FELIX
Who Knows, Ask Who
- Location
- Camarillo, CA
Just currious, on what you guys think is the way to go for valve stems, when getting new tires.
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Valve Stem Poll
- Thread starter FELIX
- Start date
- Status
Yucca-Man
NAXJA Member # 683
- Location
- Castle Rock, CO
New valve stems.
Seriously though, what are you getting at?
Seriously though, what are you getting at?
SyCo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Spokane, WA
Coming from a guy who works in a tire shop, a regular rubber stem is what I run and what I choose to run. I'd say 4/5 valve stem failures are metal stems, it seems the rubber they use to seal the hole in the wheel is cheap and deteriorates very easily, not to mention changing them is a PITA compared to popping a new rubber stem in.
Rubber stems fail too, but not as often, most failures result from improper installation of a hubcap. Offroad, I can't say I've ever seen someone shear off a rubber stem, but I have heard of it happening.
Also I suggest never running a metal valve stem cap, too many times I've seen them seize up on the valve stem threads, and then the only way to check the air is to put a new stem in, fun!
The chrome sleeves are purely aesthetic, and IMHO look retarded.
And finally, running either an 8ball or rolling die valve stem cover adds 5HP to every wheel it's put on.
Rubber stems fail too, but not as often, most failures result from improper installation of a hubcap. Offroad, I can't say I've ever seen someone shear off a rubber stem, but I have heard of it happening.
Also I suggest never running a metal valve stem cap, too many times I've seen them seize up on the valve stem threads, and then the only way to check the air is to put a new stem in, fun!
The chrome sleeves are purely aesthetic, and IMHO look retarded.
And finally, running either an 8ball or rolling die valve stem cover adds 5HP to every wheel it's put on.
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Rubber.....with metal caps. The metal caps have a small rubber gasket in them that will help to seal a leaky valve core. With as much as we air up and down a valve core can get damaged, and a metal cap is off way too often to stick......if you wheel somewhat regularly. The metal cap will also help to keep the top of the valve stem from getting smashed occasionally.
And always carry spare valve stems and a stem installing tool, they do get ripped off on the trail.
And always carry spare valve stems and a stem installing tool, they do get ripped off on the trail.
OT
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jensen, UT
Sorry Goat, but I have to disagree this time.Goatman said:
Thought It would be a good idea to run pink anodized ones for the reasons you mentioned and have more visibility if I dropped one.
But, the last time I went wheeling, I rubbed a rock and the stem appearently got stuck between a rock and a hard place and the cap was crushed. This made it impossible to remove. While crushing, the end of the cap popped off and I could see the damage to the valve stem itself was basically other wise repairable if not for the metal cap.
While this may still happen with a plastic cap, I would have been able to remove it at least.
Needless to say, the kids' bikes now have nice metal caps and the XJ now has nice plastic ones.
Edit: Sorry Goatman, I reread your post and I missed the "getting smashed occasionally" part, at the end. But, I still stick with my opinion.
Last edited:
- Location
- Foresthill, CA
Rubber with metal caps.
Hitting something hard enough to crush my metal caps would take out a plastic capped stem anyway, meaning you would have to change it anyway.
The metal shrugs off minor damage that usually crushes the brass top on a stem.
Perhaps URF needs to come out with titanium valve caps?
CRASH
Hitting something hard enough to crush my metal caps would take out a plastic capped stem anyway, meaning you would have to change it anyway.
The metal shrugs off minor damage that usually crushes the brass top on a stem.
Perhaps URF needs to come out with titanium valve caps?
CRASH
SyCo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Spokane, WA
Goatman said:
My assumption as to why they tend to seize up alot is the continously heating and cooling down they face, with both fluctuations in outdoor temperature and tire air temperature. A light coat of anti-seize would probably help, and you can always carry spare stem cores. Hell I'll snail mail you 20 of them, they're all over the shop floor :thumbup:
SOOLONG
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Mankato, Mn
I live in Minnesota. I do not care for metal caps. They have started to use a liquid to deice the roads. I don't know whats in it but after 3 weeks with a rubber stem with brass threads and an aluminum cap I could not get the cap off period. I had to break down the tires and put in new stems. The cheap plastic suits me fine. If you don't live in the salt (liquid corrosion) belt then I think the aluminum or metal caps with o-rings are o.k.
Joe
Joe
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
I've had this happen to me twice. Both times in deep mud and rocks fell into my wheel. Well, it sheared one off, the other was just cut. I have never had a problem with a valve leaking, and the $2 cost of the rubber ones are just fine for me.SyCo said:
Yucca-Man
NAXJA Member # 683
- Location
- Castle Rock, CO
Probably the same Magnesium Chloride (MgCl) crap they're using on the roads here in Colorado. Wash your Jeep and especially the engine bay and undersides as soon as you can after driving through the spray. Although the DoT claims there is nothing hazardous with MgCl, they have put signs on the highways recommending the same...in a drought state, no less! Fire Departments and truckers in MgCl areas have anecdotal reports of more frequent electrical fires too....SOOLONG said:
:soapbox:
ladywolf
UH-60L Jeep Chick
- Location
- Clarksville TN
yucca, i guess i'm really glad in eastern WA we still use cinder lol. no road salt for us....cinder or nothing. if the country cant get out to plow the road, i guess yr staying home, unless the snowmobile is up and running! but then again, we have a tractor with a blade on it during the winter.....or the catepiller, when we can get it to run. the joys of living on a farm....... as for the valve stem........rubber w/ plastic or metal caps, makes no nevermind to me.
Kris
Kris
8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
Just a preferance, but the rubber valve stems, get old and hard. Wether the valve stems will harden before the tire wears out, is a toss up. The rubber valves usually break/leak right where they go through the rim, right between the outer and inner lips.
It´s most times happened, like mentioned before, while going through a mud hole lined with rocks. But I´ve had them spring a leak, just by pushing a rubber valve to the side (with my thumb) to look for cracks.
I use a metal stem, as short as possible, just enough sticking out to catch the threads with the nut. On my mud rigs. A little trick with the metal stems, is to wrap the lower threads, in a cone shape, with plumbers (teflon)tape, double seal, the rubber washer and the teflon (teflon doesn´t rot).
Wether rubber or metal, I use the shortest stem possible. Metal caps? You youngsters always forget about good old grease. I grease everything that moves and many things that don´t, a coat of grease on anything, will usually last for a year or more, or untill you grease it again next year. :lecture:
It´s most times happened, like mentioned before, while going through a mud hole lined with rocks. But I´ve had them spring a leak, just by pushing a rubber valve to the side (with my thumb) to look for cracks.
I use a metal stem, as short as possible, just enough sticking out to catch the threads with the nut. On my mud rigs. A little trick with the metal stems, is to wrap the lower threads, in a cone shape, with plumbers (teflon)tape, double seal, the rubber washer and the teflon (teflon doesn´t rot).
Wether rubber or metal, I use the shortest stem possible. Metal caps? You youngsters always forget about good old grease. I grease everything that moves and many things that don´t, a coat of grease on anything, will usually last for a year or more, or untill you grease it again next year. :lecture:
rngrfrd2000
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- allentown pa
I run the rubber w/ plastic caps but I doesnt really matter because I run those fake bead locks and there isnt very much thats gonna get to my stems its about the only thing there good for....if anyone else has them you know what i mean...
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Okie Terry said:
Like CRASH said, if you smash the metal cap, you would have already smashed the threads of the valve stem with a plastic cap. Been there, done that....metal caps for me. I agree with using grease or anti-seize if you live in snow country where they coat the roads, otherwise if your stems rot or the caps stick......you just don't wheel enough!!
ECKSJAY
Water is dirty
- Location
- Covington, WA
Short rubber stems with thick stainless steel caps. Found the caps at the PX for about $2/pack of 5 when I was at Ft. Bliss. They are like 3/8" or so on top, hex shaped to get off with a wrench if you need to. Screw aluminum. uke:
uke:SyCo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Spokane, WA
ECKSJAY said:Short rubber stems with thick stainless steel caps. Found the caps at the PX for about $2/pack of 5 when I was at Ft. Bliss. They are like 3/8" or so on top, hex shaped to get off with a wrench if you need to. Screw aluminum.
Even tho there's a hex on top, if the cap is seized, the entire stem will turn.
XJack said:
Sure, let me scan them and send them to you in a .jpeg
Darky
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 29 Palms, CA
vise grips on the stem. Works every time. Now mind you, I've never done this, nor have I had a problem with caps seizing, but I had a dream last night that the vise grips would work. So, in theory that would work. If I ever have a valve stem cap seize I'll grab the stem with ym vise grips and the cap with some pliers and get back to you. Maybe after I drive to the tire shop on my spare...SyCo said:Even tho there's a hex on top, if the cap is seized, the entire stem will turn.
Sure, let me scan them and send them to you in a .jpeg
Island XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The Great White North
*snicker*
isn't this thread from June?
isn't this thread from June?
OT
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jensen, UT
Done......
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