[DeTomaso] Rubber based valve stems - Lessons learned and passed on

[bill gaino]

Good point, I just checked my clones and the rubber even looks deteriorated. My original wheels were metal stemmed....I just added new stems to my list... Thanks... Bill

-----Original Message-----
>From: Mike Thomas <mbefthomas at comcast.net>
>Sent: May 21, 2008 9:48 PM
>To: detomaso at realbig.com
>Subject: [DeTomaso] Rubber based valve stems - Lessons learned and passed on
>
>Many if not most of you are probably aware, but for those who aren't (which
>included me until a week ago), rubber valve stems can be a liability on our
>cars at high speed.
>
>I have a set of 17" Campy clones which were put together with rubber-based
>metal valve stems.  I had a low tire issue on a club event this last weekend
>that almost left me stranded.  I had to limp between gas stations for about
>10 miles until I could get to a tire store to have the stem replaced.  The
>rubber base of one rear valve stem had started to tear out toward the inside
>of the wheel.  After talking to one of our members, it seems that the
>centrifugal force put on a rubber-based metal stem at high speed can damage
>the seal over time.  The faster the wheel turns, the more the stem wants to
>bend to the outside.  With the fancy metal valve stem caps, it's even worse,
>as there is more weight at the outer end of the stem.
>
>Solution, as I am told, is to have metal-based valve stems installed.  They
>should only need to break the bead on the tire at the stem, and shouldn't
>need to rebalance the tire, as the weight difference between rubber and
>metal stems is minimal.
>
>Just my .02, hope it helps someone.
>
>Mike Thomas
>Panteras Northwest
>
>
>
>
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