Rubber Valve Stems With Covid

[GregL]

Hey Guys, Anyone else here had a problem with rubber valve stems on your wheels breaking prematurely?
A couple of months ago I was washing my truck and when I was doing the wheels I bumped into one of my valve stems and it snapped right off off like a potato chip. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't smashed it with a hammer, I only bumped it with a scrub mitt. Never seen that happen before and all stems were replaced when the tires were installed less that two years ago. I figured it was "just one of those things". Anyway, the tire goes flat immediately so I remove it, take it over to my local garage and get the stem replaced.
Fast forward to last night. I felt my wheels were looking a little grubby and I had a free night so I decided to remove them and give them all a good cleaning and polish. I get the first wheel off, pull the cap and ring, spray it down with degreaser and I'm washing it with a mild brush when I bump the valve stem and "POP!" that one goes too! Of course I'm pissed so I pull and mount the spare tire in its place and continue on. Next tire, same exact thing happens! Bump the stem and BANG! it snaps off like a dried up Oreo cookie. And then I realize that this is the same valve that was just replaced two months ago!

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So now I'm furious. I realize the problem cannot be isolated to my truck. I check online and apparently there has been an on-going problem with a boatload of about 30 million Chinese made valve stems under recall for early failure. They have supplied most larger chain tire stores, garages and parts stores and the problem goes back a few years now.
So today I'm going to head over to the nearest tire store and buy the steel stems with the flat rubber washers that screw into place. Not going to chance anymore of this cheap Chinese rubber. Trouble is, you just don't know what's being installed on your car/truck in these situations. I can't blame the installer or the tire company. They probably didn't know either. These stems look the same as all the other ones we've been using for years.
Anyway guys, please check your valve stems today, on all your cars and trucks, before you have one let go on the highway, or worse.
Cheers, Greg

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[shiftpro]

We are drowning in low quality garbage. My dick clipped the edge of the toilet and the ceramic fractured.

 

[Grit dog]

Not just rubber valve stems. 2 years ago, new boat trailer tires, installed at Goodyear (bought tires online), got metal valve stems, 2 wouldn't seal a few months later. They replaced with rubber valve stems and one of them cracked. I replaced them all that fall, myself, cussed about the shop, but it wasn't them, you can't really eff up a valve stem install....
I always thought the all rubber ones weren't rated for high pressure like 80psi tires, but newer HD trucks have rubber stems as does the wheels on the brodozer.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Another thing setting the build quality of the rubber aside. The all rubber valve stems that get pulled into the hole in the wheel from the inside also require an installer with a little brain power. I spent the bulk of my carrier managing or otherwise working in tire stores. If those things are over stretched during installation, or improperly installed. They are suppose to be installed like this. Lube the hole with tire lube, push the valve into the hole in the wheel, tool screwed on to the threads and the valve is then snapped into place and the tool unscrewed. Guys will sometimes skip the lube and instead of using the screw on tool, they will use a weight hammer, because the gripper plier end of the hammer has grabbers for grabbing metal wheel weights. They will sink right into the rubber stem and the installed can easily over stretch or damage the rubber, which sometimes doesn't show up until enough water and dirt has made it's way into damage the stem. Look I know they can be quick installed like that and it works out ok if they installer is careful and knows what they are doing, but not all installers do / can. So I'm just saying installation is a factor.

Also those rubber popin stems are only rated to 45PSI or lower so basically only good for at most a 1/2 on a truck. Unless you at risk of snagging a stem and tearing it out of the wheel there really isn't a good reason not to be running the all metal ones on a truck.

 

[Grit dog]

Also those rubber popin stems are only rated to 45PSI or lower so basically only good for at most a 1/2 on a truck. Unless you at risk of snagging a stem and tearing it out of the wheel there really isn't a good reason not to be running the all metal ones on a truck.

Then why are new HD trucks coming with rubber valve stems? And Schwabs, the epitome of a risk averse tire shop (won't do your brakes unless they replace pads rotors AND calipers, even on a new car), uses rubber vale stems on 80psi tire/rim combos.
I think this is a case of "used to be."

 

[fast 99]

There are valve stems that appear rubber but have brass or steel inserts. As said previously rubber only stems cannot be used with 80 PSI.

Not that this applies to square bodies but if your vehicle has TPMS sensors only use plastic dust caps. Have seen galvanic corrosion between the TPMS sensor and chrome or steel dust caps. When the caps are removed the stems could be dust inside.

 

[80BrownK10]

Hey Guys, Anyone else here had a problem with rubber valve stems on your wheels breaking prematurely?
A couple of months ago I was washing my truck and when I was doing the wheels I bumped into one of my valve stems and it snapped right off off like a potato chip. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't smashed it with a hammer, I only bumped it with a scrub mitt. Never seen that happen before and all stems were replaced when the tires were installed less that two years ago. I figured it was "just one of those things". Anyway, the tire goes flat immediately so I remove it, take it over to my local garage and get the stem replaced.
Fast forward to last night. I felt my wheels were looking a little grubby and I had a free night so I decided to remove them and give them all a good cleaning and polish. I get the first wheel off, pull the cap and ring, spray it down with degreaser and I'm washing it with a mild brush when I bump the valve stem and "POP!" that one goes too! Of course I'm pissed so I pull and mount the spare tire in its place and continue on. Next tire, same exact thing happens! Bump the stem and BANG! it snaps off like a dried up Oreo cookie. And then I realize that this is the same valve that was just replaced two months ago!

You must be registered for see images attach

So now I'm furious. I realize the problem cannot be isolated to my truck. I check online and apparently there has been an on-going problem with a boatload of about 30 million Chinese made valve stems under recall for early failure. They have supplied most larger chain tire stores, garages and parts stores and the problem goes back a few years now.
So today I'm going to head over to the nearest tire store and buy the steel stems with the flat rubber washers that screw into place. Not going to chance anymore of this cheap Chinese rubber. Trouble is, you just don't know what's being installed on your car/truck in these situations. I can't blame the installer or the tire company. They probably didn't know either. These stems look the same as all the other ones we've been using for years.
Anyway guys, please check your valve stems today, on all your cars and trucks, before you have one let go on the highway, or worse.
Cheers, Greg

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I didn't read your whole post. But I have had valve stems that are not lasting as long. These are some I purchased a few years prior to corona. They sit in my toolbox not in the sun. Now my tool box sits in my carport it's out of direct sunlight but it's in the outside temps so that means in summer it's over 95 sometimes and down to whatever the winter temp is, but that's not as harsh as on an actual vehicle in the direct sun, on a heated up rim or in the cold .

 

[80BrownK10]

Not just rubber valve stems. 2 years ago, new boat trailer tires, installed at Goodyear (bought tires online), got metal valve stems, 2 wouldn't seal a few months later. They replaced with rubber valve stems and one of them cracked. I replaced them all that fall, myself, cussed about the shop, but it wasn't them, you can't really eff up a valve stem install....
I always thought the all rubber ones weren't rated for high pressure like 80psi tires, but newer HD trucks have rubber stems as does the wheels on the brodozer.

Yea rubber stems are only rated for like 60psi

 

[Grit dog]

Yea rubber stems are only rated for like 60psi

All I can say, is no, they're not all only rated for 60-65psi.

 

[AuroraGirl]

All I can say, is no, they're not all only rated for 60-65psi.

i was going to say Ive seen some high pressure tires with rubber stems. Id only be worried about a rubber valve stems ability if the one on a wheel was clearly put in by someone just to find one because some wheels need longer or larger based kinds, if it looks weird in the wheel it may be who knows what kind.

Tire shops are decent about making sure in my experience ot use the right ones.

Also Ive been asked by customer to make him a appointment for tires but he refused service if he couldnt use his current stems

He brought this up after 2 tires were done on his car, the man literally got all worked up, was odly willing to pay for the 2, but angrily left when he could.


not all valve stems are equal lol!

 

[Grumpy]

Products made in China are no longer suspect, they ARE junk.

Bendix brand air brake chambers made in China are no better than the no-name ones. In particular, if you thread a brass fitting into the chamber and try to immediately remove it, the aluminum galls and adheres to the brass fitting, often requiring complete replacement as the threads can't be recovered with a tap.
Class 8 truck brake lining USED to measure 7/8" when new; it is almost impossible to procure new lining over 13/16". Worse, brake drums are ALWAYS +.030" and they are throw away at +.125".

When I first started building my engine, I purchased a few "offshore" parts. After examining these same parts, I re-purchased EVERYTHING made in places where European languages are spoken (plus a couple electronic parts made in Japan - they never make junk.) The offshore parts are gone forever.

This has substantially increased the cost of my build. Yet, because it has essentially been built before the last few price jumps, it's cost is just over half as much as what it would take to do in 2022.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Then why are new HD trucks coming with rubber valve stems? And Schwabs, the epitome of a risk averse tire shop (won't do your brakes unless they replace pads rotors AND calipers, even on a new car), uses rubber vale stems on 80psi tire/rim combos.
I think this is a case of "used to be."

There are valve stems that appear rubber but have brass or steel inserts. As said previously rubber only stems cannot be used with 80 PSI.

Not that this applies to square bodies but if your vehicle has TPMS sensors only use plastic dust caps. Have seen galvanic corrosion between the TPMS sensor and chrome or steel dust caps. When the caps are removed the stems could be dust inside.

All I can say, is no, they're not all only rated for 60-65psi.

Hopefully this will help clear the air a little bit on which stems are rated for what PSI.

At least as of 10 years ago when I left the my last tire shop, there were three main valve stems. To clarify there are more than 3 types, but there are three main types. (not counting TPMS stems of course).

Below, the standard rubber popin type stem. These is what I was talking about in my previous post, typically rated for 45PSI.

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Below: This is a high pressure rubber valve stem. These are typically rated to 80PSI and pop in the same way the standard stem does, but the benefit is durability. Even if your truck is a 1/2 ton and a guy is running less than 45PSI it is worth the extra $1.50 a tire for these stems as they are simply more heavy duty, last longer and have fewer failures.

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Below: High pressure brass stem with rubber seal. These stems are inserted into the wheel with the rubber seal on the back and then is held in place with the brass washer and nut. These stems last and last and do not need to be replaced at each tire replacement, but it is a good idea to have the core changed at that time. Typically these are rated 130PSI, higher than the wheels on our trucks are! Benefit is long term durability and high pressure rating. Downside is because they are all metal they won't flex, so should only be used on a wheel where the stem isn't to close to the edge. Factory square wheels with hub caps tuck these stems between the wheel and hub cab in a very safe place. I run these on all my trucks (RV, both pickup, Jeep, even my trailer!)

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There are high pressure all steel stems, and chrome steel stems similar to the brass one in the picture above, the problem with the steel ones is they will rust over time. Brass is better.

Hopefully that clears things up a little.

 

[Octane]

I had a clown put a rubber stem on a commercial truck instead of the required metal one and it leaked.Go figure. 100 psi on a rubber stem.lol

 

[fast 99]

Yes, the above stems are the common ones today. The center one is what I prefer. Haven't seen very many rubber stems leak if they are replaced when new tires are installed. The bottom style is ok but after they age retightening the nut or at least checking it is a good idea.

 

[Rusty Nail]

"Rubber Valve Stems With Covid"

Dont tell me they havent been vaccinated AND boosted!?
Unheard of? Not so quick!

New science* and research* have grown to show that in fact, TWO boosters may now be effective in the fight against the invisible wuhan bogeyman.

Give em one of them fancy govt- issued in -home tests and consult your PrimaryCarePhysician about getting your covid infected valve stems double boosted.

Get well soon!















* no source given