Leak Guard Tire Tubes - Angled Valve Stem

Kyle Boatright · #1 07-14-2012, 06:39 PM

I have two new Aero Classic leak guard tubes. When I installed the first one, I noticed that the valve stem cocked over in the wheel when I inflated the tire. Comparing one of these tubes to a discarded tube, these tubes have a different shape of valve stem than all of the other tubes I've purchased in the last 11+ years, and this causes a geometry problem. A brief search of this site shows others have experienced the same problem.

This means I have to remove the wheel pants every time I add air while these tubes are installed - the valves don't line up with the holes in my wheelpants.. I am displeased (ahem) by this.

Has anyone found a way to use these (expensive) tubes without having to pull the wheelpants every time you want to check pressure or add air?

I plan to have a chat with Desser about this on Monday, but in the meantime, I'm looking for a solution.

tkatc · #2 07-14-2012, 08:43 PM

I don't think there is a solution, other than they are "leak guard" tubes and hold air reliably. I check mine every 3 to 6 months and find I MAY have lost a max of 3 psi. YMMV.

Kyle Boatright · #3 07-15-2012, 01:09 PM

Update on this issue. I brought a wheel, tire, tube, tools, etc. home yesterday so I could take a closer look at this problem.

As it turns out, you need to keep the little nut and washer that attach to the base of the valve stem. The nut just sits in the circular cutout where the valve penetrates into the center of the wheel. I assume it acts as both a spacer and as an anti-rotation device to keep the tube from rotating on the wheel.

With the nut and washer in place, the geometry of the valve stem is correct and I'll be able to add air through the existing hole(s) in my wheelpant(s).

Frank Smidler · #4 07-15-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle Boatright

As it turns out, you need to keep the little nut and washer that attach to the base of the valve stem. The nut just sits in the circular cutout where the valve penetrates into the center of the wheel. I assume it acts as both a spacer and as an anti-rotation device to keep the tube from rotating on the wheel.

With the nut and washer in place, the geometry of the valve stem is correct and I'll be able to add air through the existing hole(s) in my wheelpant(s).

I just changed my tires and tubes and also kept the nut and washer to keep the stem straight. To get the best results I did one more step. As the tube came the washer, which has a stamped dome on one side, had the dome side against the nut. I found that by turning the washer around so the dome was on the tube side I got the straightest stem. What this did was pull the bottom of the stem outward causing the end to tip inward and away from the wall of the wheel. I don't know if there is any negative affect to doing this and was hoping to hear in this thread from someone in the know.