Valve Stems

[Northwoods]

We had two flats on our '04 3023. Not nice. We were advised to get metal valve stems by our nephew who is a fleet manager for Bob Evans. We did that and also use metal valve stem caps.

Here is a thread (3-13-07) with more information on the subject: "Tire Valve Stem Deterioration":

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...tal+tire+stems

[Leslie & Nick]

Last time I got tires for the TM, I requested they use 'metal valve stems' - AKA 'high pressure valve stems'. The Goodyear dealer I went to apparently didn't have a big calling for these metal stems, as they had to send somebody to buy some from NAPA or another parts store. They would have used rubber stems had I not said anything.

Get the metal valve stems. If you ever decide to use a tire pressure monitor system with valve mounted transmitters you will already have them. ( don't forget to balance the tires again with the transmitters on the stems )

Somewhat related, does anyone have experience using the valve stem cover pressure monitors? Not the fancy ones, just the kind that replace the existing valve stem cover. You can buy them set to monitor a specific tire pressure. Instead of checking with a gauge which I am sure most of us always do before hitting the road you just visually and quickly check the valve stem cover color. Normally if a tire is correctly inflated, it shows a green color; if it goes below that pressure by 4 pounds it show green and yellow, and if under-inflated by eight pounds or more, it shows green, yellow, and red.
They aren't very expensive.
http://www.accupressurecaps.com/s.nl...&category=4113

I have started using these on our family vehicle (Honda Accord) and they are great! I am gone for several days at a time in my job and BW is not the best at checking tire pressures. We have a slow leaker and this thing is the answer. When she was in Wichita last week, my daughter happened to look at the tire (she's the better tire checker), saw the yellow tab, and asked, "Does this mean your tire is low?" It saved us from my wife driving several hundred miles on a low tire (you definitely CANNOT tell a low tire from how it looks without checking) and possibly having a failure.

Since I can't justify Pressure Pro sensors for the TV--at 50 bucks apiece and their batteries last just two-three years--I am putting the less expensive valve stem monitors on at first opportunity. Just remember that you don't get an in-use warning like on the Pressure Pro. You have to look at every stop.

Jellis,

On Amazon I've seen a couple of complaints that the Accu Pressure Safety Caps can leak at the seal between the cap and the valve stem. Have you run into this problem, or can you solve that just by making sure you screw it on tight? I'm pondering a tiny amount of pipe dope but I don't want to goo up the valve stem assembly.

On JCWhitney there are only 2 reviews and they are both positive FWIW. They have 60 psi and 44 psi caps, so I guess that will have to do for the TM and the TV. I've dropped accupressurecaps an email asking if they have 65 psi caps in the works; we'll see if they respond. On their on-line website I can't find anything higher than 45 psi anyway, but maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place.

Mark

I have the 50 psi versions I purchased from NAPA. That is one of my concerns having the valve stem depressed all of the time to get a contant reading. But I guess any tire pressure monitoring system has to have it that way.

[wbmiller3]

You're right, the Doran sensors are holding the full tire pressure so if they aren't screwed on tight, you get a leak. But at least you'd know

[Bill]

Mark and Anne -

On the Accupressure web site, click High Pressure Caps. They go all the way up to 130 psi.

Bill