Car and Truck Tyre Valve Stems and Caps
The tyres of your car or truck are the only part of your vehicle that comes in contact with ground. Thus, they need to withstand lots of pressure to continue functioning even after thousands of kilometres. Every detail matters when it comes to keeping the tyres in their best shape. Tyre valve stems and caps may look small, but they do play an important role, so it is worth getting to know them.
Basics of Car and Truck Tyre Valve Stems and CapsThe tyre valves are these valves that are located inside your car or truck's wheels. A spring loaded valve core inside them seals itself by using the air pressure inside the tyre. The valve stems need to be intact because it helps to keep the air inside the tyre. The caps are located on top of the stems and also help to keep the air inside.
Replacing Car or Truck Tyre Valve StemsDeflated tyres do not always indicate that you need to replace the entire tyre. Sometimes there is a problem with the valve stem or cap instead. Fixing a leaky valve stem is easy and you can do it yourself and skip the workshop. Remove the old valve core with a special small valve core tool, attach the new core and refill the tyre.
Importance of Car and Truck Tyre Valve CapsWithout the tyre valve caps, dirt and debris gather around the valve stem. Once you inflate the tyre, all this could also get inside. Later, the valve may not close properly and you could lose tyre pressure. This directly impacts your driving safety. Without the caps, the dirt gets to the stem, there is no way preventing it. The caps are especially important when driving in areas where the streets and roads are not very clean. If you drive through puddles, mud and sand, the caps are required.
Removing Dirt from Car and Truck ValvesIn case you realise that you have been driving around without the valve caps on, you can remove the dirt from the valves to make sure that it does not get inside the tyre once you start filling them. Before using a compressor, let some air out with a tyre deflator and push the valve with a hard tool until you hear a hissing sound. This method works best if there is not too much debris around the valve.