Flat Tire

[flbradjr]

While my trailer is sitting in my driveway waiting for my I beam welding appt - the front drivers side tire went flat. Removed it, inflated it - it held air. Then I went to see my tire guys - so the tire could get immersed in water to check for leaks. It was the tire valve.
I've this issue before on my RV tires. Before the tires need replacing I've had to replace some of the tire valves to stop a leak.
Never on my car tires. Valves get replaced when I buy new tires.
RV valves - Anyone else have this type of experience and anyone know why this happens to Rv tires? Thanks
Brad

[henryj]

Do you have a TPMS? Rubber valves do not stand up to the weight of the typical valve cap TPMS. I’ve used metal valves for this reason for years. The ones on the trailer now are 6 years old and on their second set of tires. Unfortunately metal valves can be problematic getting a good seal on a white spoke trailer wheel because they fit right on a curved part of the wheel. I have alloy wheels which have a flat spot for the metal valve—these bolt into the wheel from the inside—and have never leaked. See what your tire shop advises, but if you have TPMS, that’s likely your problem.

[flbradjr]

One other thought. The TPMS are on the trailer for about 2 months of the year and I have the same set on my 2003 Suburban for the other 10 mos. The Suburban tire valves don't leak. I'm wondering if the difference in tire pressure - 36 car vs. 50 on the RV. And maybe additional heat.
I do like the idea of the metal valves and I'm going to check with tire guy.
Brad

[JohnB]

I have the TPM sensors on my truck and camper. My truck is old enough it does not have the built in TPM's. I had metal stems installed on the truck and the camper wheels. My camper is at 80 psi and truck 65psi and 75 psi. I have not found a difference in the TPM sensor leaking more or less due to the pressure. What I have found, when the little seal inside the sensor gets a little ratty, then they might leak.

I have gotten to the point I leave the sensors screwed on all the time. There is less chances of leaking as I'm not messing with the sensor seals disturbing them taking them on and off. Part of this may be brand also, I'm using the Truck Systems TST system. The camper has had new seals and sensors on it for the last 5 years and the battery has not gone bad and no leaks at 80psi. I have to change tires next spring. The truck though I had a tire bead leak and had to keep adding air to that tire, that sensor eventually had a leak due to the sensor seal needing to be changed.

One thing on the battery life, the camper and truck live in a non freezing barn over the winter. That helps on battery life. Not sure I could leave the sensors out in freezing weather can get that kind of life on the batteries.

And I agree with Henry, certain brands of 15" rims for the ST205/75R15 size tires have the wheel made where the bend in the radius of the wheel lands partly into the the tire valve. While snap in stems do work, certain brands of metal stems will not seal on the wheel radius. My new Dexstar wheels on my T1950 with that that size tire are made such that the metal valve stems fits very well. Yet the other brands of wheels Sunline used, just plain would not work. Hoping your tire guy has a metal stem with a forgiving enough valve stem seal to work with your wheels.

John