A smooth car ride will depend not only on your driving abilities and a road but also on the tires’ conditions. If they are deflated you will be in serious danger. Learn how to replace a valve stem, and you will not only avoid driving on a flat, but you will also save some money on a mechanic.
This is an easy fix that won’t take a lot of your time, but before you get to tinkering, learn the answers to questions like how do you install a valve stem, how do you fix a leaky valve stem, and how do you change a valve stem without removing the tire. To help you master this useful skill, we made a comprehensive guide that will reveal to you different approaches and methods you can use.
What kind of vehicle do you own? Are you cruising around in one of the best electric cars, or are you behind the wheel of one of the greatest long-distance vehicles? Maybe you are a proud owner of a family car? No matter what kind of a machine you own, it is always a smart thing to learn a bit about its parts just in case you want to quickly fix a malfunctioned piece.
A valve stem (VS) is a self-contained device that opens to allow gas to a designated compartment, and then it automatically closes, keeping the gas from escaping. VS can most commonly be found on cars, bikes, and motorcycles. It keeps your tires from going flat within seconds, and that’s why it is a crucial part of every vehicle.
Before you figure out how to remove valve stems, make sure that you have all the right parts. There are more than a few different types of VS, and you should figure out which type needs to be replaced.
A rim with Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and the one without it will have different VS. Basically, there are stems made out of rubber and metal. The metal ones are usually used for an appearance on cars with chrome rims. However, when repairing them, make sure that the stems are compatible with valves. You don’t want to put aluminum stems on brass valves because of corrosion, which will lead to the VS failure again. Additionally, not all VS are the same size.
Furthermore, check your tires and see if they are filled with nitrogen, nitrofill, or regular air. If the caps on VS have a green top with an N or N2, you can be sure they are filled with nitrogen. Since nitrogen is pricier than air, you should regularly check your VS and make sure your tires are not defeating.
Every car repair, no matter how small, requires you to have tools. To avoid spending too much time in the garage, rummaging through your stuff looking for the right screw or pliers, gather all the necessary tools long before you get to tinkering around the machine.
Before you figure out how to replace the valve stem, you will need a few tools most car owners have in their garages, such as:
Car parts malfunction, it happens, but what goes wrong when you need to take out VS? Well, many things can go sideways. VS can break and cause leaks or damage TPMS. They don’t stop working just because you have been using them for a long time. A mix of UV rays, salt, heat, and cold can cause cracks, which will lead to breaking. Also, they can get damaged by road debris. Furthermore, caps made out of aluminum shouldn’t go on brass VS because the mix of materials will cause corrosion leading to pieces breaking.
Is there a way to know when is the right time to repair VS? If you want to test them for damage, try flexing them. This way, you will be able to see the cracks and damage but also how the rubber looks, is it old and dry or not. If you think that VS has seen the better days, it is time to throw it away. Also, when changing tires, it is always a good idea to put a new VS as well.
Having a leaking tire is something a driver can’t ignore. This is essential not only for your safety but for the safety of other vehicles on the road. Usually, a leak comes from a tear or a hole, and the driver can easily spot it. You probably know how to change a tire, so when you notice a tear, just park the car and do it.
However, there is another type of leakage that is far more dangerous. A slow leak happens where a hole or puncture is so small that it can’t be seen. Additionally, finding it can be a difficult process. A VS issue is one of the causes of slow leakage. To diagnose it, simply inflate the tire, pour soap and water around, and on VS and wheel, if there is a leak, you will see bubbles forming around it.
No matter how experienced a driver you are, operating a vehicle with a slow leak can be extremely dangerous. Not only that, you can hurt yourself, but your machine will essentially become a blowout hazard, causing you to lose control of the wheel and endangering everybody on the road.
Knowing how to replace a tire valve stem or fix it when it’s leaking is an important skill for a driver to have. This can come in handy no matter if you are driving in New Your City, cruising around in Los Angeles, or any other place. When you realize you got a flat, don’t let the driving stress and road rage overtake you. Keep calm, and grab a core tool, and you will fix the problem in five minutes tops.
The first step is jacking up the wheel, and then you should take out the old core using the fork extension of the core gadget. Then screw a new one in, top off the gas, and you are done. Don’t forget to wear safety goggles because debris could hit you straight in the eye when the air releases.
Let’s say you already jacked up your car to fix something else. You might be checking if the car thermostat is bad, replacing U joints, checking if the spark plug is bad or something else. Whatever the reason might be, take advantage of the situation if you have figured out how to remove a valve stem without taking off the tire.
Before you start, get a Tire Valve Tool that comes with the hook and insertion cone. Unscrew the lug nuts using the wrench, and don’t forget to put them in a visible place, where you won’t misplace them. Pull the wheel off and place it on the ground face up so that the VS is looking toward you. Release the gas and then press the VS down to the side so that you can insert the hook, to do this, you need to apply a significant amount of pressure. Then rotate the hook until it loosens up the VS and then just pull it out. Then use the cone to insert the new VS, and you are done.
If you have a tireless rim in front of you, put in the VS through the gap in the wheel, make sure you press it from inside of the rim. Hold the VS still with one hand while securing it to the other side with an SRT. Then screw them together. When you are done, use a handle from SRT to pull VS until the top ring comes out of the wheel. While the top ring is out, the bottom one should be tightly pressed against the inside of the rim.
Now it is time to unscrew the SRT. When you are done, press on the VS, move it a bit around to check if it’s nicely set but don’t apply too much pressure because it can go back through the hole. Top the VS with a cap, and you are done.
If you want to become a good driver, you have to learn a few things. Driving at night, during winter, or through some of the most famous routes, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t know how to fix small problems your car might have during the ride. If you want to master another skill, take a look at this step by step guide on how to change a tire valve stem.
Let’s say you wanted to embark on a stress-free road trip, but your VS broke in the middle of nowhere. Don’t despair, your adventure won’t feel like the worst car movies ever, because there is a simple way you can take out the VS.
Are you wondering how to remove the valve stem while you are far away from home, and most of your tools are in your garage? If you have the basics with you, embrace the MacGyver approach. Take down a problematic tire, and either stand on it to detach it from the wheel or put a rock or a wood on it and apply pressure until it loses from the rim. The hard part is done now all you have to do is SRT to pull out the broken part and put in a new one.
There are many pros and cons of owning a car, and one of the downsides is that they malfunction from time to time. If you are not in a mood to learn how to replace the tire valve stem taking your car to the mechanic is a way to go.
On average, the repair of VS could cost you somewhere around $30. However, some would consider this to be pricey, considering that the VS is $5, and you can fix it on your own in less than 10 minutes.
Living without a car in this day and age can be challenging and not practical. Owning a vehicle will give you the freedom to go wherever and whenever you want to go. However, no matter if you are a first-time buyer or a long time owner when you get the car, you should hire a professional auto transport company to deliver it to you.
Depending on the type of vehicle you get, you can choose between open trailers and enclosed auto transport. Also, a reputable car shipping company offers two types of deliveries. You can pick between the door to door auto transport and terminal to terminal car shipping depending on your budget and free time. While professionals are handling your ride, you can relax and think about all the ways you can upgrade it.
