Once the valve cap extenders are on, no need for your hands to go in there. Air gauge reaches them.

 

Still need to stick your hands in if you are using pressure monitors.
I tried several different angled extenders. What I found is that you have to pick a different orientation. Factory both stems line up.
With an extender you use one of the holes approximately 180 degrees opposite.

I picked up a pair of stainless braided flexible extensions, about 6" long.
Didn't get them on yet though, I will have to remove the wheel to get them on The stem, as the stem is angled a bit much for the not quite flexible enough extension.

 

From the factory the stems on the rears were not 180° (approximately) opposite each other?

 

No. Both valve stems were accessed from the same outer wheel hole.opening.

 

Yea, that would be a issue. When the stems are lined up to be accessed through the same outer hole the inner becomes pretty much impossible to access. I would recommend double checking the installation as the stems should in most cases end up 180° opposite or pretty close to it...

Per Ford...

"It is imperative that the stamped indents (located on the tire bead portion of the wheels) are placed as close as possible to 180° from each other, while still allowing access to the valve stem on the inside wheel. Failure to correctly install the wheel and tire assemblies may result in a vibration condition."

 

Well maybe they are " supposed" to be 180 out, but mine were lined up.
had to deal with it after 3 days old. Truck was delivered with a flat inner tire.

 

My rears are also lined up together from the factory. Also didn't realize the inside wheel is steel and only has 4 access holes, where as the aluminum outside wheel has 5 access holes. Seems odd to do it that way, but then again I seem to think that a lot of the factory way of doing things.

 

Late to this party but having the same issues. My stems are both lined up as well and I have factory installed extenders and cant get a chuck on the inside. I hate not checking the pressure as often as I should but it's next to damn impossible.

If you rotate the stem 180 degrees is that solving the problem?

 

My F450 both stems lined up in same hole from factory.
What I do is park with the valve stems at top dead center.
I lean into the wheel well with a dual foot inflator that has a valve that you can add or subtract air with your thumb.
I can access both stems easily.

 

What makes it easy is that I'm looking down between the 2 wheels, and the angle to get the inflator on the stems from that position is much easier than trying to reach the inside wheel from the outside.

 

Well, this is turning out to be interesting!! My dually chassis cab also has the valve stems lined up in same hole. I've rotated the spare to the ground a couple of times already, have to admit I never even thought of placing the inner and outer valve stems opposite of each other. Does this solve the inner valve stem problem? I also didn't realize the inner was steel until first tire rotation.

 

Jaybread, are you saying that you access the inner from between the wheels going down from the top?

 

I bought a Milton dual-head straight foot to inflate the inners. It didn't work, impossible to get on the stem straight, and if you do succed you can't get it off without losing a lot of air. The same with that type of tire gauge. So far spent for three different inflators, not happy with any.

The Milton standard length dual-head offset works best. They now have an extended version of that chuck. I think that will be my next try.

So has anyone changed the factory setup for the valve stem position???

Jim

 

Yes- I make sure the valve stems (which are pointing at each other) are at top dead center.
Then, I stick my head in the wheel well and look down between the 2 tires.
I use a dual foot chuck that has a gauge built in, it is the easiest method I've tried.

I could never get to the inside tire valve stem from the outside and get the chuck square. I would always let more air out than went in.

My new process works because I can get to and see what I am doing.

 

Thanks... I'll have to give that a try.