Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

Metal stems are the only type to use on these tires. Don't put valve extenders on rubber stems either. The stems will crack and fail.

John

Is this just a case of having a tire repair shop replace the valve stem part or does anything else have to be replaced too?

Thanks sooo much!!!

I spoke with Kim at the factory and his input was to install "steel through the rim" valve stems on all 6 tires. The existing Rubber Extensions can then be re-attached and mounted on the new metal valve stems.

Ford provided rubber valve stems up until recently. 2006 and above models should have metal valve stems so those of us with older models might want to think about replacing our valve stems with metal ones.

I had new metal valve stems installed on all 6 tires today by my local tire repair place -- $187 and a 2-3 hour repair buys you both safety and security. Well worth it !!! Thanks to everyone for your help and advice!

I am due for a new set of tires for our BFT 2004. What recomendations have you people got for a source of steel valve stems ?

I'm not sure what sort my tire place used but it's a very low cost part to replace ($16 for 6 !!) so all the cost is in the labour in removing rims etc. Good idea to replace them !!

... My tire place was very familiar with this issue and is always very helpful if you call them !! It was 5 Points Tire in Redwood City, CA -- 1- (650) 365-0280

Make that $36 for 6 steel stems!

I would guess that the $36 for 6 metal valve stems are for short ones that would still require the braided flexible extenders that you currently have for the 4 rear duals. Those flexible extenders are also a potential source of air leaks.

Better to install longer custom bent metal valve stems that reach out thru your Dicor Versa Liner wheel covers. Two online sources for those type metal valve stems that I know about are listed below:

One source is called the Dually Valve from Borg Tire. Their website link is as follows: http://www.borgtiresupply.com
Ford - E450 - 4 1/4" x 2 1/4" Oval (2007 & 2008) - Chrome Stems - P/N DL1FC or
Ford - E350, E450 - 16" - Hand Hole 2" Round - (1992 to 2006) - Chrome Stems - P/N DL1EC
The price is $120.00 + $8.00 s/h.

Another source is from the Tire Man at the following website link:
http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~tire-man/kit2.html. Their Kit #2-6F costs $130.00 + $10.00 s/h.

Please note that these kits include only the 4 custom bent metal valve stems for the rear duals. Lower cost regular short metal valve stems should be used for the front two wheels.

I have now suffered leaks in two of my tires all due to cracking of the existing rubber valve stems. I have purchased a set of the above custom metal valve stems and intend on having them installed when I replace my tires with new this year.

I will point out one disadvantage to using these custom bent metal valve stems. Their use makes it more difficult to rotate tires, especially front to back. Left to right rotation would not be a problem but if you want to rotate front to back, then these valve stems would need to be rotated from rim to rim also. This would require de-pressurizing each of the tires and breaking the bead on the side of the tire near the valve stem

Thanks -- Great information!!

My exact scenario too -- An inner rear tire was flat so it was almost invisible to the eye -- Tire pressure zero and unable to hold any air at all when pumped.

CoachNet sent someone out to do the repair (Thank U CoachNet) but that repair company's take was that it will happen again so to get the metal stems (and now, thanks to Bill, we know we need to get metal extenders too on the 4 rear tires).

Right now, I have the metal stems replaced but still need to add all metal extenders (thanks Bill for the info on that)

Stay safe!
Angela

To those who have installed BORG metal stems: Can Borg supply stems that are as accessible as the ones furnished by Born Free with the flexible extenders ?
My tire man says that any metal stem that will be as accessible as the flex stems would require drilling a hole in the cover.

Bill, the Borg stems are long enough to extend through the hole in the outside rim and they come with a rubber grommet that fits in that hole which stabilizes the new stem. This is the same system found on many of the larger coaches and trucks and makes checking and adding air very easy. No drilling is required.

Bill Crommett,

Here are two photos below of what Mel is talking about concerning the custom metal tire valve stems if you have not yet dug thru the Borg Tire website.

In the second photo, you will notice they also offer a kit with quantity two of the short metal stems for the front wheels.

Thank you both. I will be ordering the kit in the moenung.

Bill

Can anyone tell me how to spell MORNING ?