Another valve stem failer thread...

I was coming home from cars and coffee in Irvine when I noticed the car seemed squirly. It seemed like a low tire but didnt confirm it till I got off the highway. I noticed my left rear tire was going down and decided to drive it home as I only had a couple fo blocks and no jack or spare. I dropped the car off in storage and didnt come back for a week

When I returned I noticed that it wasnt down more than a week ago. I thought that maybe I had parked the car on a nail which sealed it. I take the tire off and look to find no nail or tare or crack in my rim(thank god). I did find that the valve stem(rubber) had torn in the corner. I was told to replace them with short metal one but had forgotten. I should have listened right away as it could have happened at the track. I rarely drive the car on the street( twice a month?)

I just wanted to share my story so some of you guys wont get hurt. I searched some old threads and found that I am not the only one that this has happened to but quite luckier than alot of others. I spoke to a friend and he told me a guy at Willow flipped his car after he hit a cone and it took off his valve stem. Minkoff lost a race when his rubber valve stem failed.

Seems like our host sells the short ones. I got mine from a local tire shop for about 4.00 each and the price of a rebalance. Thats alot cheaper than having to repair the car from a crash. Or worse.

Good luck

[Dantilla]

A broken valve stem support cost me a race early this year. Same scenario looking for the leak. Way down on pressure, but still holding air. How is that possible? I noticed the broken support, pushed the stem just a bit, and it started hissing.

Seems as though only at high speeds the stem started bending. The car went squirrly on me on the first right hand turns after the main straight.

Nothing but short, solid metal valve stems from now on for the race car.

[Super_Dave_D]

I had the same thing happen - I use these now

[Dantilla]

That's the type of support that broke on my car, right at the bend between the large flat area that mounts on the wheel and the narrower part that actually supports the stem.

[RWebb]

so... we have rubber valve stems failing (ideas on how old they were? - were then new with new tires?)

and, we have the supports that are supposed to take care of the rubber stems at speed failing...

I guess I'm glad I use metal.

any reports of metal stems failing?

Thanks for posting your experiences guys. Here is the update . I went with a solid stem that seals in and out of the tire with a rubber gasket. It has been lock tighted and I dont think I will have any other issues with it. There are two versions and I chose the shorter stem.

It looks like the Porsche stems are rubber with a metal outer housing. Then there is the stick on bracket. Im sure it OK for most guys but for the small amount of investment, I feel that I am covered.

BTW, its the best 4.00(plus balancing) I have ever spent!