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Damn Valve stem


Desert Goat Herder

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I've got to be down at the VA hospital in the morning so I went and checked air pressure in the tires. When I got to the front it was down in the 20's so I'm thinking I'd better change out the front tire next week. Started to fill it up and heard a slight hissing sound but figures it was the air chuck not sealing right. Didn't have enough so proceed to fill it so more and again heard a slight hissing. I moved the stem alittle and it stopped so I moved it in the other way and was greeted with a loud hiss. SHIT!! So I did a quick front tire stem change racing the sun as it was 5pm. Mission accomplished. Interested if any body has had this happen to them. I've been changing my own tires for the last 10 years and never had this problem though I have to admit that they're the original stems from 98 and I've never gone that long on stems before. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it, adventure over until next week.

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'98? You're lucky they didn't fail way sooner.

I change my own tires, too. I also change my own valve stems. The metal ones last longer, but the rubber seals can still fail. 2-3 years is about as long as I'd go on any valve stem. Might be a bit on the paranoid side, but given the cost of tires, new valve stems are very cheap insurance. No offense, but 16 years on a valve stem is pushing your luck to ridiculous levels.

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Ya I know. I guess the thing I'm pissed about is the timing. It's 60+ miles to the VA and I hate driving a cage. I've rode to work in snow just so I wouldn't have to cage it.

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Keeping the air in the tires of a two wheeled vehicle I might be doing 100+mph on is something I tend to pay attention to. I don't need to "worry" about it because I don't ride around on 16 year old valve stems. I'm not judging anyone, it's just a silly thing to ignore, IMO.

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I've bought some ariete 90' ones for mine, just waiting for next tyre change, they make it a lot easier to get pump onto

That is what I was going to do was change the tires and change the stems at the same time. Well I'm quite pleased with the new front tire. I didn't realize just how bad the old front tire was on traction and thought it was just me. I took a picture of the rear tire last time I rode to the VA and this time I rode to the VA and it's very noticeable how much less chicken strips are left. Going to change out the rear today or tomorrow even though it's holding air just fine the tire is at the wear bars.

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Dang, dude - check your tool kit strap! It may be too late!

I'm a little crazy about stuff like that, I do rubber valve stems every other tire change. I have the 90* aluminum ones, but haven't had them on long enough to change the rubber gaskets yet.

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Dang, dude - check your tool kit strap! It may be too late!

I'm a little crazy about stuff like that, I do rubber valve stems every other tire change. I have the 90* aluminum ones, but haven't had them on long enough to change the rubber gaskets yet.

My tool strap is long gone and the replacement also.

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Someone should start a poll about who has changed their valve stems. I bet most have not. I guess that you should but I have never had one fail where the air escaped quickly on any car, bike or truck in my life.

Unless you change your own tires, you really don't know. I'm aware of at least one shop around here that replaced them whenever they changed a tire. I'll admit that's likely not the norm, but it's such a small thing I doubt it's all that rare, either.

Oh, and I agree that a valve stem related catastrophic failure is incredibly unlikely. Flat tires still suck, though, even if it goes flat slowly, and there's no way to patch a valve stem.

IMO, YMMV and all that :)

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Well just let you guys know the stem from the rear wheel had to be cut. I wouldn't break like the one on the front wheel did and believe me I tried. Pulled it over and pushed it down hard but it wouldn't let go. Like I said I used an X-acto knife to cut it off and it actually looked good with no cracking. Don't know why the front stem rotted where the rear didn't.

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Ya I know. I guess the thing I'm pissed about is the timing. It's 60+ miles to the VA and I hate driving a cage. I've rode to work in snow just so I wouldn't have to cage it.

It could have failed at the VA where you didn't have tools, or on the road, or... The timing was not ideal, but far from shitty. I change rubber ones every tire, metal ones I ignore longer but eventually the seals will deteriorate. 90 degree stems are really nice.

I had one do exactly as yours on a bike I had no history on, annoying since it had near new tires. It's standard practice to replace them at every tire change at car tire places, no clue if bike shops think the same way across the board but the few I've had done got new stems without asking.

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It's standard practice to replace them at every tire change at car tire places, no clue if bike shops think the same way across the board but the few I've had done got new stems without asking.

Not to drag this on but no car/truck tire place around me (I have been to many) replaces them without being asked to. Wal Mart will ask if you want them changed and charge you for it. I have found that here in the north east that older aluminum truck/car wheels start to have problems sealing at the valve stems even with new ones because the oxidization.

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