![]() ![]() Although the tears and damage are not always obvious on the stem, there is enough damage to the stem to cause slow air leaks. The stem usually cracks or rips as it is forced to fit through the valve hole. A used rubber stem is almost always damaged during repair because the hard, dry rubber must be pulled through the rim hole completely to remove the stem. The rubber on the stem can begin to dry out, harden, and in severe cases, crack as it is exposed to the elements, especially UV rays. However, although the rubber snap-in stem is more resistant to corrosion, it isn’t entirely damage-proof and should still be replaced each time the tire is removed from the wheel. ![]() No twisting, turning and breaking of corroded nuts. Likewise, to remove the rubber stem, the technician uses the same valve puller to pull the valve completely out of the valve hole. Rather than needing a nut to “clamp” it into place with a torque tool, a rubber stem is installed with a valve puller tool, and the stem is quite literally pulled through the valve hole of the rim to set it into place. In addition to being more resistant to corrosion, rubber stems have fewer parts and are arguably easier to install and remove. Rubber snap-in stems offer a corrosion-resistant solution for OEMs and some repair benefits for the aftermarket. It is for these reasons that the general best practice is to replace aluminum service kits every time the tire is removed from the rim. When the tire is deflated for service, the hardened grommet can shift and not re-fuse properly, again causing slow air leaks. In addition to corrosion issues, when the rubber grommet of a clamp-in stem is originally installed, it fuses itself to the inner wall of the valve hole and hardens in that shape to lock in air. ![]() Corroded valve stems are a problem because they lead to larger issues like slow air leaks and broken parts during the repair process when they corrode themselves to the wheel rim. ![]()
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