Bike Tire Valve Stem Keeps Breaking (Let’s Find Out)
The bike valve stem is as essential on bikes as the tires. They let you have the best bike riding experience. However, it’s time to check them out when they keep breaking or failing.
In this article, you will find a comprehensive outline of the causes or possible reasons why your bike valve stem keeps breaking or failing and the triggers.
Bike base valve stems keep breaking due to general reasons such as improper installation and adjustment, including errors such as incorrect valve clearance placement, improperly installed springs, and hydraulic tappets. It could also be due to machinery errors or combustion defaults.
What Causes A Tire Valve Stem To Break?
When it comes to the tire valve stem, there are no cutting corners. It is either they are correctly installed or not.
The valve stem bases could fail due to improper installation and adjustment machinery error, use of worn-out parts for replacement, and faulty combustion defaults.
Improper Installation And Adjustments
When installing and adjusting several components incorrectly, you risk your tire valve stem. Here are some issues that cause this problem:
#1. Valve Clearance Setting Error
This error occurs when the valve clearance is closed too tightly or the duration and interval required for Valve maintenance are exceeded.
Ideally, 30 minutes is enough for the valve maintenance process. This tightly closed valve clearance results in a slightly open valve when you want it closed.
It also increases the rate at which combustion passes through the valve seat and valve head.
This combustion heat that passes through the valve head often causes overall heat and burns on the valve seat.
#2. Valve Spring Errors
When installed incorrectly, the spring on the valve stem can tilt, causing a visible lateral bending movement.
This results in alternating bending stress, which inevitably causes a fracture on the valve stem face and the destruction of the valve guide.
#3. Improperly Installed Hydraulic Tappets
After installing hydraulic tappets on the valve stem, you must wait at least 30 minutes before starting your engine.
When this is not adhered to, excess oil in the tappet working area is not appropriately circulated.
Therefore, you should not prematurely cut off this tappet installation cycle because when it does, the valve strikes against the piston and causes a bend or break.
Machining Errors
Several machining errors accentuate this problem, and they are:
#1. Improper Alignment Of The Valve Seat Insert Or Valve Guide
A non-centric reassembly causes this at the valve seat or valve guide. It results in valve failure and a very tightly closed valve.
It also leads to overheating and burns reaching the seating area. Fractures in the filets could also become tired or weak due to the unequal stress exerted on the valve head.
#2. Excess Valve Guide Clearance
The valve device guide clearance could get too large due to excessive wear or reaming of the valve guides when repairing the valve stems.
The influx of hot air increases and is capable of causing a significant deposit of black carbon on the valve guide.
This results in stiffness, failure of the valve stem, and failure to close properly, which transforms into overheating on the valve seat.
#3. Insufficient Valve Guide Clearance
This results from a small guide diameter during the replacement of valve guide clearance.
This could lead to insufficient lubrication, stiffness, seizure of the valve stem, and overheating in the valve seat or seat area.
Installation Of Worn Out Parts
When installing worn-out parts on your bike, the bike’s valve stem can easily break. Some of these parts include:
#1. Making Use Of Worn-out Valve Cotters
Old and worn-out parts used during the replacement of valves could result in a loose clamping system when you are operating.
It could also lead to frictional corrosion and a weak valve stem. This frictional corrosion and weak valves often lead to vibration fatigue failure.
#2. Damaged Rocker Arm And Finger Type Rocker
When installing damaged rocker arms and fingers brokers, an eccentric force is applied on the rocker’s arm towards the end face on the valve stem.
This force results in unilateral wear and tear on the valve stem. The lateral force also causes fatigue fractures in the clamping stem area.
#3. Bent Valves
When bent valve systems are installed, they cause a unilateral support system on the valve seat in the seating ring. This further causes an alternating bending stress and fatigue fracture.
Combustion Default
Overstressed Combustion Default
Combustion defaults significantly cause an increase in temperature and pressure loads in the combustion chamber.
This valve is not resistant to thermochemical load and is prone to bend inwards. This results in tulip formation and fractures in the valve head.
Can You Fix A Valve Stem On A Tire?
Of course. You can fix a faulty or leaky valve stem in a bike shop or do it at home in a few minutes with the right tools.
You need screwdrivers, nails, valve core tools, a new valve stem, an air pump, water, and a spray bottle.
The first step in fixing the valve is carefully removing the cap on the valve stem and pressing down the top of the core with a sharp object, usually a nail or screwdriver, to release the air pressure.
The next step is to put the valve stem core remover through the stem and over the core, then turn it in an anti-clockwise direction to make the core lose.
Finally, gently remove the valve core tool remover and the worn-out core.
After removing the worn-out core, put the new stem core through the end of the core removal and lock the stem in place.
This time screw in a clockwise direction using the valve core tool. Ensure to tighten the stem securely but not too much because it could strip the core threads.
Pump back the tire to the appropriate air pressure, mix dish soap in a spray bottle and spray over the stem.
Wait to see if bubbles are coming out from the stem. If there is, this indicates that the stem is loose and probably leaking.
Tighten the core again if this is the case and check for further leaks. Do this repeatedly until you get the recommended air pressure and tightness.
How To Stop A Tire Valve Stem From Leaking?
Most people assume that air can only leak or escape from a bike tire, especially when the tire is punctured.
However, this is not the only way air is lost in bikes; even the tire valve stem leaks. After all, a crack in the valve could cause inflation on the tires.
A leaking tire valve is quite challenging to detect but not impossible. It is capable of causing severe damage to your tire and keeps your safety and an edge.
However, wear or tear is usually the culprit of a leaking valve. Here’s how to stop your tire valve stem from leaking.
#1. Step 1: Ensure That Your Valve Stem Is What’s Causing The Leakage
Before you start working on the valve stem, make sure you have confirmed that the valve is leaking.
Using a simple trick, you can apply a mixture of water and dish soap around the metal valve stem when the cap is removed.
The valve is probably leaking if you see visible bubbles on the valve stem base. If this is not the cause, it cannot be far-fetched from a fault in the tire.
#2. Step 2: Get The Right Tools
They are a couple of necessary tools and equipment for replacing or installing new valves.
This essential equipment includes an air compressor, Lug nut wrench plier, a valve removal tool, a sledgehammer, and a new tire valve stem.
With these tools, you are ready to replace your leaking valve.
#3. Step 3: Lose The Nuts On The Tire Wheel
Use the wrench to lose every nut on the tire holding the wheels together. While doing this, ensure that You place the bike on the ground.
#4. Step 4: Remove The Valve Stem And Allow The Tire To Deflate
Use the valve stem remover tool to remove the valve stem and allow the air in the tire and wheel to deflate on its own.
Step 5: Separate the tire beads, nuts, wheels, and stem nuts. Carefully replace the new valve stem with the worn-out ones and reinstall all the loose parts.
Final Thoughts
Bike valves are necessary on bikes and should be replaced as soon as you notice a failure or leakage.
This replacement can be done by a professional in a bike shop or at your comfort once you follow appropriate procedures.
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