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

[Richpatty]

Yes internal sensors, require a special tool to remove valve caps and a long, straight inflator

Thanks Stuart. What kind of tool? I have been thinking of developing some type of tool that could be used to attach to the TPMS cap and be able to unscrew it…

 

[Stuart W]

Thanks Stuart. What kind of tool? I have been thinking of developing some type of tool that could be used to attach to the TPMS cap and be able to unscrew it…

 

[Rich W.]

Alcoa makes nice grommets for aluminum wheels to stabilize rear inside wheel valve stem https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZX9S1C5/?tag=rvf01-20

I don’t know what FL is using now, but for a long time they used Accuride Accu-shield wheels with sort of “D” shaped slots and they use these rubber isolators:

This is what happens to the valve stem extenders when the rubber isolators work loose from their position in the wheel slot:


The first two pics are a valve stem extender I cleaned up for photos - you can see in the second pic that this stem was very close to failure. I watch them much more closely now.

 

[Richpatty]

Thanks Stuart. I need to figure out how to modify that tool to hold the sensors…. But I am thinking it will be tight in there to maneuver…

 

[Rich W.]

I’ll keep using the extenders and rubber isolators and I carry a couple spares of each, but as mentioned earlier, I installed the isolators with VHB tape and they haven’t moved since. This is far preferable to dealing with a short valve stem on inner wheel.

 

[osuallen]

Good thought…. But I bet you would need to take the tire off to remove the extensions… no?

I have not tried in my DS, but I could on my Canyon Star. Wasn't very easy, but I was able to do it.