Valve Stem Severed

yogi · 03-29-2009, 04:07 PM

I had a new set of tires installed just a couple of weeks ago. I drove it once about 15 or 20 miles. The next day I noticed I had a flat tire while parked in the driveway. The valve stem was about 3/4 severed right where it goes through my front Fuch wheel. I took the wheel and tire back to the shop and they replaced the valve stem. I put it back on the car. I took the car for a ride today, the first drive since having it fixed. I went about 15 or 20 miles and the car starting pulling to one side while driving on the highway. I pulled over and the same wheel and tire has the same 3/4 sever right where the valve stem goes through the hole in the Fuch wheel. The previous tires were on the same wheels for four years with no problems. Can anyone guess or suggest anything before I take it back to the shop? Thanks,

coollx · 03-29-2009, 04:33 PM

When I bought my last set of tires the installer said for the high speed rating on Porsche tires mounted on Fuchs I should use steel valve stems not rubber ones. If you are using rubber stems you might consider switching to stainless steel stems. Though your problem may be the installer or defective stems.

widgeon13 · 03-29-2009, 04:46 PM

If it's a long stem, it should have a valve support to keep centrifugal force from bending it down. I don't have a picture but it goes between the rim and stem. While a metal stem will work it should not be necessary. Very strange, maybe cheap China mfg'd stems. Check the place where the stem goes through the wheel, any sharp edge, is the guy doing the mounting twisting the stem when he pulls it through the hole in the rim?

Take it back, they must be doing something incorrectly.

yogi · 03-29-2009, 04:55 PM

Thanks for the replies. My front wheels and this is the wheel it happened to are Fuchs 16 x 6, and they have no support. The rears are 16 x 7 and they have the support you mention. It's an independent Porsche mechanic who I use. He is the same person who installed my tires 4 years ago. I'm going to take the advice of going to metal valve stems. My daily driver is a Scion TC and it came with metal valve stems. thanks,

vanwyk4257 · vanwyk4257's Garage

I've never personally experience that problem, but because I track my car I am a firm believer in screw in metal valve stems.

Bill in OKC · 06:03 PM

I had a similar problem and searched about it here. I found that the long rubber stems are not right for the Fuchs. The tire guy said they used them on everything. A recommendation was to use a short motorcycle metal stem or a short rubber stem. I bought 4 metal motorcycle stems from cycle gear - a parts unlimited product and had them mounted -one at a time- until all four wheels were fixed. They look ok and have been on my Fuchs for over a year now with no flats.

I changed caps - wish I could find titanium stems

Nine9six · Nine9six's Garage

Porsche Aluminum Valve Stem Support for Fuchs wheel (sold per each
1 required per wheel, self-adhesive backed)

As sold by our host...

SteveinTO · 03-29-2009, 08:25 PM

When the tire store replaces valve stem #2, examine the wheel at the hole and make sure there is no jagged metal upbraiding the valve stem as it's pulled through.

BReyes · BReyes's Garage

Tire techs drawing remarks from me, eg, I will not say anything about balancing. That is my fault if let them do that unsupervised. But steel "metal" valve stems are not good (ask me how I know). Overtorquing your wheels, even after stating to tech concerned about the air tools.

Maybe road side warranty will foot the bill. The inside is where you may notice damage to the tire.

Goodluck.

Regards,

Formerly Steve Wilkinson · 03-29-2009, 09:48 PM

I tried to put steel valve stems on 6" Fuchs and they wouldn't work--not enough flat area for the sealing gaskets to work.

Bill in OKC · 10:38 PM

It can be done. I've got 7's on the back & these are 6s on the front - maybe it is the motorcycle stems?

dvkk · 03-29-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widgeon13

..., maybe cheap China mfg'd stems.

correct you are.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2008/06/valve-stem-reca.html

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

Yeah I lost a rear rubber stem at about 100+ ... Unpleasant. A few days later I lost the other one... I went to my FLAPS and got 4 steel stems and put them in. No problems since. My pressures don't even go down over a month long period... I used to have to put air in every Monday morning for the week!

The only drawback I have had is the stems have started to corrode and look like crap. They are only about $2/ea. so I may just replace them next tire change.

Enjoy!

-Michael

ossiblue · 03-30-2009, 08:02 AM

Only my experience but I've had rubber valve stems on all my Fuchs for years and never had a problem, and without the metal supports. These were only road cars, not track so only highway speeds were encountered. Although the post about defective Chinese valve stems is a year old, given the number of stems supplied, the different types that were defective, and the fact that most tire stores use Dill as a supplier, I would tend to think the problem is with the manufacture of the stem, and not the fact that it is a rubber stem. However, unless one can confirm that the defective stems are not being used by a particular tire store by asking about the recall, probably the safest solution is to use metal stems.

super_dave0069 · super_dave0069's Garage

What a coincidence. I noticed my tire was completely flat yesterday. After filling it, I realized the stem was leaking badly. The tire store didn't charge to replace it but it would suck to lose one at 100+ MPH

Geronimo '74 · 03-30-2009, 10:33 AM

I've got these

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=521425

(well not exactly these, mine look nicer)

Geronimo '74 · 03-30-2009, 10:35 AM

here they are, absolutely no chance of ripping these babies off.
I'll try to get a pic of them on the car, if you want.

Talewinds · Talewinds's Garage

Just weird, I was taking my front tires up to have them balance just this afternoon and I noticed that all 4 of my valve stems were severely split. A couple more runs up the highway at 90 and I might have lost a tire...
Tire place said rotted stems from age? The tires are only a few years old, Dunlop FM901's.
I'm having all 4 replaced Wednesday, but then hope to take the car on a 300mi road trip Thursday. Is there any brick-and-mortar store I can get those stem supports???

70racing · 03-30-2009, 02:37 PM

Years ago I had rubber stem fail just before the hairpin at
Daytona - strange feeling but lucky. Next failure was at Sebring, after the hairpin with terrible results against the armco. Get metal stems - much safer and a no-brainer, especially if you track your car.

yogi · 03-30-2009, 02:47 PM

I just got back from the mechanic and he lent me a wheel and tire so the car doesn't have to sit on a jack stand. I'm taking the wheel and tire with the severed valve stem to him tomorrow. He did show me his box of rubber valve stems and they all said German on them so they were not those recalled Chinese ones. It broke on me at 80 mph on the highway. The car just started pulling to the left so I knew something was wrong. Then when I pulled over I saw what happened. I'll also find out tomorrow if the tire was ruined. I'm in South Florida and the mechanic is friends with Ernie Alloy's so he's going to call him to see if a metal valve stem will fit on a Fuch 16 x 6.