valve stem thread length too short

The length of the tire stem valve on the main gear of my LS-3 is too short for the fill valve from my compressor to open it. The tire hub prevents the fill valve from pressing down far enough to open the stem valve. The short stem valve appears by design so it can clear the landing gear linkages as the tire rotates and not get sheared off. I tried using a valve extender but again, the length of the exposed stem valve threads is too short for the extender to screw down far enough to open the valve. Does anyone have this problem and was able to solve it?

On Sunday, August 11, 2013 4:01:10 PM UTC-4, wrote:
The length of the tire stem valve on the main gear of my LS-3 is too short for the fill valve from my compressor to open it. The tire hub prevents the fill valve from pressing down far enough to open the stem valve. The short stem valve appears by design so it can clear the landing gear linkages as the tire rotates and not get sheared off. I tried using a valve extender but again, the length of the exposed stem valve threads is too short for the extender to screw down far enough to open the valve. Does anyone have this problem and was able to solve it?

I keep an extender in my tool box that has the threaded portion shortened by almost half for just these occasions.
UH

Yep it is a common problem and I posted a similar query on
U.R.A.S a while ago. You can find a valve extension with a
lesser internal depth at the female end or you can saw a little
off the female end of the one you have already got.

Once you have found or made one that works keep it in the
cockpit pocket and not with the pump because glider tyres
always seem to go flat when your own pump isn't around.

John Galloway


At 20:01 11 August 2013, wrote:
The length of the tire stem valve on the main gear of my LS-3
is too short
=
for the fill valve from my compressor to open it. The tire hub
prevents
the=
fill valve from pressing down far enough to open the stem
valve. The
short=
stem valve appears by design so it can clear the landing gear
linkages as
=
the tire rotates and not get sheared off. I tried using a valve
extender
bu=
t again, the length of the exposed stem valve threads is too
short for the
=
extender to screw down far enough to open the valve. Does
anyone have this
=
problem and was able to solve it?

LS-3,LS-4, same problem.

There are different types of valve stem extenders. Plastic, walls too thick. I make sure to get the metal ones.
You can find the metal extenders that have threads to the end.
Some are built that the threads start about 1/4 in or more up in the barrel. Those don't work.

Metal extender with the thread that starts at the beginning work well. In the US, be picky, but you can normally find a package of 3 or 4 extenders at Auto Zone.

Bill T