Flopping loose tire valve extension.

Has anyone else discovered this?

I was checking the air on the tires in prep for a trip this week and discovered that one of the mounts holding the tire valve extension on an inner dualy had come un-riveted from the wheel cover hub.  I about had a heart attack.  How many miles has it been like this, flopping around back there, working up to a blowout?  I don't check my tire pressure every time I stop.  It could have been like that for 900 miles, for all I know.  Wow, scary stuff!

The stupid thing is just pop-riveted on.  I never realized it wasn't welded.  Hard to believe it's legal to sell crap like that.  My car has government-mandated airbags from every direction and computers to tell me to stay in my lane.  Meanwhile, my Ford Econoline 350 is practically designed for a tire blowout, without so much as a TPMS system.  Or are those cheesy tin chrome wheel covers just an RV thing?

I didn't know what else to do but pop rivet it back on.  Anybody have a better solution?  I was tempted to get some big 4" pipe clamps, but I'm not sure they wouldn't make it worse.   I'm thinking about pulling both wheel covers and re-riveting all the valve stem mounts with solid rivets.  But they really ought to be welded.

I have had 1 a long time ago come loose.  I do not like them.  I have yet to have all 4 of the rear hold air all the time.  At least 1 leaks.   You can get long and 180 metal extensions, which I did on my class A.  That solved the problem. This time I am going to order long stems that will replace the regular valve stem.  I'm like you.  Junk!

Has anyone else discovered this?

I was checking the air on the tires in prep for a trip this week and discovered that one of the mounts holding the tire valve extension on an inner dualy had come un-riveted from the wheel cover hub.  I about had a heart attack.  How many miles has it been like this, flopping around back there, working up to a blowout?  I don't check my tire pressure every time I stop.  It could have been like that for 900 miles, for all I know.  Wow, scary stuff!

Yeah, it is scary thinking there are fellow RV-ers not even LOOKING at their tires for about 1000 miles.       

The stupid thing is just pop-riveted on.  I never realized it wasn't welded.  Hard to believe it's legal to sell crap like that.
If you NEED things to be welded, do NOT look at the wing on your next airplane ride. A pop rivet is MUCH better than a weld in this vibrating application on a wheel!   

 My car has government-mandated airbags from every direction and computers to tell me to stay in my lane.  Meanwhile, my Ford Econoline 350 is practically designed for a tire blowout, without so much as a TPMS system.

Your passenger car and  your aftermarket converted, incomplete truck are designed under different rules/laws. They (lawmakers) assume truck drivers would be more aware operators.  Ever hear all the arguments about how RV drivers should have to get the same licensing as commercial truck drivers? This is one reason why. But for many, the skills needed to drive their Hyundai are sufficient to also drive a house on wheels.
 
 Or are those cheesy tin chrome wheel covers just an RV thing?

They are probably  polished 304 stainless steel, FYI. I have a 2006, we probably have the same covers.  Mine are great quality bolt on, Wheelmaster. ~$450 a set, and come with the rivets still.  Want cheeze?    I hear the new ones clip in and rotate to stress the valve stems.
JUST an RV thing?  Hardly. EVERY rollback I drove had them, start looking at other trucks. If it not aluminum alloy, and is shiny, its likely a wheel cover. I wont say there are NOT any, but I have NEVER seen a chromed steel wheel on dually truck applications. 
 

I didn't know what else to do but pop rivet it back on.   Anybody have a better solution?

This one is MUCH safer.   Little more money, but doing it 'right' always is.     https://buytruckwheels.com/products/ford-e350-e450-16-alcoa-wheel-package?_pos=1&_sid=7f8a7e706&_ss=r     And with 12-14 years on the road, with the same care I have given my wheel covers, they will look like ....well... not so new. 


I was tempted to get some big 4" pipe clamps, but I'm not sure they wouldn't make it worse.   I'm thinking about pulling both wheel covers and re-riveting all the valve stem mounts with solid rivets.  But they really ought to be welded.

Used the bigger green letters to reply and be easy to find, please dont take it as 'Shouting' LIKE USING ALL CAPS.    All good?

Of course, after shooting my mouth off, I went to double check mine. YEP!  All riveted, couple wobbly. They were riveted with aluminum rivets, to stop rust drools. But they are NOT forever items, they need to be maintained, and after 14 years outside with 'no'  care**...... yeah, they might need to be replaced before the aluminum corrodes away. Next wheel rotation.  I would think that stainless rivets MIGHT be better... but I dont know. Maybe they are more brittle.     I will be using aluminum/aluminum pop rivets again.   

I do not have a solid rivet tool set, if you have one that will work in those confines go for it!   My guess would be to use 304 rivets (aka 18-8)

Here is what the Ford Factory sells as a certified safe package for 2021.  Note the wheels... looks kind of 'industrial' for a pleasure vehicle? Many RV buyers wont like that. So the wheel covers are VERY popular. 






** We Do have a 'sample RV' of this era that has had near museum quality storage.  Ron D.. how are your wheel cover rivets? 

Volkemon and BlueBlaze,

I had one come loose.  Originals are aluminum pop rivets.  I replaced them with stainless steel pop rivets. My memory is 1/8th " x 1/4" long and that I had to redrill the holes on the bracket and hub.  Since the wheel cover is stainless, you have to use either a hardened bit or a diamond bit drill.  Probably 4 years ago, still solid although about a year ago I removed the extenders.  The extenders just aren't that reliable.

Don

Thanks for the heads-up. I had not thought that these could come lose. I went to look at mine, and they are rock solid. They also have two rivets in each bracket as pictured below...is that not normal? I would think that only one rivet there would be a certain future failure.

No, mine had two rivets also but the rivets were aluminum, they probably built them better in 2010.   Can't tell by looking, but my guess is on yours, those are stainless steel rivets.

After thinking about it, I wonder if the weight of the TPMS sensors contributed to the failure.  Since I was down to 4 working TPMS sensors, anyway, I removed them all from the PC for the last trip.

By the way, I can't agree with the statement about rivets being superior to welds, just because it's common practice on planes.  I'm an amateur plane builder, so it's a subject I happen to be up on.  Airplanes are riveted because they're built out of aluminum, which is difficult to weld.  That's the only reason.  The last thing you want on an airplane is moving parts -- it leads to metal fatigue.  You certainly don't rivet wing panels because you want them to be free to move around. 

A spot weld done properly is the strongest solution possible, especially with tin parts, and should have been used in a critical application like this.  The only reason those pop rivets are there is because those valve extension mounts were an afterthought. 

As to "not inspecting tires in 1000 miles" -- that seems a little harsh.  I consider myself a very conscientious RV'r -- probably more than most.  I do a walk-around on most gas stops, but that last 900 mile trip I mentioned included only two gas stops, the last after dark.  It could have easily been missed -- I certainly wasn't looking for it. But I will be in the future, and I hope that anybody reading this does likewise.

We had a rivet fail while driving through Yosemite, no problem other than noise. I replaced the extensions and valve stems with Dually Valve valve stems. No problems since.

After thinking about it, I wonder if the weight of the TPMS sensors contributed to the failure.  Since I was down to 4 working TPMS sensors, anyway, I removed them all from the PC for the last trip.

By the way, I can't agree with the statement about rivets being superior to welds, just because it's common practice on planes.  I'm an amateur plane builder, so it's a subject I happen to be up on.  Airplanes are riveted because they're built out of aluminum, which is difficult to weld.  That's the only reason.  The last thing you want on an airplane is moving parts -- it leads to metal fatigue.  You certainly don't rivet wing panels because you want them to be free to move around. 

A spot weld done properly is the strongest solution possible, especially with tin parts, and should have been used in a critical application like this.  The only reason those pop rivets are there is because those valve extension mounts were an afterthought. 

As to "not inspecting tires in 1000 miles" -- that seems a little harsh.  I consider myself a very conscientious RV'r -- probably more than most.  I do a walk-around on most gas stops, but that last 900 mile trip I mentioned included only two gas stops, the last after dark.  It could have easily been missed -- I certainly wasn't looking for it. But I will be in the future, and I hope that anybody reading this does likewise.

   Yeah, sorry for being a bit brash there. I carry a flashlight, and check the inner tire closely, but NOW will look closely at the stems support.      ..and yeah, I probably would have walked by it on a night refuel walkaround. Even with the light.   

 
We can agree to disagree with welds/spot welds/rivets.       Every method of attachment has its merits and 'Best' applications. No one method is best for every situation.