Metal dust cap stuck on tyre valve.

fasttalkerchat

So I've tried pliers, WD40, hammers, a saw, a drill... but I stall have 4 valve caps stuck to my tyres :mad:

Going to go to get the valves replaced tomorrow unless someone has something else I can try?

Atlantic Dawn

Maybe try boiling hot water on it to see if it expands. It's likely though that the threads are gone, a tyre place will probably charge less than €20 to remove the tyre and fit a new valve and refit.

fasttalkerchat

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Maybe try boiling hot water on it to see if it expands. It's likely though that the threads are gone, a tyre place will probably charge less than €20 to remove the tyre and fit a new valve and refit.

I heard that Kwik Fit did it for free for someone sometime... hopefully they will take pity on me too. I'll give boiling water a whack then give up. I have the spare tyre on the car so I can drive it to a garage tomorrow.

Wheelnut

BTW: The date code on that tyre indicates that it was made in summer 2005, so it's probably time to replace it rather than repair it.

The valve cap looks like it's one of those cheap novelty things from Flea Bay and the are noted for seizing on the valve. The metal is not compatible with the valve which causes corrosion between the metals.

fasttalkerchat

Wheelnut wrote: »

The valve cap looks like it's one of those cheap novelty things from Flea Bay and the are noted for seizing on the valve. The metal is not compatible with the valve which causes corrosion between the metals.

It was. Found that out the hard way!

Senna

Pair of vice grips on as close to the top as possible and try to crush the top, it probably soft enough metal and the desired effect is to crack the metal before the valve below is squashed and damaged.

Syllabus

anywhere that charges more than 10 per wheel to replace each valve should be named and shamed





imo

fasttalkerchat

I have a vice clamp somewhere but can't find it

visual

there is a better than even chance that you will damage the valve trying to remove the cap, I think this is one for the tyre shop

fasttalkerchat

visual wrote: »

there is a better than even chance that you will damage the valve trying to remove the cap, I think this is one for the tyre shop

I was hoping I could force it off, get some air into it tomorrow and drive on it until the weekend, it would save me missing lectures in the morning. The valves will all need replaced anyway. I have to drive to galway and back on thurs (9 hours) so staying on the spare isn't an option

visual

try WD40 let it soak into it for a couple of hours then use a vice grip or pliers

fasttalkerchat

visual wrote: »

try WD40 let it soak into it for a couple of hours then use a vice grip or pliers

I was doing that every morning and evening for the past few days. No luck with any of the 4 tyres!

Northern Monkey

A 10 or 12 mm closed end spanner at an angle might do it.

Stbl

You could use a small hacksaw to cut along the length of the cap. Then try to use a vice grips to tear it off.

getz

this happened to me with a full set on my car,the way i got them off was burn a lighter flame directly over the cap untill it heated up and expanded,then just screwed them off.

visual

ebay shouldn't sell these caps, I had a set on the car and they seized onto the valves as the different metals react and fuse together.
my valves had PSI tyre pressure sensors and the guy in the tyre company was embarrassed telling me the valve was damaged trying to take the fancy caps off. It wasn't a problem for me as I had the tyre pressure sensors monitoring system turned of because I was getting unreliable readings so all my valves where replaced with normal valves at no cost because I was getting new tyres.

If you can borrow a hobby drill with miniature cut off wheel to cut the cap down the side or as previously suggested try a hacksaw blade.
A tyre shop would probably just rip the old valves out and replace with new.

fasttalkerchat

Stbl wrote: »

You could use a small hacksaw to cut along the length of the cap. Then try to use a vice grips to tear it off.

I was doing quite well with that but the centre is a stronger metal.

fasttalkerchat

Just realised I didn't complete my story. Eventually gave up and went to Kwik Fit. They had never seen anything like it. A few people had been in with the same problem but they could be removed with vice grips.

After 20 mins they removed and replaced the valves for me. Total cost was £20 because I went for metal valves. They threw in a service discount because I let them keep my old valve as a souvenir.

BigEejit

Why go for them in the first place? they look crap :P

A friend of my younger brother had ones the looked like skulls and they were all stolen, count himself lucky I suppose

dgt

Break valve, replace valve with new one. Dealt with an exact same problem with 4 wheels...

As said before, the metal corrodes with the brass and is a cúnt to get off

mags1962

had 4 on my tyres and they were robbed after a few days and I hope the scrote that stole them has this problem

fasttalkerchat

BigEejit wrote: »

Why go for them in the first place? they look crap :P

They were originally grenades:
I broke off the rest trying to get the things off. Never again!

Trhiggy83

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

They were originally grenades:
I broke off the rest trying to get the things off. Never again!

Happened me before as well, and never again will i put on metal dust caps. They do fuse and are impossible to get off. I learnt my lesson and have went with plastic ever since