Check yer valvestems!

[Gary - K7GLD]

It's recently surfaced that many tire installers are using regular CAR stems for replacement in truck and RV tires - most of those valvestems are only rated at 65 psi - so for tires inflated to above that psi, severe danger of stems blowing out exists!



A local fella bought a NEW 33 ft 5th wheel, brought it home, and while it sat in his driveway on a hot day, blew ALL 4 stems out!



Apparently, problems MAY even exist where you would assume the supplier KNEW better...

 

[Pit Bull]

How could you tell the difference looking at them?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

apparently the tire pros can spot the difference, tho the quickest tipoff are those all rubber types that simply "pull" into the stem hole in the wheel - there ARE some of that type that are designed for pressures above 65 psi - but the better ones for high psi are the type that are secured by threaded fittings...



AS I understand it, the simple pull-in rubber jobs are most easily identified by the inner rubber shoulder INside the tire - but apparently the pros can also spot the diiference from the outside...



The message here is, don't trust a minimum-wage high school dropout to mount the tires for yer RV or truck - ask questions!

 

[TowPro]

As Gary was saying, there are "pull in" types for trucks, The guys that put my Coopers on used them, 50K miles and still not a leak or lost stem.



I just went out and looked at mine, They have a rubber grommet against the rim, but there is a metal stem that comes out of that grommet. If I recall, the inside flange was much bigger as well.



Now I have the "screw on" type on my RV, but there rusting out! Plus the RV spare will only hold 80 psi for about 3 days.

 

[Jammar9082]

I just went through the valve stem process on replacement trailer tires. I couldn't get a straight answer that I trusted from a number of tire shop people that I ask. There are different stems and the imported ones are not good in my opinion. The truck apparently has the higher pressure rated stems as I have been running tires at 80 PSI without problems. I ended up going to O"Reilly's Automotive and got the manager to look at the catalog. I ended up with Camel brand metal valve stems rated to 130 PSI. They have a metal shoulder inside the rim and a rubber seal that fits in the hole and under the shoulder. The stem is held in the rim by an external nut that threads on the stem. I don't have the stock number in the house. The cost was about $2. 50 each. This is the same type of stem I have been using since 1969 on my suburbans until I got the Dodge.



Here is a web site that discusses an article on valve stems from the Tire Review magazine.



www.babcox.com/editorial/tr/tr20134.htm

 

[Matt400]

1.8 million valvestems recalled

While on the subject of valvestems, it appears 1. 8 millon were recalled:

Another Valve Stem Recall Launched



On the other issue here is what I know:

If the valve stem has an outer lock nut its an older style high pressure unit

If the valve stem has an obvious metal sleve you can see on the outside it is a newer style pull through good for high pressure.

If it is all rubber on the outside its the low pressure type.

 

[KSnyder]

My 5er is in the shop now getting all the valve stems replaced due to them leaking. If you were to put any air in the tires and would move the valve stem to either side it would hear air leaking. Theses were the metal with a rubber seat in the rim.

 

[JMetzger]

This is why I use nothing but metal valve stems period.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Even all metal can leak!!! They have rubber o-ring that seals them to the rim and that can deteriorate and leak all-be-it a lot longer before this happens unlike rubber valve stems. Short story check all them often.

Oh I forgot to say on my 5er the way the holes for the valve stem are recessed I had to order metal stems that had the nut on the inside of the rim and tire.

 

[VolCTD]

I've had my 5er one year today and had to submit this to try and get it covered under warranty. They first told me the tires aren't covered under the normal warranty but they are going to try and get the tire manufacturer to cover it (Duro tires). Have any of you all had this covered under warranty? Is this something I should push the dealer/manufacturer to cover no matter what?

 

[Matt400]

Pics

Some pics-



Both push in style-

All rubber low pressure valve stem, and brass high pressure.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I've had my 5er one year today and had to submit this to try and get it covered under warranty. They first told me the tires aren't covered under the normal warranty but they are going to try and get the tire manufacturer to cover it (Duro tires). Have any of you all had this covered under warranty? Is this something I should push the dealer/manufacturer to cover no matter what?

I have RVing friends who have had blowout damage covered by their insurance - probably varies by the insurance companies involved...