Car Tire Valve Stem Replacement

Written By: David Munoz

Comments: 3

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

25 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

In this guide, we will explain how to replace a valve stem, such that people of all mechanical backgrounds can attempt this repair. This guide assumes you have removed your wheel from the vehicle. For instructions on removing the wheel, refer to this guide.

Tools

Parts

Valve Stem

Step 1

Locate the stem valve and remove the cap.
Using the Schrader valve core bit in your 1/4" driver, unscrew the valve core from the stem.
Allow the tire to fully deflate before proceeding.

Step 2

To reach the valve stem, you will need to break the bead on the tire. The bead on a tire is where the rubber meets the rim.
Insert the pry bar in between the rim and the tire. Push the pry bar as far down as possible. This will require a large amount of force.
The bead is broken when the tire is visibly separated from the rim. Use the pry bar to hold the tire down by leveraging it against the small lip inside the rim.

Thanks David. This helped me a lot.

Pieter Pretorius -

Step 3

Locate the stem valve on the inside of the rim. It will be a large piece of rubber underneath the lip.
Use the diagonal cutters to cut off an appropriate amount of rubber from the under-side, as shown.
Remove the stem by pulling it through the face of the rim.

I’m trying to remove a good stem from a bad wheel in order to install it in a good wheel

chatter_minicam_0q@icloud.com -

Step 4

Insert the new stem up through the rim. Use the diagonal cutters to help pull the stem into its seated position. There will be an audible pop when it is in correctly.
When using the diagonal cutters, take care not to pinch the stem too tight.
If you are having trouble seating the stem, use the rim as leverage.

Step 5

The tire must be re-inflated. Simply use your air compressor to inflate the tire. We recommend re-inflating to 32 p.s.i. to check for leaks.
When inflating, the tire will produce a loud pop as the bead returns to its place. If the tire is having trouble inflating, squeeze the tire against the rim to create a seal.