What can I do to get a straight shot at the Rear Tire valve Stem?

[Snoking1127]

I'm trying to avoid having to crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling (this IS, after all, a touring machine, not a garage ornament)

I sent you a private message.

 

[Mikey]

If someone were to design a metal stem at the correct angle and pair it with an extension that reaches through or under the sprocket, I think the problem would be solved. BRP could easily do that and supply an extension to carry in the trunk or frunk.

By the time you screwed and unscrewed all of that junk you will lose more air than you put in and will have to start over again! I will admit the valve stem on my 2012 was a bear to get anything on, I had to take a finger or screwdriver under it to lift it off the rim enough to put a air chuck or gauge on, my 2025 the stems raised up and has a nice angle to get to!

 

[blacklightning]

Funny this thread should be brought back to life. I will be checking my tire pressure in the RTL this evening or tomorrow in preps for our mountain trip. I have just committed to placing a piece of cardboard on the ground and getting comfortable before adding the air. I will admit, it is easier on my 2016 F3L with the larger sprocket because it places the valve further away from the gear ring. It should be the same on the early F3T and the F3S models.

 

[Peter Aawen]

I'm trying to avoid having to crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling (this IS, after all, a touring machine, not a garage ornament).

Not trying to be funny here, but most people I know check and adjust their air pressures 'cold' (as you should!), before their Spyder has been run/ridden anywhere for the day and usually first thing in the morning when it's cool; then if they have FOBO or any other TPMS, they use that, the TPMS, to check their pressure for the duration of their ride/trip/whatever. And most generally don't find a need to make too many adjustments once they've done that. Heck, I'm sure that there's people here who haven't done anything except check their TPMS display for at least a month, if not their entire riding season!

So if you want to fit a valve cap style TPMS, like FOBO, with a remote display or an app on your phone, then maybe you'll need to do a little bit of crawling around early in the piece, checking and setting/re-setting the valve cap senders &/or your tire pressures, but from there on in, you really shouldn't ever need to '... crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling ...' - not unless you've got a tire issue/puncture, in which case, you're probably going to hafta do some crawling around on the ground anyway.

So I think you might be stressing about this too much, or at least over-thinking it!!

Maybe we should first ask how many people here actually crawl around on the ground to adjust their tire pressures WHILE they're travelling &/or in the hot sun? And of those, how many actually have and use FOBO &/or any other TPMS??

I know that I probably check and adjust my tire pressures more than most, maybe more than anyone else here (cos tires and tire pressures are just one of my 'things' ) and I also have and use a TPMS on my Spyder when I'm travelling, but because of that, I really don't NEED to crawl around on the ground to check or adjust my tire pressures during the riding day for the duration of most of my trips. If there's any adjusting done, it's pretty much all done before I start riding for the day.

Just Sayin'

 

[UtahPete]

I'm trying to avoid having to crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling (this IS, after all, a touring machine, not a garage ornament).

Not trying to be funny here, but most people I know check and adjust their air pressures 'cold' (as you should!), before their Spyder has been run/ridden anywhere for the day and usually first thing in the morning when it's cool; then if they have FOBO or any other TPMS, they use that, the TPMS, to check their pressure for the duration of their ride/trip/whatever. And most generally don't find a need to make too many adjustments once they've done that. Heck, I'm sure that there's people here who haven't done anything except check their TPMS display for at least a month, if not their entire riding season!

So if you want to fit a valve cap style TPMS, like FOBO, with a remote display or an app on your phone, then maybe you'll need to do a little bit of crawling around early in the piece, checking and setting/re-setting the valve cap senders &/or your tire pressures, but from there on in, you really shouldn't ever need to '... crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling ...' - not unless you've got a tire issue/puncture, in which case, you're probably going to hafta do some crawling around on the ground anyway.

So I think you might be stressing about this too much, or at least over-thinking it!!

Maybe we should first ask how many people here actually crawl around on the ground to adjust their tire pressures WHILE they're travelling &/or in the hot sun? And of those, how many actually have and use FOBO &/or any other TPMS??

I know that I probably check and adjust my tire pressures more than most, maybe more than anyone else here (cos tires and tire pressures are just one of my 'things' ) and I also have and use a TPMS on my Spyder when I'm travelling, but because of that, I really don't NEED to crawl around on the ground to check or adjust my tire pressures during the riding day for the duration of most of my trips. If there's any adjusting done, it's pretty much all done before I start riding for the day.

Just Sayin'

Me? Overthink things? Surely you must be joking! I know I should ride more and worry less, as someone on here says in their tag line, but when I can't ride for whatever reason, I like to engage in a little bit of thinkin' about things, and when those things involve Spyders, I like to have a chin-wag about them on SL.

Anyway, I am about to have Joe Meyer do my 28k service and replace the back tire at the same time, so I got to thinking about what else could be done while the wheel is off the bike and the tire off the wheel. One of my pet peeves (shared by BajaRon I believe) has always been the need or compulsion to access the inflation valve to check the rear tire pressure (BEFORE every ride and then periodically during a long trip), so I started once again after a long hiatus investigating easier ways to access the tire valve.

In the process, I came across your and other threads about FOBO and a dim bulb came on. Aha, that could be the ticket. But then, I realized that with that in place I can't put an air hose chuck on it to inflate if need be. So, then I came across a thread that suggested a solution used by GW riders in the form of a replacement inflation valve in the shape of a T, so that the FOBO can stay in place whilst also inflating the tire. If I can find one of those little dandies, then I can have Joe install it and bob's your uncle, right?

Then, I discovered that the T-valve comes out of Canada and right now Canadian shipments are iffy and expensive and who knows if it will arrive on time. So then, investigating further, I discovered there is a screw-on T-valve product which accomplishes the same thing as the replacement T-valve. And that's where I was in this process when you caught me over-thinking things .... or burrowing down a rabbit hole maybe.

Guilty as charged, but unrepentant. Sorry!

Actually, thanks for the thoughtful feedback. That's after all what I'm here to elicit.

 

[UtahPete]

By the time you screwed and unscrewed all of that junk you will lose more air than you put in and will have to start over again! I will admit the valve stem on my 2012 was a bear to get anything on, I had to take a finger or screwdriver under it to lift it off the rim enough to put a air chuck or gauge on, my 2025 the stems raised up and has a nice angle to get to!

That would take all the fun out of things, Mikey!

 

[Albec]

Its not so much about the stem in the wheel as it's the type of air chuck you use.

That's my point. If your air chuck won't fit, you need a different chuck.

I'm trying to avoid having to crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling (this IS, after all, a touring machine, not a garage ornament).

Obviously, I was talking about airing up in the garage, not when you're out on the road. Besides, a garage ornament doesn't need to be air up very often, right?

 

[UtahPete]

That's my point. If your air chuck won't fit, you need a different chuck.



Obviously, I was talking about airing up in the garage, not when you're out on the road. Besides, a garage ornament doesn't need to be air up very often, right?

I think you and 2dogs (among others) have a valid point. I think using temporary stem extensions is one possible solution to the 'reach' problem. The other is to use a long rigid air chuck. Both work pretty well in a controlled environment such as one's garage, but not so much in a hotel parking lot.

It seems with the latter (long rigid air chuck), it would work best if connected to a flexible hose which can then screw into the inflator. I'm going to look into that idea some more. If those using that approach could share with us the specifics of the length of the air chuck, how it is attached to the air hose, etc, that would be appreciated.

 

[UtahPete]

Fit a 2" valve stem and ensure the drive pulley is clocked so as not to hide it.

I haven't been able to find one, not with a bend to it, anyway.

 

[UtahPete]

Good old Google AI had this to say
To get air into the hard-to-reach rear tire valve stem of a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-L, you need an extended straight-on (or dual-foot) rigid air chuck. Because the valve stem sits tightly behind the large drive sprocket on the left side of the rear wheel, a standard short chuck won't clear the belt drive components. Spyder owners frequently use 12-inch to 14-inch rigid commercial dually truck air chucks to thread perfectly through the sprocket cutouts. [1, 2]
You can purchase these specific long-reach rigid air chucks through online marketplaces, local auto parts stores, and tool retailers: [1]

* Amazon: Offers a wide selection of heavy-duty, long-reach rigid air chucks. Top options include the [LUMITECO 12" Extended Reach Dual Head Air Chuck](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=FAILED_OR_SKIPPED) and generic 14-inch straight-on locking variants. [3, 4]
* Harbor Freight: Carries the budget-friendly [Merlin Dual-Head Air Chuck Inflator](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=FAILED_OR_SKIPPED). Spyder riders frequently recommend this specific extended model because it features a rigid extension wand and integrated pressure gauge for less than $15. [1, 5]
* Advance Auto Parts: Carries premium commercial-grade options like the [Milton Industries S-693-12 Dual Heavy Duty Straight Foot Air Chuck](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=FAILED_OR_SKIPPED) ($28.49). It provides 12 inches of solid brass rigid reach to easily clear the belt drive sprocket.
* NAPA Auto Parts & Local Stores: Riders note that matching "trucker-style" long rigid gauges or standalone straight-foot air chucks can be bought off the shelf at local NAPA Auto Parts stores or generic heavy-duty commercial truck stops. [1]


* Position the Valve Stem: Before reaching in, roll the Spyder forward or backward until the rear valve stem is positioned between 4:00 and 5:00 o’clock. This places the stem in the widest, most accessible pocket relative to the swingarm and drive belt. [2]
* Alternative Fix (90-Degree Valve Stem): If you struggle to line up a long rigid chuck, many Spyder owners permanently solve this issue during their next rear tire change by installing an angled tire valve stem extension or a rigid 90-degree metal valve stem. This points the nozzle outward toward the side of the wheel, making it accessible to any standard air pump. [1, 2]

 

[Snoking1127]

Not trying to be funny here, but most people I know check and adjust their air pressures 'cold' (as you should!), before their Spyder has been run/ridden anywhere for the day and usually first thing in the morning when it's cool; then if they have FOBO or any other TPMS, they use that, the TPMS, to check their pressure for the duration of their ride/trip/whatever. And most generally don't find a need to make too many adjustments once they've done that. Heck, I'm sure that there's people here who haven't done anything except check their TPMS display for at least a month, if not their entire riding season!

So if you want to fit a valve cap style TPMS, like FOBO, with a remote display or an app on your phone, then maybe you'll need to do a little bit of crawling around early in the piece, checking and setting/re-setting the valve cap senders &/or your tire pressures, but from there on in, you really shouldn't ever need to '... crawl around on the ground, maybe in the hot sun, when traveling ...' - not unless you've got a tire issue/puncture, in which case, you're probably going to hafta do some crawling around on the ground anyway.

So I think you might be stressing about this too much, or at least over-thinking it!!

Maybe we should first ask how many people here actually crawl around on the ground to adjust their tire pressures WHILE they're travelling &/or in the hot sun? And of those, how many actually have and use FOBO &/or any other TPMS??

I know that I probably check and adjust my tire pressures more than most, maybe more than anyone else here (cos tires and tire pressures are just one of my 'things' ) and I also have and use a TPMS on my Spyder when I'm travelling, but because of that, I really don't NEED to crawl around on the ground to check or adjust my tire pressures during the riding day for the duration of most of my trips. If there's any adjusting done, it's pretty much all done before I start riding for the day.

Just Sayin'

10-4 on that! I run good car tires and check tire pressure first part of riding season, then "maybe" again if temps cool down a lot in my car port laying on the ground to check the rear tire. At my age laying on the ground is not the issue, it is getting back up!!! Other than that I just enjoy the rides. Avoiding road assassins and road alligators has my attention, not my tire pressure.

 

[UtahPete]

10-4 on that! I run good car tires and check tire pressure first part of riding season, then "maybe" again if temps cool down a lot in my car port laying on the ground to check the rear tire. At my age laying on the ground is not the issue, it is getting back up!!! Other than that I just enjoy the rides. Avoiding road assassins and road alligators has my attention, not my tire pressure.

Yeah, I can relate to the getting back up part!

 

[jjc54]

Go back and review post #7. It has been one of the best purchases I have made. It can be carried with you for a quick check to see if you are getting the 4 PSI increase