Big Shoe
Exit 1-NJ Turnpike, PENNSVILLE, NJ
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Joined: 07/08/2004
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Last week I checked the tire pressure before leaving the driveway towing my TT. I had a short trip, about 65 miles with no obvious problems such as large potholes or running over an object lying in the road. When I got out to register I looked back and there it was, another FLAT ! Apparently it had just happened because the tire was not totally disintegrated however the sidewall was damaged enough that the tire was totaled.
I changed the flat and later inspected it finding the valve stem split open. This is the second incident with a valve stem, the previous one was last summer, with the TT in the driveway. I came out and found a flat. An inspection revealed a split valve stem. I took the flat to the repair shop, they replaced the tire stem and that tire is still on the trailer.
So now I am thinking, my first blow-out, may have not been a tire failure but a tire stem failure which caused deflation of the tire, overheating and a blow-out of the sidewall.
I purchased new brass, screw-in tire stems and a new tire. This weekend I have my work cut out for me getting those tire stems changed out but hopefully this will end this particular tire problem.
Wish me luck.
Just Me & the Boss !
2002 Chevy Suburban 4WD
2005 Sunline TT T-264SR
BIG SHOE
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The Texan
Summer: A Cool Climate Winter: A Warm Climate
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Joined: 01/16/2004
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There was a post just recently about the importation of thousands of faulty valve stems from China and the Government was involved in the investigation. A fatal accident in FL was being blamed on these valve stems.
Bob & Betsy - USN Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 
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david_42
Oregon
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Joined: 04/08/2005
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My Sprinter was recalled a couple years back because of faulty valve stems. I remember one guy insisting that the recall proved diesel engines were bad.
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mooreadventures
North Carolina
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Joined: 03/22/2004
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Was an all rubber valve stem? Or was it a metal valve stem?
I made sure I got all metal stems when I had my tires changed out. They can still fail, but they are less likely and they are designed for higher pressures.
Mark & Tammy
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Enjoying the Lagniappe
Destin,FL,US
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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I always make sure that steel valve stems are installed with my tires, for this very reason.
Enjoying the Lagniappe
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Big Shoe
Exit 1-NJ Turnpike, PENNSVILLE, NJ
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The stems I had in the wheels were all rubber. These new stems are mostly metal with a rubber piece that fits in the hole of the wheel.
Thanks for the replies.
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Joined: 06/16/2004
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I had a valve stem just fall apart on TT spare. Fortunately I had tires balanced and metal valve stems installed when we purchased TT, just never did spare. Now do spares also.
Chuck
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pulsar
Lewisville, NC
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Moved from Technolgy Corner.
2002 Adventurer 32V - Workhorse chassis
1998 CRV toad - manual transmission
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NHguy
NH
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All automobiles light trucks and trailers come with rubber valves. They are perfectly suited to the task at hand. If the valves split they were probably installed by a gorilla. Metal is way over kill, but they are very sturdy til you bump them into something, they can break if they meet a solid object. That is when the rubber valves are a slight advantage because they flex. So there is another side to the metal valve story.
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JIMNLIN
Big Cabin, OK
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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NHguy wrote:All automobiles light trucks and trailers come with rubber valves. They are perfectly suited to the task at hand. If the valves split they were probably installed by a gorilla. Metal is way over kill, but they are very sturdy til you bump them into something, they can break if they meet a solid object. That is when the rubber valves are a slight advantage because they flex. So there is another side to the metal valve story.
our 2500/3500 trucks come from the factory with high pressure rubber stems that are rated to 100 psi. Low pressure rubber stems are rated to only 60 psi. For the reasons that NHguy points out is just one of several reasons I will not use metal stems on my trucks or trailers. Rust is another old story with metal valve stems. High pressure rubber for me. See high pressure rubber for the types in question. I check my stems twice a year by bending them all the way to the wheel in opposite directions.
Jim
'03 2500 Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs
'97 Park Avanue 28' with two slides
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