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Topic: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable) (Read 1225 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #25 –
Quote from: WhiteElk  - 
The vibration was only slightly reduced when I removed the grommets (they are back in now to protect the stems).    I wonder if It may have been simply a poor balancing job....

If the vibrations were not completely removed, I suspect it was a poor balancing job that the grommet may have exaggerated.
Running with and without the TPMS sensors make no noticeable difference in our LD.
A half once may make a different in a small, lightweight passenger tire but there is nothing lightweight about a LD wheel assembly.
A set of duals weights over 150-lbs, I don't know how much a difference an ounce would make, the grommet being so close to the center of the wheel.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #26 –
This topic reads as if almost everybody who has or gets a Borg kit (which I have installed on my Lazy Daze) runs into trouble when buying new tires or having them rotated. Is this really the case?

Are these valve kits in general rather rare and therefore most tire shops have no experience with them?
2001 26.5 Mid-Bath
Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #27 –
"Are these valve kits in general rather rare and therefore most tire shops have no experience with them?"
----
From what I've read and observed, I don't think that the long and U-shaped valves are particularly rare on dual-wheeled class C RVs; OEM valves and valve extenders are still more common, but I don't know of anyone who is aware of the existence of these valves and has had them installed (properly!) on their dual-wheeled rig who would go back to using extenders or nothing.

I do think that many tire shops have little or no experience with the valves, particularly if their business almost exclusively involves passenger cars, pickups, and/or any vehicle with single rear wheels. But, in my experience, the first problem is to find a tire shop with customer-service oriented management and a trained, skilled, experienced, and stable workforce. There is often a lot of frog-kissing necessary to accomplish this!

Again, in my experience, high rates of employee turnover are common in many tire shops, and the people who are working on your tires may have very little training, few skills, and very little oversight from a shop supervisor and/or management. Additionally, if the tire shop has little or no experience dealing with the tire and wheel demands of large or dual-wheeled vehicles, just handing off the valve kit to some guy in the shop and expecting the installation to be done correctly is likely to result in a big lash up.

Some installers (and mechanics and a lot of other "techs") don't (or can't) read instructions; some apparently dismiss the value of reading the directions and figure that they know how to do the job without any "help". They are mistaken. Installing the long and U-shaped valves is not difficult, but it does take time, care, and a grasp of the steps and processes to be done in sequence. If the installer doesn't read the instructions and familiarize him/herself with the process before starting the job, the potential of having a lot of "What is this?" parts pitched into the bin, usually accompanied by the sheet of unread instructions, and a crap job done is almost a certainty.

A rig owner has to vet the quality of work done at any shop s/he relies on to work on his/her rig, and does need (IMO) to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the job(s) to be done; one can't just assume that a job will be be done correctly at any shop and drop off the rig and hope for a good outcome. It can definitely be tough to find consistently high-quality, reliable, and knowledgeable service, but once a shop offering competent, skilled service is found (the frog-kissing part), establishing a positive relationship with the service manager and the techs who are going to be working on your rig is a good plan.  ;)

As always, YMMV.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #28 –
Regardless of balancing issues, I am SO glad to have Duallyvalves installed now! After years of topping off tires due to slow leaking valve extenders, we haven't lost ANY pressure in 6k of traveling this year. Worth any balancing issues, since you can address that in advance.

It's nice not to worry about air pressure when you are boondocked 20 miles down a dirt washboard road (AKA Paradise) with no cell service or people around!

Pete
Pete
1994 RB
Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #29 –
"... we haven't lost ANY pressure in 6k of traveling this year..."

 :o  Just a little nit-picken fun here...

Was that 6 kilometers or 6 thousand miles? Curious folks would like to know!   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
 
Re: Tire valve extensions (was Unbelievable)
Reply #30 –
6 thousand miles...
Pete
1994 RB