this was not a "defective tire" as any tire can fail if you do not keep the air in it. Soon after this he installed a TPMS.

 If you have some type of extenders, flexible hose or hard line, you might end up moving or bending re even loosening the extender if it isn't supported when you push a gauge or air chuck on the outer end.

One advantage of running TPMS that few people consider is that the TPMS gives you a pressure check each morning, as well as continuous as you drive down the road so this eliminates the need to push on the stem or extender.

TPMS eliminates this torque force on the valve stem mount along with saving you time to go out, get down on your knees, remove the metal valve cap, push on the stem and get a reading. Lots of fun if it is cold or raining.

 

I prefer to just turn on my TPMS in the morning and after my cup of coffee look at the TPM monitor and in a minute or two know the state of inflation for every tire.

 

No Muss or Fuss and the additional benefit of no torquing the valve stem mount. 

##RVT969