P

prkaye

Well Known Member
Is it common for new RV tires to not hold pressure (maybe the rubber is still stretchy)?
Mine never went flat, even sitting for a year never being toppped up. But the last few weeks, I would top them up (40psi mains, 35psi nose) and they would lose 5-10psi over the course of a couple of weeks. I've had to top up the tire pressure before my first and second flights (less than 2 weeks apart).
Normal?
 
It's tolerated

I lose about 3-5 psi per week from my 9A mains and about 5 psi per month from the nose tube. Vans stock tubes all around. Yes, the Schraders are tight and I have the good caps with the o-ring inside.
Perhaps I'll get the high dollar Michelin tubes next tire change.
 
Down the Road, You Might Look Into New Tubes

Phil:
Approaching nearly 600 hours, and I've had very few issues with my RV. That said, I'm just on my third alternator and the original Vans tubes were problematic as well. Pressure issues and then flats all around, and coming at the seams - so it was not an issue with pinching or improper installation. Mains are now Michelin AirStops. So far, so good.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP
 
I started with Van's standard issue tubes (back in early 2000's) when I was building and they were constantly losing air even sitting in the shop. I'd add air almost every week. Before I flew the first flight, I switched to Michelin Air Stops (50 psi). I now add air about every three months. In my opinion, they're worth the extra cost.

Chris
 
Guess I got lucky. I put in the original Vans-supplied tubes (after pinching a hole in the first nose tube) and they have never required additional air. I changed the tires (mains) before leaving for a recent trip, reinstalled the tubes, and they have held up fine for the past month.

Given the diversity of things that are reported here, it seems that some are leakers to various degrees and some are not.

greg
 
chrispratt said:
I started with Van's standard issue tubes (back in early 2000's) when I was building and they were constantly losing air even sitting in the shop. I'd add air almost every week. Before I flew the first flight, I switched to Michelin Air Stops (50 psi). I now add air about every three months. In my opinion, they're worth the extra cost.

Chris
Click to expand...

Same here. The Michelin Air Stops are the cat's meow, especially for an old geezer getting tired of crawling around the floor pumping up tires. I service mine front and rear to 45 psi no more than twice a year.
 
The caps keep dirt off the schroeder valve. Dirt from the outer part of the stem and valve can lodge on the valve parts during inflation and may cause airleaks. So, yes, replace that cap. Get the metal ones with the o-ring seal in them to further reduce the potential for leakage.

Roberta
 
Steve said:
I lose about 3-5 psi per week from my 9A mains and about 5 psi per month from the nose tube. Vans stock tubes all around.
Click to expand...

chrispratt said:
I started with Van's standard issue tubes (back in early 2000's) when I was building and they were constantly losing air even sitting in the shop.
Chris
Click to expand...

Greg Arehart said:
Guess I got lucky. I put in the original Vans-supplied tubes (after pinching a hole in the first nose tube) and they have never required additional air. I changed the tires (mains) before leaving for a recent trip, reinstalled the tubes, and they have held up fine for the past month.

Given the diversity of things that are reported here, it seems that some are leakers to various degrees and some are not.

greg
Click to expand...

As is the case with most things RV related, generalized info is not always useful.
The tubes supplied in the finish kits have not been the same for all of RV kit history.
In fact, I am pretty sure that the ones supplied in the kits now (and that have been supplied for at least the past couple years) are a generic version of the very expensive (as in costs more than the tire) airstop tubes.

Check - Here
http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/catalog.cgi?ident=1281197963-484-267&browse=am&product=tire-tube

for a description of the tube.

It says "Tubes are synthetic rubber, less porous than the older natural rubber type."

They cost about $20 less than the "Name Brand" synthetic tubes, but in my experience perform the same.
 
Get the metal ones with the o-ring seal in them to further reduce the potential for leakage.
Click to expand...

These ones?
ACS 2525 VALVE CAP MS20813-1B
http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog...s/valvecap.php

Many people keep mentioning these "metal caps with o-rings" on various threads, but nobody has posted a product link. That's why I've been asking (third time on this thread) whether the above is what people are referring to, or is there an even bettery type of cap?
 
prkaye said:
These ones?
ACS 2525 VALVE CAP MS20813-1B
http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog...s/valvecap.php

Many people keep mentioning these "metal caps with o-rings" on various threads, but nobody has posted a product link. That's why I've been asking (third time on this thread) whether the above is what people are referring to, or is there an even bettery type of cap?
Click to expand...

Paul your link doesn't work. (at least on my computer) maybe this one is what you want? http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/valvecap.php
 
Last edited:
prkaye said:
about those caps, do they actually do anything other than protect the tip of the valve? I actually lost one of my plastic caps and haven't bothered replacing it...

Are these the good metal caps a few have mentioned in other threads?
ACS 2525 VALVE CAP MS20813-1B
http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog...s/valvecap.php
Click to expand...

Metal valve caps with a seal inside are required equipment for motorcycle roadracing and perhaps other racing. A cap is essential for keeping out crud which can cause the valve to leak, and the metal ones with a seal will also hold the air in if the valve does leak. ACS has them, like the link you show, or probably a local auto supply will have them, too.
 
tire & tube sizes

The Airstops sound like a good thing, although a lot more expensive. Can someone tell me what the main & nose tire & tube sizes should be for a -6A? The ACS "find size by make & model" doesn't list anything for Van's, and Van's catalog doesn't say what the size is.
 
Copied from my -6A finish kit inventory sheets

1.00 U LAMB TIRE NOSE WHEEL 11X4.00-5
2.00 U LAMB TUBE NOSE WHEEL TUBE
2.00 U 5:00X5-6 6 PLY TIRE MAIN GEAR
2 .00 U 5:00X5-6IT TUBE FOR 5:005-6

the stuff is buried deep, so I can't look at it right now...
 
FWIW, I put Aero Classic "LeakGuard" inner tubes (synthetic rubber similar to Michelin "AirStops") on my Cherokee mains when I changed the tires in July 2008. I have not had to add any air to them since. That's more than two years without leaking, and yes I have checked the pressure in them since.

I'm completely convinced that these synthetic rubber tubes are the only way to go, and well worth the extra cost.
 
David-aviator said:
Same here. The Michelin Air Stops are the cat's meow, especially for an old geezer getting tired of crawling around the floor pumping up tires. I service mine front and rear to 45 psi no more than twice a year.
Click to expand...

It seems I saw that Van's says to leave the pressure a bit lower to help dampen shimmy. Have any of you seen more of a tendency to shimmy at higher pressures?
 
NDrv8r said:
It seems I saw that Van's says to leave the pressure a bit lower to help dampen shimmy. Have any of you seen more of a tendency to shimmy at higher pressures?
Click to expand...
If choosing between shimmy or nose over, I will choose shimmy every time.
 
Phil, did you replace the tire valve (schreader valve???). A bit of saliva over the end of the inflation tube "may" reveal a leak from that valve. I carry spares and the tool to replace them.
 
prkaye said:
the metal caps with the rubber gaskets have stopped my leaks. It was obviously leaky valves.
Click to expand...

If you haven't already done so, you might want to remove the valves (they just unscrew from the stem with a little tool or the right kind of valve cap with the tool built into the end). You can either clean the o-ring and seat or replace it with a new one. Tire stores should have plenty of them. It might even just be loose. While the metal valve caps are great and do what they're supposed to, I'd also fix the underlying problem of the valve leak.
 
Yes

NDrv8r said:
It seems I saw that Van's says to leave the pressure a bit lower to help dampen shimmy. Have any of you seen more of a tendency to shimmy at higher pressures?
Click to expand...

If I go over 38 psi I have a lot of shake. I have balanced the tires and have the leg dampeners on, but it still shakes at higher pressures. If I lower the pressure, no shake..

Mark
 
prkaye said:
Is it common for new RV tires to not hold pressure (maybe the rubber is still stretchy)?
Mine never went flat, even sitting for a year never being toppped up. But the last few weeks, I would top them up (40psi mains, 35psi nose) and they would lose 5-10psi over the course of a couple of weeks. I've had to top up the tire pressure before my first and second flights (less than 2 weeks apart).
Normal?
Click to expand...

If you are starting to lose air, I would recommend getting a leak guard tube such as our AC Leakguard tube. This will decrease the amount of air you lose in your tires. You can see a thread about our tubes here. I hope that helps!
 
Grove nose wheel

dessertire said:
If you are starting to lose air, I would recommend getting a leak guard tube such as our AC Leakguard tube. This will decrease the amount of air you lose in your tires. You can see a thread about our tubes here. I hope that helps!
Click to expand...

I noticed the Desser Tire logo on the above post. I have the grove nose wheel and the tube I bought from there is like the Van's lamb tube and does not have the valve stem centered. Have you been able to source the tube with the valve stem centered. It seems that Grove recommends cutting the existing hole in the wheel to make the offset tube work. I can figure out what everyone up to this point has done to make the tube tire work. Thanks for any information. It does no seem like getting a tube with the valve stem centered should be so difficult.

Cheers
 
Valve Caps

The caps help prevent debris from collecting in the stem and being blown into the valve when you add air.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.