Valve Stem

JJ

jjrbus

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2015
Posts
385
Location
fl
Have the wandering under control and have swapped out the problematic aftermarket aluminum wheels for OE steel wheels. Took the last wheel the spare to Discount tire to have the tire removed and put on the OE steel wheel. Had to do this a couple wheels at a time because steel wheels unless you buy refurbed online are not easy to find for reasonable money.

So anyway the tech at Discount is very insistant that I use some new fangled valve stem. I am not having it as I have already bought metal valve stems as I use an external TPMS sensor. This guy really wants me to try this valve stem and tells me no charge! OK free I will do!

These things are about $15 each and I see no advantage to them, am I missing something here?

https://www.dillvalves.com/product_cpt/vs-45-tpms-optional-valve-stem-2/
 
Discount Tire is a very reputable operation and I would take seriously any recommendations they make. It looks like these are very heavy duty stems. I don't know what you have, but if they recommend changing them out, I suspect that they have a reason.
 
jjrbus said:
Have the wandering under control and have swapped out the problematic aftermarket aluminum wheels for OE steel wheels. Took the last wheel the spare to Discount tire to have the tire removed and put on the OE steel wheel. Had to do this a couple wheels at a time because steel wheels unless you buy refurbed online are not easy to find for reasonable money.

So anyway the tech at Discount is very insistant that I use some new fangled valve stem. I am not having it as I have already bought metal valve stems as I use an external TPMS sensor. This guy really wants me to try this valve stem and tells me no charge! OK free I will do!

These things are about $15 each and I see no advantage to them, am I missing something here?

VS-45 TPMS Optional Valve Stem
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I just had these installed at Discount Tire replacing the metal/rubber ones that I had several failures on. I have TST TPMS sensors which cause the rubber to flex and eventually leak.
 
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peteco said:
I just had these installed at Discount Tire replacing the metal/rubber ones that I had several failures on. I have TST IPMS sensors which cause the rubber to flex and eventually leak.
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HI Pete, are you referring to the ones in the link in the earlier post?

If so, those look like TPMS sender stems and would probably only work on factory TPMS systems.

Discount did try to sell me on them also, and our van doesn't have a factory system so maybe a different model stem? But it was the same price.

I had the normal metal bolt in versions that I have used in the van since we got it without issue at a fraction of the cost but sometimes, not all, that have changed a couple of bucks extra over the rubber ones. Never a problem to this point. It will be interesting to see if the new aluminum wheels do something bad to them.
 
wmgeorge said:
Discount tire is my go to place, they know what they are doing and very honest people and company.
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Discount Tire is also my place to go. The manager at my local store is great, knowledgeable and honest. In most cases everything is done well. Tire and wheel balance no problems. Wheel mounting surface cleaned. The torque lug nuts properly and to spec. Prices are as good as the Club places like Costco, PJs, Sams. If not, they match the price.

However, I have had some problems over the years. Tire damaged that I noticed when I got home (They gave me new tire in place of the 5 year old tire). Metal valve stems replaced with rubber after a flat repair they fixed that). Didn't have all 4 tires in when they told me to come in. Worst thing is they just bent my rear airbag bracket by lifting on it instead of the proper place (I am currently getting this resolved; they sent to their damage resolution outfit).

They are in a tough spot to get qualified (and interested) workers just like all service industries these days. But thus far they have resolved every problem I have had.
 
booster said:
HI Pete, are you referring to the ones in the link in the earlier post?

If so, those look like TPMS sender stems and would probably only work on factory TPMS systems.

Discount did try to sell me on them also, and our van doesn't have a factory system so maybe a different model stem? But it was the same price.

I had the normal metal bolt in versions that I have used in the van since we got it without issue at a fraction of the cost but sometimes, not all, that have changed a couple of bucks extra over the rubber ones. Never a problem to this point. It will be interesting to see if the new aluminum wheels do something bad to them.
Click to expand...
Yes they are TPMS sender stems. They appear to be of very good quality. They are made in the US. They only charge $5 each for them, and $10 to install. If I had bought them when I bought the tires they would have installed for free. Not sure why they only charge $5 for them as they are $15 elsewhere.

In my previous post I mentioned they replaced one of these (in VA) with a rubber stem when I had a flat repaired one day after the metal stems were installed (in FL). The counter guy said his techs are instructed to replace valve stems every time they do a tire repair. He didn't know why they replaced with rubber. The tech wasn't thinking obviously. When I took the vehicle back to get the metal valve put back he showed me another metal stem they normally put in. It looked fine, but I wanted the same Dill stem as the others. He said the Florida store may not have had the other metal stems. He said the TPMS stem will work fine, it just won't have the inside TPMS sensor on it. My external TST TPMS sensor is fine on it. The stem is a little shorter than the other metal one, which is good as it moves the sensor a little closer to the rim.
 
For forty years I have been fortunate to have had a family owned tire and repair center a few miles from our home. Started by the father when he was a young guy, passed on to the son who ran it until he retired a couple of years ago and sold it to a group that owns about twenty such facilities around the country. They have ten bays including one designed to lift a Class A. They sold all the major brands of tires and could always get you exactly what you wanted.

Sadly, that is now all history. We will see how the new owners work out but I my first impression is a lot of new faces and just not the same kind of place. The old reliable coffee pot is now a Keurig and that probably means the beginning of the end. We have lost most local places and that is a real shame.
 
peteco said:
Yes they are TPMS sender stems. They appear to be of very good quality. They are made in the US. They only charge $5 each for them, and $10 to install. If I had bought them when I bought the tires they would have installed for free. Not sure why they only charge $5 for them as they are $15 elsewhere.

In my previous post I mentioned they replaced one of these (in VA) with a rubber stem when I had a flat repaired one day after the metal stems were installed (in FL). The counter guy said his techs are instructed to replace valve stems every time they do a tire repair. He didn't know why they replaced with rubber. The tech wasn't thinking obviously. When I took the vehicle back to get the metal valve put back he showed me another metal stem they normally put in. It looked fine, but I wanted the same Dill stem as the others. He said the Florida store may not have had the other metal stems. He said the TPMS stem will work fine, it just won't have the inside TPMS sensor on it. My external TST TPMS sensor is fine on it. The stem is a little shorter than the other metal one, which is good as it moves the sensor a little closer to the rim.
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The counter guy said they are supposed to replace the sealing gasket on metal valve stems, not replace the entire metal stem. The tech looked very young and is still learning hopefully.

I have an instruction sheet I give to the techs when I go there. Has tire rotation instructions, tire pressures, lug nut torque. I will be adding: 1. don't jack on the airbag plate (see earlier issue) and 2. only replace the sealing gasket on the metal valve stems, not the stems.
 
Doneworking said:
For forty years I have been fortunate to have had a family owned tire and repair center a few miles from our home. Started by the father when he was a young guy, passed on to the son who ran it until he retired a couple of years ago and sold it to a group that owns about twenty such facilities around the country. They have ten bays including one designed to lift a Class A. They sold all the major brands of tires and could always get you exactly what you wanted.

Sadly, that is now all history. We will see how the new owners work out but I my first impression is a lot of new faces and just not the same kind of place. The old reliable coffee pot is now a Keurig and that probably means the beginning of the end. We have lost most local places and that is a real shame.
Click to expand...
Happening all over as mom & pop places disappear. I was fortunate to find one such place in Vero Beach Florida in February when my transmission went out. The owner rebuilt the transmission, was very transparent about the entire process. He showed me upgraded parts he uses in place of some of the rebuild kit parts. He answered every question, and even let me observe while he rebuilt and tested the valve body, drove it with scanner, etc. His price was very reasonable. He let me change my oil & differential fluid, lube the chassis, and lube the driveshaft spline while the vehicle was on the lift. He is in his 60's and has no successor in line. HIs son is not interested and none of the workers he has had over the years is interested in learning the trade. When he is gone the only option in that area will be to order a rebuild from somewhere. He said even some of the GM and Ford rebuilds have issues at times, and to be very wary of Jasper rebuilds. There are places you can order a (hopefully) quality rebuild but it is going to cost you a lot.
 
Same with the store here with the help situation, but somehow they have been doing better lately. Changing, mounting, balancing if body killing work and even the young strong guys don't last at it for long. All the big pickups and SUVs around now means lots of heavy wheels all day.

For a long time now, I have been taking my wheels in off the vehicles unless it is a common driver type like my wife's CRV. No jacking issues except my own that way.

On the just put on reconditioned 17" aluminum wheels they did mess up and put the lead weights on the outside, but then manager reminded them that they were supposed to be stick on inside only. It did leave a few marks, but on the van they will get beat up quickly anyway, based on past history so I let it slide.

It would be nice if they made a TPMS sensor stem to worth with our Tire Minder or your TST.
 
wmgeorge said:
Discount tire is my go to place, they know what they are doing and very honest people and company.
Click to expand...
Discount Tire installed my TPMS sensors to match up with the OEM GM sensors on my 08C210P van. Long story short, I had a sensor failure about a year later, several states away from the original Discount. They replaced all 4 without question, 18 months later it happened again and they replaced them again. It doesn’t end there, another 18 months and another trip to Discount. This time they told me that they were using a new brand sensor, and yes, they replaced them again … all at no charge! Discount Tire is the best, I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
 

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