Getting Tire Air Pressure

[Dave Siegel]

For those that have seen our coach you know that we have stainless steel wheel covers on all four wheels. The other day I wanted to check the air pressure in the tires and I crawled and crawled but I could not find a valve stem. Apparently the wheel covers not only cover the wheels but they cover the valve stems as well.
So here's my question:
Do I have to remove the wheel covers to check the air?
Is there something that I can add that if I do have the covers taken off (I do not the equipment to remove the lugs myself) I will be able to easily check the air pressure in the future?

Go ahead and laugh, I know this is a stupid question but I want to try and resolve this issue for now and the future.

Dave Siegel

[Dreamscape]

Dave, Do you have any pics? I have SS on the drive axle and the two slots are lined up so I can get to either inner or outer. Aluminum on the rest. Maybe the covers are covering up the stems.

Paul

[philiptompkjns]

speaking of which, I have a mci 102a3 and cannot see the valve stem for one of the inner drives, Its like its  lined up wrong :-(

[Chopper Scott]

The simulators do make it hard to see the inner stems and make it harder to check and add air to the inside tires but I can still see the stems. The rule is to offset the stems from each other but I put the outers and inners on the same hole. Get a flashlight and look harder.

[Dave Siegel]

I will admit that the wheel covers are covering the stems, but I can't even see the stem on the front tires and there doesn't appear to be a slot for that stem to protrude through. The rears the same way. and I have tried to find the stems with a flashlight to no avail.

I think I have seen a valve stem extender kit and unifier at Camping World, would something like that possibly be the answer?

I will take some photos and maybe that will explain better.

Dave

[JackConrad]

The outer wheel has to be indexed properly for the inside wheel valve stem to line up with an opening in the outerwheel. This is even more important when the outside wheel only has 2 openings. I have seen several where the installer was not paying attention when re-installing the wheel and made accessing the inner valve stem impossible.  Jack

[bevans6]

The S&S MH guys tell all sorts of stories about how their valve stem  extenders fail and cause blowouts.  What I don't understand from this discussion is how you are doing your pre trip air pressure checks if you can't get at your valve stems?  On the duals, the inner valve stem points outward towards one of the ovals in the outer wheel, while the outer valve stem points inwards towards the middle of the bus.  You use one of the dual foot pressure gauges to get at them.  I always worry about dropping one of the valve caps down between the duals.

Brian

[PP]

I always worry about dropping one of the valve caps down between the duals.
Brian

Brian, I have a 12" lenght of 1" round dowel with a hole drilled in the end that securely holds the valve stem cap. I use it to remove and replace the cap and have never dropped one between the duallys. Works for me, Will

[Chopper Scott]

I think someone put your simulators on without paying attention to the valve stems. You may have to remove them and turn them.

[bryanhes]

How about installing a Pressure Pro system or something similar. I know it does not "fix" the problem if you need to add air but it sure is great to be able to check tire pressure on each tire while running down the highway.

I installed mine last week before a trip of about 900 miles and it sure is peace of mind. Jim Sheppard can help you out with a system.

HTH,
Bryan

[philiptompkjns]

The outer wheel has to be indexed properly for the inside wheel valve stem to line up with an opening in the outerwheel. This is even more important when the outside wheel only has 2 openings. I have seen several where the installer was not paying attention when re-installing the wheel and made accessing the inner valve stem impossible.  Jack

this seems to be my case, yay.