How to Replace a Wheel Valve Stem (Short Version) - It's much easier than you think...

When I pumped up my tire, I noticed air was escaping. My initial thought was that the pump wasn’t connected properly. I tried re-seating the foot pump on the valve, but air was still escaping?

When I removed the pump connection, I moved the valve stem with my finger and air would escape. On closer examination, I found that the valve stem had perished and would need to be replaced.

A defect like this could have caused a sudden blowout!

Note:
Be careful. A tire is a pressurized container. Any damage, or incorrect repair can cause a sudden loss of air which could be dangerous at speed (a blowout). Therefore please take care. Any work you may carry out is at your own risk.

Related Videos:
- Breaking a Tire Bead (Two easy methods): https://youtu.be/y-6U2x7_d3s
- How to Replace a Wheel Valve: https://youtu.be/1M90jceHKwY

More info can be found at:
https://do-it-up.com/vehicles/brakes-suspension/how-to-break-the-bead-on-a-tyre/
https://do-it-up.com/vehicles/brakes-suspension/how-to-replace-a-wheel-valve-stem/

Testing for Leaks on a Wheel Valve Stem…

What to look for? We can test the valve & valve stem with some soapy water (as long as there is air in the tyre). Use a brush to apply a small amount of soapy water on the valve. A small leak will give you some bubbles.

To test the valve stem itself, brush soapy water on the body of the valve (the non threaded part). If you don’t see any bubbles, move the valve stem from side to side with your finger. A leak may only be apparent if the valve stem is moved. Moving the valve stem will open up any cracks that are there. If it’s only the valve that’s leaking (bubbles coming from the threaded top part of the valve stem), only the ‘Schrader’ valve needs to be replaced.

How do I Replace a Valve Stem Without Removing the Tyre…

To properly replace the valve stem, we need to ‘Break the tire bead’.

Note: Do not try and repair the existing valve stem! Failure could be dangerous at speed (a blowout). Always replace with a new.

Tools Required:
- Two pieces of wood.
- Valve Stem Puller.
- Pliers.
- A Screwdriver.
- An air Pump.

Notes:
Replacing a valve stem was much easier and straightforward than I first thought. It only requires a few inexpensive tools.

Replacing a Broken & Perished Wheel Valve Stem:
Once the tire bead has been broken (the tyre has been pushed off the wheel rim), we can replace the valve stem…

- As the valve stem is broken and perished, we can just pull the top part off!
- This leaves the bottom part of the valve stem behind. Push this through the rim with a screwdriver
- Remove the bottom of the valve stem from the tire (so it doesn’t rattle around inside). Use Pliers, not your fingers!
- Find the valve hole and check for any corrosion (on both sides).
– For Safety Reasons. Do not lubricate the wheel valve stem with oil! Oil can perish rubber. This could cause a sudden loss of air (a blowout)!
- Use a wheel valve stem pulling tool to fix the valve stem in place. This screws onto the valve stem & you pull the valve stem into place…
- If you don’t have a wheel valve stem puller, you can use pliers.
– Stop! Make sure you don’t damage the valve stem with the pliers!
- Check the ‘snap-in’ wheel valve stem is seated correctly.

Inflating the Tyre:
- First we need to partially inflate the tire so the bead of the tire goes back on the wheel rim.
- Make sure the tire is seated. This is to ensure not much air escapes during the initial re-inflation of the tyre.
- As the air inflates the tire, the air will push the tyre bead back onto the rim. Listen for the ‘pop’ as the tyre reseats itself back on the wheel rim.
- Once the bead of the tire is back on the rim, inflate the tyre to the recommended pressure for your vehicle.
- Once re-inflated. Keep an eye on the tire pressure to make sure there are no issues.

Note:
Check the air pressure (a few days later) to make sure there are no leaks.

Do’s and Don’ts! You don’t want a sudden failure that leads to a rapid deflation of the tyre.

- Don’t use oils, greases, waxes etc. They can cause materials such as rubber to perish and fail.
- Don’t modify components. I saw a video where someone was drilling the valve stem hole to help insert a snap-in valve stem. Modifications can cause early failure of components, as the original design specifications will have been changed.
- Always replace components with new. A repair may lead to a sudden failure.
- Using pliers to pull the valve stem through the wheel rim (guilty). Make sure the pliers have no sharp edges. Thoroughly check the valve stem for any damage after insertion.
- Trying to insert a ‘snap-in’ wheel valve stem from the outside (without pushing the tire off the rim). By forcing the ‘snap-in’ wheel valve stem through the valve stem hole in the wrong direction, can lead to damage. A ‘snap-in’ wheel valve stem is only designed to be inserted from the inside!

Hope this helps...

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