new rubber valves are a seperate line item at my tire store. they charge $4.50 each. I have never had a problem with a valve.
So do they really need to be replaced every time?
So do they really need to be replaced every time?
Do valves really need to be replaced every time?
- Thread starter WhyMe
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Yea it sucks but most places here charge for stems as well. $4.5 seems kind of high though, iirc last place charged me $2-$2.5
Its mostly a scam I feel, especially if stems are in good shape.
Its mostly a scam I feel, especially if stems are in good shape.
No. I would go more on age than anything else.
My stem is TPMS!
If you go through tires every couple years, or so, you could change them every other time. But if you run tires for six years, they would be 12 years old next time.Other factors, being outside all the time and exposed to salt and corrosion. The other issue is when dismounting and mounting the tire you have to index the tire on the wheel, just like with sensors, or you will cut the valve stem with the tire bead getting pulled across the bottom side of the stem. Most installers pay no attention, and do that to the new stem anyway. And by the way, valve stems cost the dealer like
15 cents ea.
15 cents ea.
Rubber deteriorates with age just as anything else does. No, you don't have to replace them. However, it's convenient to do because you're already at the tire store and, because your tires are already dismounted anyway, they generally don't charge labor to install the valve stems. If you need to replace one after the fact, you'll generally be paying for the part and labor, and possible tire re-balance as well. You'd likely pay 20 bucks to have ONE valve stem replaced after the fact, or you can pay 20 bucks to replace them ALL right now.
That's the gamble you take. Sure, it's a pretty low-stakes gamble. Myself, I'd just have them replaced. For 20 bucks, it's an easy decision to me.
That's the gamble you take. Sure, it's a pretty low-stakes gamble. Myself, I'd just have them replaced. For 20 bucks, it's an easy decision to me.
replace them. Most tire valve stems are made in china now from cheap rubber. They don't last. Ford had a big problem with leaking stems several years back.
Metal valve stems have rubber gaskets that fail at inconvenient times.
What tire shop will have your choice of USA or Chinese valve stems? Come on, man. They'll have boxes of 20¢ valve stems, and tell you anything they think you want to hear.
What tire shop will have your choice of USA or Chinese valve stems? Come on, man. They'll have boxes of 20¢ valve stems, and tell you anything they think you want to hear.
My good buddy and I( and many in our circle) use Walmart for our tire instalation. He chooses not to get the valve stems as part of their installation package and I choose to get them.
He has no valve stem issues and I often do. Hmmmm! Maybe I should do what he does!
He has no valve stem issues and I often do. Hmmmm! Maybe I should do what he does!
A couple of thoughts:
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
A couple of thoughts:
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
YUP...another thread on how to save 4/100 of 1¢ per mile....
A couple of thoughts:
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
YUP...another thread on how to save 4/100 of 1¢ per mile....
In my case the rubber valve had snapped letting all the air out in a short period of time while I was driving, at least the metal valve stem doesn't break , even if the rubber gasket leaks it will give you time to cach and fix the flat tire.
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
A couple of thoughts:
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
A couple of thoughts:
First, even metal valves use rubber to seal.
Second, rubber deteriorates over time.
Ergo, any tire shop worth the name should replace the valves every time because they just don't know how long it will be before the opportunity to replace the valve comes again - and lawsuits can be quite expensive.
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
Are you sure about that? I think even metal valves have at least an O ring.
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
Are you sure about that? I think even metal valves have at least an O ring.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
At the very least, the actual valve inside the stem uses a rubber o-ring, so that would be your maintenance item, and the part prone to deterioration. So your valve stems thread into the wheel rim itself? I've never heard of that, but I'm not saying that you're wrong. Either way, it's extremely uncommon, and 99% of the metal valve stems out there today are sealed with rubber somewhere. A metal-to-metal connection usually isn't air-tight.
Not all metal valve stems use rubber seals. Offhand, both my F-350's and my J-20 used screw-in metal valve stems with absolutely no replaceable rubber parts!
At the very least, the actual valve inside the stem uses a rubber o-ring, so that would be your maintenance item, and the part prone to deterioration. So your valve stems thread into the wheel rim itself? I've never heard of that, but I'm not saying that you're wrong. Either way, it's extremely uncommon, and 99% of the metal valve stems out there today are sealed with rubber somewhere. A metal-to-metal connection usually isn't air-tight.
I would replace them, and I would make sure they are the correct type as well. Standard rubber stems arre only good to 65psi. If you have E-rated LT tires, you need the rubber/brass High Pressure stems.
When I bought my CVPI the PO told me he had taken it to Discount Tire and they found a leaking valve stem on one of the tires (left rear) so they replaced it.
3 hours later, after stopping at a mall, I got on the highway headed home and one of the other valve stems blew out on the front left while I was going 70MPH.
Only thing that saved me was the power steering was pretty much dead.
Of course the tire was toast. When I got another pair of tires, I had the valve stems swapped on the other 2 that still had old stems.
When I worked at TLE I saw so many flat tires come in where the cause was a split valve stem. Had an F350 one day come in with a split valve stem, and while it was in the parking lot, it blew out another stem just sitting there.
I have an extremely low opinion of anyone who spends $80+/per on tires and penny pinches on the valve stem.
I always replaced them anyway, even if they didnt pay for it.
When I bought my CVPI the PO told me he had taken it to Discount Tire and they found a leaking valve stem on one of the tires (left rear) so they replaced it.
3 hours later, after stopping at a mall, I got on the highway headed home and one of the other valve stems blew out on the front left while I was going 70MPH.
Only thing that saved me was the power steering was pretty much dead.
Of course the tire was toast. When I got another pair of tires, I had the valve stems swapped on the other 2 that still had old stems.
When I worked at TLE I saw so many flat tires come in where the cause was a split valve stem. Had an F350 one day come in with a split valve stem, and while it was in the parking lot, it blew out another stem just sitting there.
I have an extremely low opinion of anyone who spends $80+/per on tires and penny pinches on the valve stem.
I always replaced them anyway, even if they didnt pay for it.
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