Valve stem extenders for dually TVs

[daveinaz]

I was looking at my duallys and there sure isn't much room between those rims and it's sure a pain to check the pressure what with the valve stem on the outer wheel on the backside and the inner wheel valve stem pointing out between the two of them.

What valve extenders have you guys used to make this an easier job? I'd like to get some extensions where I can have both of them facing the outside of the outer wheel.

On our old motorhome with duals, I found extenders that screwed into an had a mounting brace so it didn't flop around. But then I didn't have TPMS. Looking for recommendations for valve stem extenders that would bring these to the front and which I could place the TMPS caps on.

Thanks.

David

[MarkEHansen]

I feel your pain. I did a lot of looking for a solution to our duallys and access to the valve stems for both adding air and using aftermarket TPMS caps.

As far as checking tire pressure, I purchased something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Slime-2020-Dually-Gauge-10-160/dp/B000BQRG00/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_5171374337?_encoding=UTF8&hvadid=312126147596&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032537&hvnetw=g&hvpone=&hvpos=1o3&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvrand=15042205045863583077&hvtargid=pla-450100812210&ie=UTF8&linkCode=df0&psc=1&tag=hyprod-20

It makes it easy to check pressure regardless of the direction the valve stem is pointing.

As for the TPMS caps - my duallys came with rubber valve stems (reinforced, I'm told, but rubber none the less). I wanted to change them out for metal. I went to my local Les Schwab tire center and told them what I wanted. They installed (I think) an 8" 'bendable' stem in the inner wheels and then a normal metal stem with an extension in the outer wheels.
Then, they offset the outer wheel so both valve stems were not within the same spoke gap on the wheels.

This combination really looks great. After getting that work done, I felt confident to go order the TPMS!

[daveinaz]

I feel your pain. I did a lot of looking for a solution to our duallys and access to the valve stems for both adding air and using aftermarket TPMS caps.

As far as checking tire pressure, I purchased something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Slime-2020-Dually-Gauge-10-160/dp/B000BQRG00/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_5171374337?_encoding=UTF8&hvadid=312126147596&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032537&hvnetw=g&hvpone=&hvpos=1o3&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvrand=15042205045863583077&hvtargid=pla-450100812210&ie=UTF8&linkCode=df0&psc=1&tag=hyprod-20

It makes it easy to check pressure regardless of the direction the valve stem is pointing.

As for the TPMS caps - my duallys came with rubber valve stems (reinforced, I'm told, but rubber none the less). I wanted to change them out for metal. I went to my local Les Schwab tire center and told them what I wanted. They installed (I think) an 8" 'bendable' stem in the inner wheels and then a normal metal stem with an extension in the outer wheels.
Then, they offset the outer wheel so both valve stems were not within the same spoke gap on the wheels.

This combination really looks great. After getting that work done, I felt confident to go order the TPMS!

Yes, I'll have to get metal stems too. With your set-up, do you have to change the stems when you rotate your tires? I was thinking of having the standard straight 1.5" (or whatever length it is) metal stem in all 6 wheels, then finding 4-6" extensions for inner duals, and 135 or 90 degree extensions for the outers. I don't think I'd need a stabilizer for the outer short extension, but likely would for longer inner one. I have seen some rubber stabilizer that the extender goes through and then you secure the rubber stabilizer in the hand hold in the wheel -- but I'm not sure what size to get for that yet.

I saw a kit that permanently mounts steel valve stems into the wheels (straight extension for inner wheel, curved for outer, and straight for front) but if I rotated the tires I'd have to reinstall all the valve stems.

And yes, that pressure tester looks like the answer.

[MarkEHansen]

In our case, the inner wheels are steel while the outer wheels are aluminum. When rotating, we just move the R inner to L inner, and the R outer to the L outer - so the valve stems are the same.

[MidMOTraveler]

Ran dually 1 tons with 9’ service boxes for 25 years .
Trucks scaled around 12k then trailers in tow 80% of the time. Never rotated a set of rear tires only fronts.
Average 75k on rears 35-40k on fronts.
All this was highway miles rarely on gravel.
Just FYI

[MarkEHansen]

I just checked (now that I'm at home) and this is the gauge I purchased:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slime-Dually-Tire-Pressure-Gauge-10-160-PSI-20420/49802198

I've only used it a few times, but it's worked very well. It includes an air release button so you can let air out of an over-inflated tire easily. I'm quite happy with it.

[gearhead]

Short story.....I put Milton 4.125" on the inside wheel. I had no issues with the outside wheel. From Amazon. I tried a 5"? from another manufacturer but it leaked.
But....after I did that I read somewhere about valve stem failures because of oscillation. So I looked at mine and yes the extensions were rubbing against the outer tire valve stem. I took the long extensions off and put the short plastic OEM back on.
When I buy my 1st set of tires I will address the rubber valve stem issue.
***A question...I'm due an oil change pretty soon. I'm thinking about having the dealer rotate the outer wheel 180 degrees so that both valve stems are not in the same hole in the outer wheel. Anyone see an issue with that? Why would RAM deliberately do that? Sure would be easier if both valves were not right against each other.

[MarkEHansen]

This is what I did with my GMC. I was not able to rotate it 180 degrees, as the holes would not line up, but it was somewhere around there. The holes line up and my inner and outer valve stems are in different holes.

I went to Les Schwab and they installed the metal stems in my duallys for around $75 and had it done within about 30 minutes. I'm quite happy with the result.

[daveinaz]

I feel your pain. I did a lot of looking for a solution to our duallys and access to the valve stems for both adding air and using aftermarket TPMS caps.

As for the TPMS caps - my duallys came with rubber valve stems (reinforced, I'm told, but rubber none the less). I wanted to change them out for metal. I went to my local Les Schwab tire center and told them what I wanted. They installed (I think) an 8" 'bendable' stem in the inner wheels and then a normal metal stem with an extension in the outer wheels.
Then, they offset the outer wheel so both valve stems were not within the same spoke gap on the wheels.

This combination really looks great. After getting that work done, I felt confident to go order the TPMS!

Was the 8" bendable extension one of those Air-Flexx ones? And how did they secure it to keep it from flapping around?

Thanks.

[MarkEHansen]

No, it looked like solid brass. The installer bent it to suite the installation.

I thought the 8" would be too long. When I mentioned this to him, he assured me it would come out almost flush with the outer wheel, and that's just what it did. It looks perfect.

I've been looking today for 8" metal valve stems and can't find any. I don't know where the installer got them.

[Jim2366]

I checked the air in the rear tires of the dually tires and it was good. I have not had to add air yet, but I am not sure I would be able to without an extension. I was reading this to try to find an answer on what type to get and where to get it installed.

[bsmith0404]

Good luck, I tried multiple extensions with my dually and never found one i liked. I the end, i found short metal stems worked the best for me because they provided the most room to negotiate air chucks and gauges between the wheels. I also cloaked mine about 180 degrees out. A Duramax dually is a 5 hole wheel so not exactly 180 degrees, but as close as i could get while have the inner stem as close to center of the opening in the outer wheel. Just wish I had smaller hands. I always rotated all 6 tires in a sequence. Front to inner, in we to outer, outer to front. Kept the wear very uniform across all 6

[rhagfo]

Well my 2016 Ram 3500 DRW has TPMS sensors within the wheel, I asked Discount Tire about metal valve stems that would be easier to reach, they didn't have anything in stock that would fit. I would like to get some extensions that would make the process easier.

[MN-Clark]

My 2015 Ram 3500 dually has the Alcoa rims. I tried one brand of extensions from the FLAPS and they just failed after less than a year. Then I found NAPA carries some all metal extensions that uses a rubber insert for the wheel to support the extension. No problems since. Probably have to order them. Check their website.