Replacing your valve stems is perhaps more important than you think – Jalopnik

They don’t get as much attention as high-tech, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), but many people actually regard tires as the most important safety function on your car. After all, those four rings rubber are the only parts of your car that touch the way. Maintaining the right air levels is one of the best ways to get the most kilometers out of your tires, where valve stems come into play.

Valve stems are those small rubber tubes that protrude from your wheel with which you can attach an air hose for inflation purposes. Unfortunately, valve stems can also let the air walk if they are damaged, whether due to an accident or routine wear. Because they are usually made of rubber, that can dry out and crack as the years pass, valve stems can also be damaged by the passage of time. In the meantime, metal valve stems are subject to corrosion.

In addition, most modern cars have automatic tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to let you know if one of your tires needs air. The TPMS sensors are often attached to the valve stems. Another possible care is therefore that a damaged valve stem can endanger the TPMS sensor.

The bottom line is that under inflated tires the fuel consumption of your car can reduce, can affect the handling and even lead to dangerous eruptions. It’s a serious problem, and The NHTSA Reports hundreds of deaths every year, including 646 in 2023 by tire-related causes.

A compact SUV band differs from a heavy truck tire. Similarly, there are also different types of valve tribes for different applications. Basic rubber valve stems are usually used for light vehicles, while larger machines, such as commercial trucks, often use stems that are specifically designed for the higher air pressure that the vehicles require. When the competition calls, you can opt for metal valves with a high pressure that clamps in place instead of just breaking-in not to prevent special valve caps from being used to deceive the rules such as this NASCAR team.

That said, most valve tribes work in almost the same way. In the outer housing of the stem is the valve core, and that is the heart of the component. Valve nuclei are usually made from brass or nickel, although nickel is more common for modern valve cores. This is because valve stems with TPMS sensors are built with aluminum – copper cores can react with that metal, causing corrosion and the use of nickel nuclei requires.

So how do valve strains work? The valve core has a small, spring -loaded pen that can be pressed by the mounting on an air supply hose. Which means that air can flow into the tire. A manual tool area works in the same way by expressing the pin to let the air out. When you have finished adjusting the air pressure of your tire, the spring ensures that the pen goes back in place, which makes the tire sealed.

A typical valve stem can take between four and six years, although that timeline can vary. Extreme temperatures – hot or cold – and exposure to direct sunlight can considerably reduce the life of a valve stalk. Not replacing the valve stalk cover can also cause the stems to fail prematurely. That exposes the valve stem core to dirt, road salt, debris and water, all of which can be harmful.

To prevent problems, it is a good idea to routinely check the valve stems for cracked or humiliating rubber and rusty metal. Klep voice problems can also be the cause of an otherwise difficult tire leak, while it is also difficult to blow up the tire in response. Fortunately, there is also a simple lifehack for identifying a leaking valve stem. To do this, spray a mixture of soap and water on the valve stalk. If air bubbles start to appear around the stem, it is a good sign that there is a leak. If worse comes the worst, here is everything to know about repairing a flat.

Now, from a practical point of view, it can be a good habit to replace your valve strains every time you replace your tires, especially because they only cost around $ 10. Keep in mind that a TPMS sensor is more expensive and that the average costs to replace one usually fall between $ 314 and $ 368. The good news is that TPMS Sensers generally takes between five and 10 years, which means that you don’t have to replace them often.