Flat tire

[tn2]

I noticed my I/B left rear tire looked low on air. Upon checking further I could see that the bead was actually broken and the tire was completely flat. I very slowly drove the RV to our farmers Co-op to have them fix it. What they found was that the little rubber hose that extends the valve stem from the I/B tire out to the O/B tire....so you can check tire pressure....that little hose had dry rotted. I went to five different auto stores here in town and no one stocked that item. Found it in J.C. Whitney and they wanted 32 dollars for two of them. I just had the Co-op man put the tire back on without this hose. He told me that one should never use the rubber hose type....says they always leak. He also said that a braided Hose type is available and is best....he couldn't tell me where to get them however. Another thing to check when you buy new rear tires....I'd ask for new hoses also if they are the rubber hose type. I just bought new tires about 2000 miles ago and I'm sure they reused these rubber hoses. It's a small thing but they can cause flat as good as any nail can. I disconnected both rear wheels until I can find a better quality type.

[TBRich]

I believe you can get those metal externers at Camping World...if there's not onw near you, check out the online sales at www.campingworld.com Best to install them when you put new tires on, as it's kinda pricey to do after the fact since the tires have to be taken off, etc, etc... You're right, though...the metal ones are far better... (Don't need them on the Bambi, of course, but we had a small SOB motor home with dualies and they didn't have the extenders...virtually impossible to check the air pressure without them! So we sold it and bought an AS... Ha!)

TB

[Robfike]

The braided hose connectors are available at most truck places.
This summer I bit the bullet and got one of the Pressure Pro tire monitor systems. Wow is that great. I can check my tire pressures at any time just by scrolling through the the positions on the display.
This makes life on the road much more relaxing.
Rob

[lewster]

I sell and install the Pressure Pro TPMS and almost every rig I put them on has at least a dually in the rear, and sometimes a tag axle also. I began by using the braided stainless valve extension hoses, but then found that they leak on ocassion also......not an acceptable situation!

I have switched to a solid metal valve extension for the inner dually, and use a solid metal 'U-bend' 180* extension for the outer rim that places the valve facing you so you can actually read the tire pressure and inflate it if necessary.

You should be able to find these at almost any truck place. If you have trouble finding them....let me know and I'll hook you up!

I highly recommend them over any other valve extension.......NO LEAKS!!!

[tn2]

That pressure pro system sounds like a great thing....are they expensive and hard to install. It seems like anything that you would connect up to the tire air stem would have a chance of leaking. With your pressure pro system installed is it harder to add air to tire if needed?

[lewster]

Originally Posted by tn2

That pressure pro system sounds like a great thing....are they expensive and hard to install. It seems like anything that you would connect up to the tire air stem would have a chance of leaking. With your pressure pro system installed is it harder to add air to tire if needed?

Most pressure monitoring systems that attach to the valve stem form the outside are not difficult to install. With the Pressure Pro (PP), you do have to remove the valve stem sensor to add air.

There is a new system that I am currently beta-testing that also atteches to the valve stem, but has a thru-fitting that allows you to add or remove air from your tires without removing the sensor. It also has 3 times the battery life of the PP system and was originally designed for the heavy-duty truck and bus industry. These things are bullet-proof and have a much longer signal range that the PP.

Plus, while the PP system will tell you if you are losing air in your tires, this new system will also give you a high pressure warning, alert you to a leaking tire AND give you a temperature reading as well. So far, the system is working fine.

I'll open a new thread when I am confident of this new TPMS system's durability and reliability......................stay tuned!

[Robfike]

The Pressure Pro system uses a receiver that I have installed next to my left elbow on the drivers side wall. Then there are transmitters that just screw on to the valve stems. They are little black balls about the diameter of a quarter. The receiver shows the RV and toad. When you set up the system, you set each transmitter to a specific position.
I monitor each tire on the motorhome at this time, but before we head to Florida, I will get 4 more transmitters to have on the toad tires.
The receiver is $190, and each transmitter is $50. So to do the motorhome was about $600. Worth every penny.
Rob

[herrgirdner]

Lewster, that tire temp monitor in addition to the pressure sounds like the best thing since sliced bread.
I second the thought. Please keep us up to date about this device. I'll bet it isn't cheep, though.
regards

[lewster]

Originally Posted by herrgirdner

Lewster, that tire temp monitor in addition to the pressure sounds like the best thing since sliced bread.
I second the thought. Please keep us up to date about this device. I'll bet it isn't cheep, though.
regards

Actually, I have been told that the prices will be comperable to the Pressure Pro system. I'll know in a couple of weeks.