Metal Valve Caps - A cautionary tale

[matski_98]

If you have any of those stupid aluminium valve caps on your wheels chuck them away now!

Mine had welded themselves onto the valve and I stupidly thought that a little "persuasion" with a pair of pliers would help. Unfortunately I used a little too much persuasion and wrenched the valve off the wheel. My Bongo also came with 17" split rim wheels which have right angle valves on them these, according to the mobile tyre man I had to call out, are a bugger to get hold of. The result of which is that my van is now on its spare while my tyre man tries to track down a valve. Most annoying

In hindsight I should have hosed the valve down with WD40 or better still chucked the valve caps away when I got the van and gone with boring plastic ones! Lesson definitely learn't!

[heatherpetch]

snap we had ours seize on 2 of the 18 inch alloys during ploughing thro snow last spring ,the tyres didn,t get checked for 3 weeks and ended up having to get the valves changed

[dobby]

These any use?

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/5063 ... ps/Economy

[BONGODADDY]

I had the smart looking metal dust caps on mine, two got nicked by the little terrors off our estate (Bless em!!), anyway i wondered why only two got took until.................. Jesus i tried to get the other two off but could have done with Geoff Capes to pop round and remove em !!!!!!

They had well and truly welded on, i did manage to get them off in the end with plenty of washing up liquid and gently using a set of grips.

Like you say the black plastic ones look the biz so i would also advise sticking to them!!!!!!!!!

Paul.

[missfixit70]

Or check your tyre pressures more often?

[steviebongo]

I didnt have to throw mine away ,some wee boys nicked them the very first night that i had put the new wheels on!!! ,but on the serious note over the years that i ave serviced cars this happens on a regular basis! People put them on & forget aboot them and dont get removed from 1 year or service till the next,so as said above lobb them before they cause u more grief than they r worth.


cheers stevie

[scanner]

As MFI says surely this is only a problem if tyre pressures aren't checked regularly - them sticking on is God's way of telling you your pressures aren't being checked often enough.

[Northern Bongolow]

its a bit drastic i know but a grinder going carefully does the trick.the heat created usually releases them before you grind the valve stem

[brorabongo]

Seized alu caps....been there...done that....

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... lve#p95281

and not doing it again!!!

[tricky]

I had the smart looking metal dust caps on mine, two got nicked by the little terrors off our estate (Bless em!!), anyway i wondered why only two got took until.................. Jesus i tried to get the other two off but could have done with Geoff Capes to pop round and remove em !!!!!!

They had well and truly welded on, i did manage to get them off in the end with plenty of washing up liquid and gently using a set of grips.

Like you say the black plastic ones look the biz so i would also advise sticking to them!!!!!!!!!

Paul.

Same here. Tow nicked the other two stuck fast. I ended up grinding them off using a dremel type tool and a cutting wheel which allowed me to cut through to the threades, remove the end section then prize off.. Total 'mare.

[HarryBongo]

...i work for a kids charity...which involves visiting the 'seedier places' .
One wee guy said "You'll get your dustys tanned if you're not careful. We only try once...so just do a quarter turn on with grips.....kids will never take them."

They haven't


...neither have I

[daveblueozzie]

I decided to make sure that my tyres are at the correct pressure before going to the big bash next week. Guess what, could not get the ally dust caps off, no matter how i tried.
I had to contact a friend who works for a tyre company ,he came out had a look and said the only way is to saw the end of the caps off so we can let the tyres down to change the valves.
The valves on my wheels are metal and bolted inside the rim, not the rubber ones that are now fitted, that would have been tooooooo easy a fix. So the warning given, GET RID OF THE FANCY ALUMINIUM DUST CAPS.

[mikexgough]

Or check your tyre pressures more often?

Says it all............ obviously not many do..... My Citroen has ally caps and has since new 5 years ago.....no worries there....coz I check the pressures....

[Dabs]

Along the same lines..........also check any locking wheelnuts that you may have,these too have a tendancy to do the same and weld tight,I should know it cost me 88 quid to have them removed on my other car not so long ago,it sounds daft but whats the point of locking wheelnuts if it stops you from changing your own wheels if you have a puncture........ Maybe I should have made sure that they came off easily before I actually needed to!!

I tried 4 wheel/tyre suppliers they had all 4 beaten....I had to resort to main dealer to get them off........robbing b-------s!!!

Dabs

[timjonz]

How about putting a little grease on the threads