Valve Stems, almost went down today for the second time.

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Apr 5, 2010 | 05:17 PM

#31

oldbagr

Road Master

Joined: Aug 2008

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From: Redmond, WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln33

I posted on here back in November that I blew the schrader valve out of my rear tire while on my way home from Mississippi. I had never heard of this and asked on here if anyone else had. Most of the responses suspected the tire had been tampered with or the schrader valve was loose.

I completely replaced the valve stem and it lasted about a thousand miles. Just yesterday I got a second flat on the same tire. After getting towed to the dealer we checked the valve stem and found it all chewed up. I couldnt tell if it happened before the flat or after. We didn't find a nail or anything in the tire.

I bought the valve stem at a motorcycle shop so I'm assuming it was made for a motorcycle, are they really vehicle specific?

The mechanic said the valve stem I had in place was just a little longer than the ones they use but it wasn't too long. He also assured me I mounted the tire properly and that it was alligned.

My apologies to the OP for jacking his thread but I think we may have had similar problems.

Any idea what went wrong Doc?

Not sure if this is related but I know that auto tire dealers had a problem with valve stems last year and found that the stems that were manufactured in China were failing at a fairly high rate.

Apr 5, 2010 | 05:25 PM

#32

1st 96 ultra

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Joined: Dec 2009

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From: Lapeer , Mich

I agree with piasspj , all the valve stems are the same in the older ones of corse without the electronics in them , any way have worked on all sorts of equipment and there is a large and a small vave stem but they are very different and I think any body could tell the difference and they will not interchange but the shrader valves will , even the long or short valves will interchange have never heard of the problem you are having ,even the caps coming off is weard , have you pissed off any body ? keep us posted as to what you come up with

Apr 5, 2010 | 07:48 PM

#33

RandyDowdy

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Joined: Jul 2009

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From: Danville Va, Providence NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Scrooge

Of course you are right, Randy. That's what I meant. My fingers got ahead of my brain.

Happens to me all the time, lol. If that is the biggest problem you/I have, I think we'll be alright!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artlee

Went out and bought a fourpak of metal caps ( 3.50 at VIP ) that have a rubber gasket inside. The top of the cap has post coming off it that is spit down the middle. You can loosen or tighten the valve core with the post and or put a slotted screwdriver on it to loosen the cap. Thanks for the tip/s everybody!

Be careful, those can leak through the slot. But if you don't overtighten them, you should be OK.

Apr 5, 2010 | 09:02 PM

#34

Artlee

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2010

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From: Maine

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANDYDOWDY

Be careful, those can leak through the slot. But if you don't overtighten them, you should be OK.

Thank you.......

Apr 6, 2010 | 08:33 AM

#35

electra glide

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Joined: Mar 2008

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From: Cincinnati Ohio

The whole thing's weird, and I'm just gonna do new, better stems w/ the caps w/ the core tool on them and hope for the best. Like I said, they're putting an inner tube in there and balancing the wheels too, so it's worth it. Have I pissed off anyone, my wife on a daily basis, but she was on the back when it happened so that doesn't add up, otherwise, I'd be suspicious.

Apr 7, 2010 | 08:39 AM

#36

electra glide

Thread Starter

Road Captain

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From: Cincinnati Ohio

Bike goes in the shop Friday.

Apr 12, 2011 | 06:56 AM

#37

dlhowell1969

Stage I

Joined: Apr 2011

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I see that this was posted last year but maybe this will help. I changed the valve stems on my 99 Road King when I changed my tires and didn't pay enough attention. I went from a TR412 to a TR413 which is alightly longer. The problem is brake caliper clearance. The stem appears to clear until a higher speed is reached and the centriugal force of the wheel rotation bends the stem down a little contacting the brake caliper. If you're lucky it chews it up. If you're me, it snaps and instantly goes flat and the tire comes off the bead and the bike dumps at 50 MPH(front tire). So consider all angles when going to anything but the stock valve stem, which is only about 7/8ths of an inch exposed.

Apr 12, 2011 | 07:40 AM

#38

Jags93

Road Master

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 1,244

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From: Stamford, CT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Fat Boy

How the hell do you hear air leaking out of a valve stem doing 75 mph going down the road? Seriously, you heard air leaking?

The bike's handling characteristics changed so he may have percieved it as a new sound and the tire likely made a different sound as the contact patch increased as the pressure bled down.