Valve stem extender issue on Freightliner/Accuride wheels, again!

[Richpatty]

Gaffney has a new design, they put them on mine last year and they work great. I had a problem with them coming out. I think they extended the rubber support to go down the stem further. Give FCCC parts a call.

Hi all,

Digging this old thread up as when I went to Gafney in early December, they removed my existing dually extenders and said they could not replace them and we’re not aware of any approved extensions. So that sure is different info then what you got.

So I purchased some pass through TST sensors so I could put air in the inner tires if they needed it (I didn’t have pass through sensors before). But I cannot get my hands in there to remove the old sensor and put on the new one. Somehow, the Gafney tech was able to get his hands in there to put it on…. So for now, if my inner tire needs air or if the TPMS needs a battery, I am out of luck.

I guess I will have to look for valve extenders but I really don’t know how I will get them installed.

Thoughts?
Thanks
Rich

 

[Neal]

I went to Gafney in early December, they removed my existing dually extenders and said they could not replace them and we’re not aware of any approved extensions. So that sure is different info then what you got.

Please elaborate...are they not putting extensions on inner tires now? I would imagine if you could source them any truck shop love's etc. could do it.

 

[Richpatty]

Please elaborate...are they not putting extensions on inner tires now? I would imagine if you could source them any truck shop love's etc. could do it.

That’s what they told me….the old ones were a liability and they didn’t have anything to replace them with. I am not sure I feel comfortable driving the rig with no ability to put air in the tires….and we are heading to Florida soon…

 

[Neal]

That's crazy! I'd ask them for the extensions or get them from parts and the grommets and get someone else to install them.

 

[Neal]

I wish I could find @TJ&LadyDi's post and what he sent me that he never used, and I haven't used which had the metal extenders and grommets. If I can find the post I'll let you know.

 

[Rich W.]

The old extenders weren’t a liability, it was the rubber isolators in the wheel that were the issue because they wouldn’t stay in position to protect the extender. So as long as you can get the rubber to stay in place, and you inspect them frequently for wear or being out of position, standard straight extensions are fine. Mine are 6”.

I bought new rubbers from FL on my last visit, but Im still using the old ones. One came out of the wheel slot allowing the valve stem extender to rub and wear through on the edge of the wheel slot, so I replaced the extender and secured the rubber to the wheel with VHB tape. That was several thousand miles ago and they are still firmly in place doing their job so no reason for any changes right now.

I like having a pair of spare rubbers in stock, as well as a spare extender, and I inspect the rubbers and extenders every time I stop, but thats a lot easier than trying to air up an inner without the extenders.

 

[Joe Hogan]

On the Canyon Star we had issues with the valve dually extensions. When I had the tires rotated we had the long metal valve stems installed and bent them to allow easy access. Added a rubber grommet to keep it away from the shiny wheel. Worked well.

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[Scotttkd2]

+1 for duallyvalve. I ordered them and went to a truck tire shop who charged me a reasonable amount to install them. Solid one piece steel inner valve that extends all the way out through the outer wheel and has a donut to stabilize it. Frankly I am not surprised at all at FL forcing removal, as they are in a total meltdown on valve extensions, 5 years of recalls now spanning all of their RV chassis models. I fought them for months with physical evidence in hand of the one valve stem extension that I still have that was worn through and ready to fail like its twin did with less than 5000 miles on the chassis. Even though they had tens of thousands of chassis VINs in their recall database, they would not include mine in the recall and accused me of removing their safety equipment from my RV. I have bought my one and only FL product given how they chose to handle my situation.

 

[Richpatty]

Thanks. I can try and call them to see what they recommend. I feel I need something as my hands don't fit in there to take the TPMS caps off....

 

[osuallen]

Hi all,

Digging this old thread up as when I went to Gafney in early December, they removed my existing dually extenders and said they could not replace them and we’re not aware of any approved extensions. So that sure is different info then what you got.

So I purchased some pass through TST sensors so I could put air in the inner tires if they needed it (I didn’t have pass through sensors before). But I cannot get my hands in there to remove the old sensor and put on the new one. Somehow, the Gafney tech was able to get his hands in there to put it on…. So for now, if my inner tire needs air or if the TPMS needs a battery, I am out of luck.

I guess I will have to look for valve extenders but I really don’t know how I will get them installed.

Thoughts?
Thanks
Rich

Good to know. I will be at Gaffney next month. Mine work fine, so I will take them all off and store them before I check in.