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Topic: Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels (Read 7 times) previous topic - next topic
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Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Yahoo Message Number: 2961
Hello Agoin, Bothell & others, Someone mentioned 'smaller valve stem holes' in a recent message on this bulletin board. That rang a few bells (most of them that are left working).

As a result, I've checked with my tire shop manager friend about installing steel valve stems in our new Ford E450 wheels. He said when Ford changed to wheels with the smaller valve stem holes a few years ago, they also changed to 'high pressure' valve stems that have metal tube centers. His opinion is that having the lighter 'non-metal' extensions that run out to brackets on the wheel cover hub should not be a problem for the high pressure valve stems to handle. He noted it is really important to maintain tire pressure at recommended levels and that it is difficult, even for them, to check and set tire pressure on the Ford rear duals when they are on the vehicle.

I

expressed some doubt about using long valve extensions even with high pressure stems that are still a 'pull-in' type of installation in the wheel. The typical metal valve stem is pretty solidly mounted by a nut that compresses a seal on the threaded steel valve stem. A rubber 'pull-through' stem will still flex where it goes through the wheel hole, because the valve extension's weight is forced outward by the wheel rotation. Eventually, it seems to me, that will cause the rubber 'pull through' valve stem mount to fail. Anyhoo, he said to call him back in a week and he'd have more information on what to do. His wheel / valve stem supplier is coming in next week and he will ask the supplier what is available. Like, is there a set of extended valve stems that would do the job by themselves on our Ford rear duals, or a short metal valve stem that will fit our current Ford 16 inch truck wheels and allow the use of extensions with confidence.

I'll follow up with the results on this board within 10 days.

My apologies for engaging mouth before starting brain on message # 2937.

Don McG

PS. Really recommend you look at NTHSA web site and read the many reports of tread separation, cracks and blowouts on Firestone SteelTex LT tires. These tires are currently original equipment on our Ford E450 cutaway cab RV chassis. You may know that last September, the NTHSA started an investigation of the SteelTex tires. On news article implied the investigation was started because of failures on ambulances carrying patients and sure enough, there are some such failure reports in the many pages I copied.
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2965
I sure hope you can find a good answer to the problem of checking and inflating the duals. Both LD & Ford stress the importance of maintianing proper air pressure yet neither has come up with a practical solution. It seems ridiculous to spend about $70K for a new motorhome and the first thing you have to do is find some truck tire place to fix an inherent problem! I'm sure that no one would mind paying a couple of hundred bucks extra to have the thing right in the first place!. jv2001-26.5RB
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2966
I have to agree - this valve stem problem is silly and should be corrected by Ford but until then ... our local truck tire guy tried 2 different stems - 1 worked but is a bit short - no problem since I mounted some type of extender on every wheel - prior to installing Dicor hose extensions, I used the straight plastic or metal extensions available at Walmart or AutoZone then had my truck tire guy order me a long (6-8") straight extension that I could put on the inner dual and check/inflate then remove - very handy - but not as convenient of functioning hose extensions.... the saga continues!
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2969
Johnvan, I hear what you are saying about the duals. I have trouble understanding it. I see delivery vans on the road every day and wonder how they handle what should be a simple problem.

I worked for UPS while going to school around 1977. At that time, the average UPS chassis age was twenty years old (about 1957 chassis to do the math for you.) I was on preload, working the pre-9:00am shift. Sometimes a delivery van wouldn't be there because the rearend or clutch (remember those?) was being replaced. I never heard anyone at that time fussing over the dualee tires or air pressure.

It seems like the chassis industry has taken a step backwards. This shouldn't be that hard.
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2970
I've been reading (and worrying) about this valvestems issue for some months - I guess I have nothing better to do while waiting for LD to build my truck.

But I'm interested in guglielmo2k's thought: "I see delivery vans on the road every day and wonder how they handle what should be a simple problem.
This shouldn't be that hard."

Are we maybe passing an urban legend here? I'm conscious of my van and sedan tires, but all I do is gauge them every month or so - and then I'm comfortable for weeks to come.

Is there really a risk here? or is there only the discomfort of seeing all those top-heavy SUV's that delaminated their intentionally underinflated Firestones?

John
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2971
I suspect the base of the problem is that unlike the UPS vans, we want the stainless steel wheel covers. Note that without the covers, access to the stems and easy pressure checking is the norm. Gus Weber
 
Tire Valve Stems - Ford E 450 Wheels
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2972
A test of our willingness to pay a little extra for tire/wheel integrety: Buy aluminum wheels for your coach.

They will be straighter and stay straighter.

And, you can bolt the valve stem into the wheels.

And you won't need the "wheel simulators."

Figure low $100 per wheel plus mounting and balancing.

I intend to do that at the first tire change on the new coach. The steel wheels on our 86 Chevy were heavily bent (1/8" + run out) at 50,000 miles.

bob phillips