15 replies to this topic

[IamSherwood]

How often do you check them?
If you have a whole bunch of GTs, do you ever check ALL of them.
to be sure they're tight?
How often have you thought you had a flat, and went through all the
painfull stuff, only to find in the end, it was the valve needle?

They do come loose. Temperature fluctuations, vibration, age, and of course those
wacky pranksters (bless them) up to their tricks.

Maybe just something to put on the checklist.

[shorty]

I never thought of that. Maybe thats where my slow leaks are. I was thinking they had help from my son. Great idea for my spring servicing. Shorty

[mjodrey]

Thanks for bringing that up ,Will. Believe it or not,I do check my valve stem cores every once in a while just to make sure they are tight.

[KennyP]

You wanna keep caps over them, too. Then they won't get anything in there to let the air out. Had that happen before.

[JDBrian]

Can't say I've ever checked them! It sounds like a good idea. I do keep mine capped. It makes sense to check them and also that a 40 yr old stem may leak just because of age. A new core in one could be a simple fix for a slow leak. Thanks for the reminder Will.

[mjodrey]

It makes sense to check them and also that a 40 yr old stem may leak just because of age. A new core in one could be a simple fix for a slow leak.

Just to add,they don't have to be 40 years old to leak around the bottom edge.I have seen valve stem just a couple years old ,leak that way.If you have a slow leak,and don't have a dunk tank,just take a squirt bottle ( Windex bottle, etc, ) and fill it with a water/dish detergent mix,and spray it around the valve stem,valve core,around the rim,or even the whole tire and you will find it.

[IamSherwood]

This morning, instead of my pilates routine,:smile1: I went and did about 40 squats, and checked some cores. Found a couple loose.

[KennyP]

Will, glad you got your exercise! Gotta keep that youthful figure!

[DH1]

I never check them never thought you had to but after reading this I think I going to on the tires that seem to go soft after a while.

[Michiganmobileman]

Thanks for the tip:thumbs:

[cp7]

Definitely good advice to check your valve stem cores.
If your filling a tire, a little spit on your finger wiped into the stem is an easy check.
They also make valve caps that are a valve core tool but that makes it easy for the pranksters if you have them around.

[caseguy]

That's a great tip Will! I have gone through the rigamarole of trying to find a leak only to discover that it was a loose stem! Usually at the point of removing the stem to break the tire down! Thanks for the reminder!

[bontai Joe]

I've speced out air equipment used on my employer's manufactured machines and according to Shrader (manufacturer of valve stems) the cap is to be considered the primary seal, the valve stem is secondary, so buy decent caps. At work, we use gasketed metal caps to prevent air leakage from the air springs we use as a vibration isolater.

[IamSherwood]

I've speced out air equipment used on my employer's manufactured machines and according to Shrader (manufacturer of valve stems) the cap is to be considered the primary seal, the valve stem is secondary, so buy decent caps. At work, we use gasketed metal caps to prevent air leakage from the air springs we use as a vibration isolater.

Thanks.
That's interesting

[mjodrey]

I'm afraid if you relied on the cap to keep the air in the tire,your tires would always be flat. The valve core itself is the main seal.But you do want to have a cap on there to keep out dirt and water.

Edited by mjodrey, November 26, 2011 - 05:47 AM.