Rubber vs Steel valve stems?

[Holeshot]

Seems I see a lot of both. I know the Stainless Steel ones are more costly. When I used to off-road race we ALWAYS used rubber ones so that they'd flex instead of sheer off if you clipped a rock or something.

But we are talking about streetbikes here.

My wife just refinished her 1982 Yamaha XJ650 wheels, sandblasted, painted, new bearings, tires, valve stems, the works. She went with SS vavle stems on her bike.

Now it's my turn to do mine. And I was wondering about this issue. So ... a little help please?

Thanks .. :biglaugh:

 

[JoshTheCake]

Doesn't it depend on whether you are riding tubeless?

 

[[email protected]]

Neither.

http://kurveygirl.com/shop/index.php?cPath=27

 

[gamorg02]

the kurvey girl ones are pricey but i love the looks

remember for vmax rims we need the stupid 8.3mm hole ones. almost impossible to find anywhere else.

 

[satariel666]

the kurvey girl ones are pricey but i love the looks

remember for vmax rims we need the stupid 8.3mm hole ones. almost impossible to find anywhere else.

Not here :biglaugh:

For me metal valves are must to do since I saw some rubbers poped out...

 

[Holeshot]

Doesn't it depend on whether you are riding tubeless?

Um .. no. You only have a choice if it's tubeless. With a tube you get whatever it has on it, no choice as far as I know.

In any case my wheels are all tubeless. I am certain of this (as they all say "tubeless" right on the wheel! ... So we at least know I can read, right? Haahaahah!)

 

[Holeshot]

Not here :biglaugh:

For me metal valves are must to do since I saw some rubbers poped out...

See that's just it. I live in the southwestern desert and our UV here is very strong, our air is cleaner so the sunlight is just so intense. The rubber ones tend to sortof crack a little bit right around the base of the stem where it is flush with the rim. Every time you handle/fondle the stem whilst checking air pressure or airing up, that little groove gets flexed and worked all the more. Add the UV damage to it and POP it could cause a flat at an inopportune moment.

But I'm a bit ignorant on some things so I thought I'd best run it by a few people to make sure I wasn't missing something. It happens!

Thanks unk:

 

[Elimax]

EVERY time I've had a flat on the highway it's because those cheesy-ass rubber stems have flexed enough in transit to crack 'em. They're bargain-basement pieces of poopoo.

I always run the stainless steel ones now and never have a problem.

Elimax

 

[one2dmax]

The rear requires the angled stem. The front can be straight or may be required to be angled if you have the 87-up wheels.

Steel is all we run if we can. Had a rubber stem break on the dyno just a few weeks ago!

Sean

 

[Holeshot]

Okaaaay. Thanks guys, all of your comments just kinda verified what I had thought. Rubber stems = caca. I figured that most tire shops sortof automatically install the rubber ones because ... I mean hey ... they ALREADY get nearly $50 bux to mount/balance/new stem, so they gotta use the cheepo stems to keep the sticker shock down. Every bike shop in town here charges an extra $10 bux for a SS valve stem. So we went to our local Harley dealer and actually got good ones for about $7 bux each! They even have the hallowed "Made in 'Merica" stamp on the package!

Go figure, the HD shop was less than Pep Boys in this instance!

HD pn# 43150-83. Not a crooked one, but there it is anyhow.

Even odder, the HD shop was about $10 bux cheeper to mount/balance tires on rims off the bike. Our local shops get $50 or so to M/B, but the HD shop was $40 to M/B and the SS valve stem was less expensive too! Huh? The HD shop actually a better value? No kiddin! Huh! Hooda Thunkit?

Oh well, ya just never know anymore.

Thanks for the responses.

Brian ...