There is a common mistake that many people make when having their car inspected. Many drivers tend to miss out on the small details. The tire valve stem is among the most neglected of these parts, and people rarely give a thought to examine them. Thinking carefully, you will realize that the valve stem is responsible for holding air in the car tires and helps adjust the air pressure, which makes it very important.
Although there are three basic types of tire valves, for example, the high-pressure metal clamp-in valves, rubber snap-in valves, as well as snap-in valves with high pressure, it is the vehicle itself, the driving conditions, wheel design, and tire pressures that dictate the type of valve appropriate for an application.
How to select the correct valve stem?
To complement the wheel styling, you can fit the valves to the wheels in any position, from horizontal to vertical. The most common one is the nearly horizontal valve alignment, and the majority of the wheel manufacturers use it to adjust the valve-mounted monitoring system transmitters for tire pressure.
While it is possible for the tire valves to operate at any angle, the valves mounted on the vertical axis may be experiencing pressure loss because of the centripetal forces that allow air to escape by depressing the valve core.
Types and sizes of tire valve
High-pressure metal clamp-in valves
These valves can be used with any wheels and are the safest ones in the market. The high-pressure metal clamp-in valves are recommended for the racecars because the tires tend to get very hot on the racetrack, and in such a high-stress condition, a normal rubber valve may not survive.
These valves are specially designed in such a way that the valve gets sealed by the rubber grommet against the wheel after tightening the retaining nut. The maximum operating pressure of the metal clamp-in valves is 200 psi and can fit in 0.453" and 0.625" rim holes.
Rubber snap-in valves
Passenger cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles having a relatively low load rating use these valves. The maximum pressure of the rubber snap-in valves is 65 psi, and they do not require a retaining nut. They can snap in from the inside of the rim and can fit 0.453” and 0.625” rim holes.
High-pressure snap-in valves
These valves are known to be quite useful for vehicles that carry a high load, including medium to heavy trucks. The recommended pressure of these valves is above 65 psi, while the maximum inflation rating is 80 psi for 0.453” diameter rim hole valves. The valves for the 0.625" diameter rim hole have a 100 psi maximum pressure rating.
Final Words
It has been noticed that over time, the rubber on the valve starts deteriorating because of different factors like dust and sunlight, and therefore, you need to replace valves often. Checking the valves on all the tires doesn’t take much time, and one can replace them if there are visible cracks on the rubber stem. It is worth noting that a tire may burst because of the low pressure due to failure of the valve stem.
Reviewed by Alex Ross
Content Editor, responsible for maintaining the quality and accuracy of the information presented on our blog.
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