2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rubber Valve Stems above 60psi

[tveverka]

Has anyone had any problems with the stock rubber valve stems

on an '00 with Goodyear tires rated up to 80psi?

I've had two tires loose the rubber valve stem. It cracked right

where the metal threads end down in the rubber. Once was

in a parking lot. No problem, I just had the valve stem replaced.

The second time I was enroute to FL on Memorial Day when

I lost the front left stem. I ended up destroying the tire.

I was at 70 mph, 70 psi pulling my 5er at night.

I had to buy a new tire that time.

I've been told that I should be using metal valve stems above

60psi.

Any one have any ideas?

 

[Ramboy]

I have been using rubber valve stems on mine and running 80 lbs. for close to 4 years now. I've never had so much as a flat. All six wheels on my trailer have rubber stems and run 80 lbs. in all of them for 3 years now. No problems.

 

[TPilaske]

I'm running all mine at 80psi w/out any problems.

 

[moparguy]

My tire guy says that rubber stems are only good for 60psig. I've had a couple let go, one on a trailer, one on the truck. Which by the way has metal stems now.

 

[csevers]

some good some bad

I have had two flat tires at work with rubber valve stems they run up to 80 psi in them the key is to change them when tires get changed we weren't doing that and started had a lot less problems with vavle stems and now they decided it was time to start using metal ones. I my self have had flat tires on the truck do to driving through cow yards and getting something up against the valve stem and tearing it out but still have the rubber ones on the new set of tires I just installed on the truck last week.

 

[ISBPilot]

Peace of mind!

Had a rubber one on trailer split length ways along the seam. Also had both inside duals on truck pull out of the rims due to flexible extensions coming loose at high speeds.



Now I have metal stems in all truck rims and metal screw on extensions on rear duals. No problems this way and no worries about valve stem trouble. Cheap insurance to keep me from having to change a tire from my wheelchair on the side of the road in the middle of the night due to $0. 99 valve stem letting the air out of a $120 tire.



But that's just my opinion.



Todd

 

[Whitmore]

If you ever run tire chains the steal stems will most likely hook on the chain and break off if you hve sloppy chains or if you throw one :{ ... ..... not a good deal in the mountains, there is one thing worse than having a flat and that is having a flat while chained up :{

 

[M Barnett]

ISBPilot: Here is what happened to me. I bought metal extensions for my semi truck duels cause as you know the valve stems are hard to get to with duels to check pressure. Some time later I had a flat and we found the extension cracked. Then about a week later another went. Didn't take long to figure out they couldn't take the centrifugal force. I paid $10 apiece for them.

Michael

 

[ISBPilot]

M Barnett

Sounds about like my luck. If they is any chance of problems, mine will. Have thought about the longer metal valve stems but that will make tire rotation a little harder. Have had mine on for over a year now. How long before yours had problems?



Todd

 

[M Barnett]

ISBPilot

Seems like they were only on for about a month. I think they were about 6 inches long. They might have just been made too thin. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it unless one decides to break.

Michael

 

[JohnE]

Sorry for the long post...



I am on the 3rd stem on the left front and the 5th stem on the right front. They don't break or split, they just plain leak.



The first set were both high pressure <em>rubber</em> stems replaced when installing new tires. The left was replaced at 15 months and the right at about 16 months. The local shop replaced them with low pressure (60 psi) rubber stems each time.



A low pressure rubber stem is rubber coated to the cap threads. A high pressure rubber stem is rubber halfway to the cap threads and exposed steel core the remainder. A full metal stem only has rubber gaskets at the base and is usually a nice shiny brass or chrome finish.



The right stem lasted maybe a month and started leaking again. Another 60 psi rubber stem and it too leaked in 2 weeks.



I complained on a liability issue with low pressure versus high pressure stems. The local shop ordered high pressure stems and replaced both front stems. This time while changing out the first wheel they had to completely break the bead as he lost the back side when pulling the old stem. I looked inside the wheel and it was really rusty on the entire inside and especially around the stem. (It looked as if I had been running calcium solution. ) He filed the hole clean and used emery cloth on the inside to clean things up.



I was back in 2 weeks for the right front stem leaking again. This time he installed a brass stem stem and it hasn't leaked for the past 2 weeks.



<em>Of all the rotten luck, now I need a new set of wheels!</em>



diesel on

-John