Aluminum Valve Stem Maintenance

dduelin

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Based on the accelerating rate at which my rear tire has been losing pressure over this season, and on the fact that I have a set of angled stems (Ariete knock-offs), this thread has me looking in the direction of replacing the O-rings. I don't have tire changing facilities at my house, and have relied on my local independent shop to see to it for me. But if I could hand over a fresh set of O rings for every time I have tires done (for me that is roughly once a season, or at most a season and a half so far), I'd hope that the results would be salutary.

Shall I order us a bagful?
I'd spray some windex or the like on the stem to see if the Ariete knock offs are even the culprit. More likely a foreign object in the tread somewhere.
 

ST Gui

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Dunno where you're buying yours, but at McMaster-Carr, they're about $8.50 for a bag of 25. (Plus shipping, but I almost never order just one thing from there.)
I didn't say I'm buying any but that price is from KurvyGurl. This is the very first mention I've seen of them being available anywhere else and only the second I've seen of them being available separately.
 

Blrfl

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I didn't say I'm buying any but that price is from KurvyGurl. This is the very first mention I've seen of them being available anywhere else and only the second I've seen of them being available separately.
Ah, I see... You're talking about the Ariete seals for later stems. I have the older ones that (I think) use ordinary o-rings.

--Mark
 

thekaz

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Has anyone ever experienced, seen or heard of the rim seal failing on a metal valve stem? If so, what were the consequences?
good question :)
interesting thread but concerned that no one has brought up the point of whether or not the angled valve stems were designed to be re & re then retorqued so many times and if this would add any micro fractures to the threaded portion of the stem or nut ?
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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I should have posted this pic:

I've got a set of both the old and new style stems offered by slow-boy racing and they use the same seal. When I checked eBay and looked at the $5ish versions the seal looked thinner in at least one portion but I can't be sure.




Geeze I didn't realize the img was that big
 
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MajorTom

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Just replaced both front and rear tires yesterday (thanks Bruce (Rocketman) for providing the changer, expertise and muscle). I changed out the valve cores from the installed 90 degree aluminum valve stems at the suggestion from this thread (Victor short valve cores, $1.79 for four), being careful to only gently finger tighten them to avoid stripping their threads. They appear to hold air with no problem at that tightness, but of course I'll check again after installing the wheels today. The valve stems have been installed for a year and I didn't re-torque or otherwise adjust them. I believe there's no need to re-torque something that's torqued correctly as that's the force designed to keep the threads locked into place.

Anyway, thanks to all who've contributed their ideas and opinions to this thread. It has been an interesting and valuable read.
 
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centrifugal force = inertia
The valve inside the stem wants to go in a straight line, but the stem provides centrifical force to counter the inertia.
 
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centrifugal force = inertia
The valve inside the stem wants to go in a straight line, but the stem provides centrifical force to counter the inertia.
 

BakerBoy

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I always thought inertia was the feeling that comes following a big lunch and warm peach cobbler on a sunny afternoon.
 

Dave.David

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I feel pretty sure that the disagreement on how often to check the rubber on different valve stems, "through a extra $1 in every time vs if it ain't broke don't fix it," should have a lot more to do with the quality of the valve stem.
I'm guessing if Larry looked at that box of stems that broke down on the road, he would find a lot of cheap products bought from the start.
I think the real equation of when to check your stems always starts with whether or not the rider bought cheap and spends the "extra $1 each time" or buys a good product and can know "it ain't broke."
 
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