Check your metal valve stems!

**Nogrey** · 09-11-2021, 03:27 PM

Check your valve stems! Let me explain. I had pulled out of a campsite and moved my GD 351M to another site about a mile away. Got out of the truck and heard air escaping from a tire on the trailer. I thought I had a puncture and watched as the tire quickly deflated. I removed the tire and inspected it and could find no puncture. I began re-inflating it and pouring water over it to find the hole. I found the leak at the valve stem. The nut had come loose. I tightened the nut and re-inflated the tire and it was fine. 2019 Grand Design 351M, Westlake ST 235/80R16 G rated tires (which have performed flawlessly over the thousands of miles I've put on them). TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors designed for metal valve stems (which I hadn't turned on because I was moving such a short distance IDIOT!). Argggh. Those shortcuts will cost you! Anyway, thanks if you've read this far and please check those valve stems. I suppose the sensors could have contributed to the issue. 3 out of the 4 tires had loose valve stem nuts. I place the blame solely on myself. I never thought to check them. I always check lug torque, tire pressure and tire condition before each trip and during travel. Just never thought about the valve stems.

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**DECelt** · 09-12-2021, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by Nogrey

Check your valve stems! Let me explain. I had pulled out of a campsite and moved my GD 351M to another site about a mile away. Got out of the truck and heard air escaping from a tire on the trailer. I thought I had a puncture and watched as the tire quickly deflated. I removed the tire and inspected it and could find no puncture. I began re-inflating it and pouring water over it to find the hole. I found the leak at the valve stem. The nut had come loose. I tightened the nut and re-inflated the tire and it was fine. 2019 Grand Design 351M, Westlake ST 235/80R16 G rated tires (which have performed flawlessly over the thousands of miles I've put on them). TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors designed for metal valve stems (which I hadn't turned on because I was moving such a short distance IDIOT!). Argggh. Those shortcuts will cost you! Anyway, thanks if you've read this far and please check those valve stems. I suppose the sensors could have contributed to the issue. 3 out of the 4 tires had loose valve stem nuts. I place the blame solely on myself. I never thought to check them. I always check lug torque, tire pressure and tire condition before each trip and during travel. Just never thought about the valve stems.

Somewhere a long time ago I actually saw a torque spec for these...but you are right, they loosen and leak. A good solution is to add a second nut as a lock nut. I've always suspected this as a cause for many tire failures.

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**Calbar** · 09-12-2021, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Nogrey

Check your valve stems! Let me explain. I had pulled out of a campsite and moved my GD 351M to another site about a mile away. Got out of the truck and heard air escaping from a tire on the trailer. I thought I had a puncture and watched as the tire quickly deflated. I removed the tire and inspected it and could find no puncture. I began re-inflating it and pouring water over it to find the hole. I found the leak at the valve stem. The nut had come loose. I tightened the nut and re-inflated the tire and it was fine. 2019 Grand Design 351M, Westlake ST 235/80R16 G rated tires (which have performed flawlessly over the thousands of miles I've put on them). TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors designed for metal valve stems (which I hadn't turned on because I was moving such a short distance IDIOT!). Argggh. Those shortcuts will cost you! Anyway, thanks if you've read this far and please check those valve stems. I suppose the sensors could have contributed to the issue. 3 out of the 4 tires had loose valve stem nuts. I place the blame solely on myself. I never thought to check them. I always check lug torque, tire pressure and tire condition before each trip and during travel. Just never thought about the valve stems.

Thanks for the heads up. I just had metal stems put on when I bought new tires. One more thing to add to the list of things to check each trip or several times during the trip.

Anyone know what the torque spec is or the thread size so I can get 4 nuts and lock them?

Rob

**KY Gentleman Farmer** · 09-12-2021, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Nogrey

Check your valve stems! Let me explain. I had pulled out of a campsite and moved my GD 351M to another site about a mile away. Got out of the truck and heard air escaping from a tire on the trailer. I thought I had a puncture and watched as the tire quickly deflated. I removed the tire and inspected it and could find no puncture. I began re-inflating it and pouring water over it to find the hole. I found the leak at the valve stem. The nut had come loose. I tightened the nut and re-inflated the tire and it was fine. 2019 Grand Design 351M, Westlake ST 235/80R16 G rated tires (which have performed flawlessly over the thousands of miles I've put on them). TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors designed for metal valve stems (which I hadn't turned on because I was moving such a short distance IDIOT!). Argggh. Those shortcuts will cost you! Anyway, thanks if you've read this far and please check those valve stems. I suppose the sensors could have contributed to the issue. 3 out of the 4 tires had loose valve stem nuts. I place the blame solely on myself. I never thought to check them. I always check lug torque, tire pressure and tire condition before each trip and during travel. Just never thought about the valve stems.

Good info NoGrey; thanks for the heads up. Had an issue myself with loose lug nuts recently and getting pretty anal about tires and wheels!

**Nogrey** · 09-12-2021, 04:43 PM

I am as well. Lug nuts, tire pressure, tpms alarms, now valve stems, along with a myriad of other things an old fart like me needs to remember!

**Nogrey** · 09-12-2021, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by KY Gentleman Farmer

Good info NoGrey; thanks for the heads up. Had an issue myself with loose lug nuts recently and getting pretty anal about tires and wheels!

As am I! Just hoping to help.

**Nogrey** · 09-12-2021, 04:47 PM

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So, it turns out that I have the wrong size (from the manufacturer). I'm going to change them out asap.

**Hoopy Frood** · 09-12-2021, 05:35 PM

How did you determine they were the wrong size?

**Nogrey** · 09-12-2021, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood

How did you determine they were the wrong size?

I have posted this on many different forums as I don't want my fellow RV'ers to have a bad experience. One of the folks I talked to had experienced this exact same issue right after delivery of their unit and called for warranty work. A tech came out and checked things out and discovered, as well as disclosed, that the original wheel manufacturer had installed the incorrect size valve stems. They will work, but not nearly as well as the ones the wheels were designed for (as shown in the photo). That's how I found out.

**DECelt** · 09-13-2021, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Nogrey

I have posted this on many different forums as I don't want my fellow RV'ers to have a bad experience. One of the folks I talked to had experienced this exact same issue right after delivery of their unit and called for warranty work. A tech came out and checked things out and discovered, as well as disclosed, that the original wheel manufacturer had installed the incorrect size valve stems. They will work, but not nearly as well as the ones the wheels were designed for (as shown in the photo). That's how I found out.

I have had a couple of good experiences with Lions head tire and wheel, and I have had about zero good experiences with RV techs. Just saying.

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