Extra Long Valve Caps

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Aug 16, 2019
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Are extra long tire valve caps good to use?
I used to wonder if they caused slow leaks in the valves.
 
They were useful on steel wheels when hubcaps were used. They shouldn't cause any leaks as they aren't pushing on the valve core unless pressed on. Look at a semi truck or semi trailer and you will usually see short extensions to keep dirt out and do away with needing a valve cap. They are usually plastic on class 8 wheels, sometimes metal.

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There are different kinds. I put them on my brand new 1976 Plymouth Volare and about a week later parked next to a high curb. The kind I put on was black plastic and had a white center that rested against the center stem of the Schrader valve, so you could put an air hose on it and it would fill the tire. The white center contacted the curb and depressed the stem of the Schrader valve, and when I returned to the car the tire was flat. And to top it off, back then there was a severe rubber shortage so the car did not come with a spare tire. The ones I used did not have threads on the end for a cap.

So it the extension you have has a center that all you have to do is press on it, and that center is exposed, I would not use it.
 
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These are what I have.
I have the ones Jim seems to describe. They might be OK as long as I'm aware of how close I park to curbs.
They might get damaged by parking too close to curbs also, so that should be monitored.
 
I brought a new-to-me car that had a similar valve extension that was always connected and you could use them to pump up the tyres easier. Eight years on, no problems, no slow leaks, no sudden leaks.
 
Originally Posted by Mr_Luke
Are extra long tire valve caps good to use?
I used to wonder if they caused slow leaks in the valves.


We would not allow long valve stems and/or extensions on our police fleet. High speeds lay the stem down and create the potential for a blowout.
 
I always get the shortest valve stem available on a tire install and then use the inexpensive plastic extenders to get the length I need. No metal ones for me.
 
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