Minutiae minute - best valve caps?

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
How about the ones that show pressure?


A friend of mine had these. After some go-rounds, he found they leaked air when installed, a problem he didn't have when they were not installed.

 

[Benito]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
How about the ones that show pressure?


A friend of mine had these. After some go-rounds, he found they leaked air when installed, a problem he didn't have when they were not installed.


Yeah that's why I've stayed away from them as well.

 

[DeepFriar]

Yeah, I was thinking after Garak's response that those things would not have been designed for his kind of weather especially. It's such a good idea though, seems like some reputable company could figure it out and market them. If it was me I would go directly at the car manufacturers right after I hired a former NHTSA director as my Vice President of Programs and after having made the right offers of support to the congressmen in the building districts. All in the interest of the driving public you see....... Think of the lives we'll save. Why, you'll be heroes! Hee Hee Darn sight easier and cheaper than putting radio transmitters in each wheel. Lordy, complication for complications sake. It's almost German for goodness sake.

 

[Garak]

Yep, we can already have enough problems with valve stems if people are putting in really moist air on a cold day. Something reading the pressure would be even more vulnerable to that issue, I would think. But, it is a fantastic idea. If you could get accurate ones that don't leak out air and don't fail due to winter and just are generally very reliable (and not butt ugly), how could one not want them?

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Benito
I was out and about today and saw that I'd lost a valve cap. I don't have any spare!

Any suggestions for what I should get for a non tpms valve?

Go to Costco and ask at the tire department. They will probably give you one for free. You can even get a snazzy green one, if you like!

Originally Posted By: Benito
Can it possibly even matter?

Yes. Leave it off long enough and corrosion will set in inside the valve, causing a slow leak.

Originally Posted By: Benito
And how in did it come off in the first place?

Somebody stole it, somebody who was missing one himself. Or a prankster. These things don't come loose by themselves.

 

[Benito]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Benito
Can it possibly even matter?

Yes. Leave it off long enough and corrosion will set in inside the valve, causing a slow leak.


I meant what replacements I buy!

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Benito
And how in did it come off in the first place?

Somebody stole it, somebody who was missing one himself. Or a prankster. These things don't come loose by themselves.


When I checked the others, one of them was not able to secure tightly to the valve stem. The vehicle has been left out in high heat recently. I wonder if that is enough to soften up plastic causing the caps to come off the threads. And whether after several years they just end up degrading enough to come loose by themselves.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Benito
I meant what replacements I buy!

What does that statement mean? Was it meant to be a question? Please clarify.

Originally Posted By: Benito
When I checked the others, one of them was not able to secure tightly to the valve stem.

Check the threads. I'll bet it's stripped.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Rand
get the cheap plastic ones with the mini o-ring/gasket in the tip.

almost all the metal ones can corrode to the threads which then requires you to dremel them off.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Plastic-Tire...9802&sr=1-8

or maybe a 100pack of the best sealing gray caps?

http://www.amazon.com/Schrader-20395-Pla...KWP2VTK8MP0E3GG

note the very nice gasket in the tip


I use those metal Schrader ones in the amazon listing.

Somehow, I NEVER had a dissimilar metal problem with them, even though my brake bleeder screws are PERMANENTLY cold welded into the calipers.

 

[lenjack]

Do you mean the little plastic thingys that thread on to the stem? I asked my local gas station guy. He had about 100 of them lying around, and just handed me a few.

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted By: Rand
get the cheap plastic ones with the mini o-ring/gasket in the tip.


+1.