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Old 12-24-2022, 03:01 PM   #1
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Tire valve stuck, inflate and use metal cap to drive 15 miles?

I'm in a pickle and it's Christmas Eve of all days. Good Sam Roadside doesn't have anyone available until Monday.

I was trying to be handy and check the tire pressure for safety, but when I used my tire pressure gauge, my tire valve got stuck on the outside drivers rear tire of the duals, letting all the air out. Can I overfill it slightly and get the metal cap on quickly as a temp fix to drive 15 miles? The road I have to drive is very steep and very curvy for the first 4 miles, then it's a level straight shot.

Will the metal cap hold the air in for that short distance?

Also, the passenger rear outside is 66.5 PSI and the inside is 64.5 PSI. In the short/quick time I've skimmed forums, this seems to be about the norm. Is that right? (After the stuck valve, I've been too scared to check the front tires.)

Any help or thoughts would be appreciated. (I've learned my lesson for sure.)

1988 Minnie Winnie, 26', info sticker says 50 PSI for front and rear
Tires: Ironman All Country CHT, LT215/85R16-115/112R M+S, 80 PSI max
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Old 12-24-2022, 03:40 PM   #2
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When you say it is stuck, can we assume there is no chance of having/getting a valve stem removal tool? Any big box or some hardwares, certainly tie shops would likely have one.
Do you have car, etc to go get one and what are the odds of getting it aired again?
Lots depend on the details, so I might move to other ideas besides replacing the valve.

Being stuck can be just something like grit in the space around the vlave which then jams the valve or it can be the spring on the valve has failed. Cold and frozen may also give you a problem??

I would first try probing the little center wire spot to see it moving it might let it pop back up. Got something like a small screwdriver, a sharp knife blade, etc. to poke in an wiggle it a bit to watch for it to pop up?

The smalll difference in the tire pressure is not somethng to worry as it is true that we try to keep them at a set pressure but it often varies. When we got a tire pressue monito, I stopped worry about the pressure as I could see in real time how much the pressure varied with even simple stuff like which side was in the sun!

Good Sam and nobody on holidays? That certainly would not make me recommend them! Total failure if they are not there in emergencies!
Maybe ask them to let you call a local for repair and they pay the bill when sent to them?
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Old 12-24-2022, 04:11 PM   #3
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If you have a way to go shop and air the tires, this may be the solution:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slime-4-W...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Simple tool to unscrew the old and screw in a new valve stem.
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Old 12-24-2022, 04:20 PM   #4
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Morich, thanks for responding! Based on your post, here's some addt'l info:

I have a car and can get a valve stem removal tool. Does that work on the valve stem extenders? I have dual tires on the rear with extenders.

I'm not in freezing temp. It's been about 66 degrees in the day day/ 42 at night.

I tried tweezers and a small screwdriver to probe a bit, but no luck.

Good Sam said they've gotten higher than usual calls so they have no techs available. I don't know how true though. The rep I spoke with seemed to say that their techs don't have access to the Good Sam system or something after a certain time, but it was before noon when I called. Seems odd or maybe I misunderstood. But, ultimately, they said they couldn't send any techs till Monday morning. I even called around locally and none of the shops had anyone available.

Circling back though, if I put on the metal cap and it seems to stop the air leak, would that be good enough to drive 15 miles?


Edit: forgot to add that I have a tire inflator.
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Old 12-24-2022, 04:42 PM   #5
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I knew nothing about tires before today (other than basic tire changing), but based on your post and some reading, looks like these valve cores are pretty standard. I'll get that 4-way tool with the valve cores, screw out mine that's stuck and screw in a new valve core. Is it really that easy? (I was worried that the dual tires with extenders made it more complicated or there was something dangerous I wasn't aware of, but it sounds like it's still just the typical screw in/out.)
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Old 12-24-2022, 06:13 PM   #6
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Yes, the stem is very simple. I did some drawing here to help see what you have. All tires that I know of have the same. Maybe not construction graders, etc.?

The idea is that there are threads on the inside of the stem, whether it is rubber or metal like extenders and all the same size as far as I know. The stem has threads on the outside and a flat shape at the head.

Click image for larger version

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Blue mark is the threads and green is a little wire pin that has a spring to keep it up and closed until we push on it. There is a center pin in air lines that pushes this pin to open.
what I was hoping might have happened was a bit of something like sand gets caught and keep that little pin from going back up to close. Cold weather they can get ice in them and stick open until they warm up!
The stem is shaped so that a tool like removal tool or some valve caps have a notch to fit over the top of the stem and they unscrew counter clock.

They should turn fairly easy and you don't need to turn it really hard to get it tight. Just finger snug as it is just a few brass threads and not to strip it. Not likely to happen if you don't use tools or really work at it.

Good luck and hope you get back on the road in good time.

EDIT Better picture here!

Click image for larger version

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Whether one wants to drive with the cap holding the air is not sure. How far to drive on a low tire depedns on lots of things like the tire and how much it may heat up. And that depedns on so many things that I can't really rercommend it because if it does blow out, it is really a bad deal.
I try not to push my luck on blowouts, so I would look hard before doing it.

I'm tight as a tick but I would likely call a tow service and pay out of pocket if it had to be before running on a tire I know is low?
The big thing is it costs so, so much more if we guess wrong and the tire goes out the RV side, tears out brake lines or all those really bad things.
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Old 12-24-2022, 06:48 PM   #7
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Just got back from picking up that 4-way tool and new valve cores. Installed a new valve core and did a quick test by inflating a couple minutes. No air leaking so it seems to work! Gonna fill the tire to 65 like the others and hopefully that's all to it.

Thanks also for your notes on being cautious. If the new valve core didn't work, I was resigned to staying put and waiting until Monday for a tech. I really hope I've learned my lesson and will keep my attempts at playing handyman to non-holidays, haha.

I really appreciate all your help, especially on this holiday! I was so stressed and worried that it was a huge, complicated and expensive issue, but I think this $2 fix did the trick! I'm sending you all the good cheer and appreciation possible for getting me back on the road
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Old 12-24-2022, 07:22 PM   #8
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Get a set of TPM's and you will know the tire pressures without checking each one .
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Old 12-25-2022, 05:42 AM   #9
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That same thing happened to me a few years back. After the first time, I would spray lubricate into the value stem before testing pressure or filling. Once I did that all would work as it was made to.
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Old 01-01-2023, 07:20 PM   #10
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I recommend a Tire Pressure Monitor as well, it will give you a warning if there are problems!
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Old 01-01-2023, 10:00 PM   #11
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Bottom picture in post is of a "Valve Core". The upper red part is the seal between the valve core and the valve stem. The red at the bottom of the core is where the air goes through the core and into the tire air chamber.
The Torque for the valve core is 2 to 5 in-lb (yes there are tools that you can use to confirm this.
I covered Valve cores and their torque in detail in my RV Tire Safety blog post.
And Yes a metal valve cap can keep air in if the rubber seal inside the valve cap is un damaged. If you need to do this I suggest you confirm with a drop of soapy water or even spray of Windex or similar.
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Old 01-02-2023, 08:05 AM   #12
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be happy: "spray lubricate into the value stem before testing pressure or filling"

WD-40?
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Old 01-02-2023, 11:41 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RHome View Post
be happy: "spray lubricate into the value stem before testing pressure or filling"

WD-40?
You have to be careful about which product you might use as a lubricant, most solvents are not compatible with rubber compounds and could cause premature tire failure!
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