metal valve stems. How tight?

w.michael

w.michael

Senior Member
When installing inner tubes with metal valve stems:

1. On the tube, how tight do you tighten the lock nut against the bridge washer? Just until the "squish" is gone? If it's not tight enough, I guess it will leak. If it's too tight, perhaps you could actually mash the tube out of the clamping surfaces.

2. Once the tube is installed in the tire and on the wheel, how tight do you tighten the rim washer against the rim? Does the lock nut bottom out against the inside of the rim, or does the bridge washer create an "air gap" between the lock nut and the inside of the rim?

It's hard to even ask the question until you've tried it!

Thank you.

W. Michael
 
Tighten the inner nut till it seats the bridge washer and no more. No need to it's not going anywhere. Tighten the outer section that goes over the stem till it hits the rim and just a 1/8 tur more. It just holds the stem in place. Do NOt over tighten.
 
I tighten the bridge nuts down pretty much as tight as they will go. Make sure that your bridge washers are in good condition so that they will press evenly against the tube and bottom of the stem base. I have original stems on all three of my Model A's and none leak. I tighten the rim nuts down until the hex is almost touching the rim. Depending on the stem holes in your rims, some may seat lower into the holes.
 
I echo Gary. This summer I installed an original set of metal valve stems on a 29 AA truck. In order to keep them from leaking, I had to tighten that bridge nut as tight as I could get while holding the inner tube in my other hand. I had to pull one tire apart three times and retighten that bridge nut more and more until it stopped leaking. My concern was stripping the threads on the valve stem. Use your best bridge nuts for this. Good luck.
 
when we do ours at the shop we tighten down the nut on the bridge washer as tight as you can possibly make it. We've had good luck doing it that way.
 
I followed Mr. Karr's advice, seconded by Mike and Jeff, to tighten the bridge nuts pretty tight--about as tight as I could get it while holding it with the wrenches, and not placed in a vise.

When all was together, I tightened the rim nut about as far as I could without scuffing the new paint on the wheel with the hex on the rim nut. It felt fairly tight at that point.

Both of these operations "felt right" once I did the first two tubes and wheels.

All five are holding air. I'll see for how long that lasts!

Thank you all for your advice.

W. Michael
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top