Installing Rubber Valve Stems / Choice of Lubricant

[eljefino]

Windex would work as well as anything else.

That sounds awful! Ammonia is known for its corrosive properties.

Shampoo or dish soap and water.

Are you mounting the tires yourself? Why not let the tire shop handle the stems too?

 

[CapriRacer]

DO NOT USE SILICONE ANYWHERE NEAR A TIRE!!

Silicone is so slippery that if you get some between the tire and the wheel, the tire could rotate relative to the wheel throwing off the balance! This will not go away and you have to dismount the tire off the wheel to clean the wheel - and cleaning the wheel takes some effort to make sure you got it all! It's better if you don't have to do that.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

DO NOT USE SILICONE ANYWHERE NEAR A TIRE!!

Silicone is so slippery that if you get some between the tire and the wheel, the tire could rotate relative to the wheel throwing off the balance! This will not go away and you have to dismount the tire off the wheel to clean the wheel - and cleaning the wheel takes some effort to make sure you got it all! It's better if you don't have to do that.

Same thing if the shop uses too much regular soapy lubricant even a not so powerful 2.4L Honda Accord manual transmission.

 

[nomas]

This is about lubing a valve stem , not a tire bead ...

 

[Sequoiasoon]

This is about lubing a valve stem , not a tire bead ...

Some people spray or apply LIBERALLY and might get it on the bead area.

Kind of like making sure you where gloves, use alcohol and don't touch headlight bulbs but then hit the side where O-ring has grease trying to insert them.

 

[chrlsful]

-0-

 

[LostInTransit]

We opted for the rubber stem, but once home, I found it very difficult to get an actuate reading with the tire gauge as the rubber stem kept moving around. Took the van back to Discount tire and had them install metal stems as these gave me a much better and more actuate reading.

 

[nutdriver]

We opted for the rubber stem, but once home, I found it very difficult to get an actuate reading with the tire gauge as the rubber stem kept moving around. Took the van back to Discount tire and had them install metal stems as these gave me a much better and more actuate reading.

I will be doing some off-road driving and I prefer the flexibility the rubber valve stems provide ie less risk of damage from flying rocks . I do prefer the looks of metal stems but otherwise I have never had a problem getting accurate pressure readings on rubber stems.

 

[LostInTransit]

Perhaps the rubber stems we requested were to long. because I wasn't getting an actuate ready.. went with a short metal stem instead. Now everything is fine.

 

[Creekside]

I use Freylube to mount tires and will smear just a little around a stem before I pop it in. I also use it on the high pressure threaded stems to prevent the rubber seal from spinning when tightening the nut.

Tire Lube