Angled Valve Stems - How Tight?

[Townie_imp]

Guys,

I had my tires replaced at the dealer today. That experience has been a total disaster, took them 3 tries to get it right (not kidding), kept screwing up the direction of rotation. Apparently a junior apprentice was doing the work. Unfortunately my pristine rims are now quite scratched up. I'll see what the dealer says about this on Monday, but I'm guessing they can't do much without making the scratches worse.

Thanks for letting me vent.

I had them install angled valve stems while they had the tires off. How tight are these supposed to be? Like, are they supposed to be very tight, not movable (twistable) by hand? Because I can turn mine by hand with some, and not a ton, of force. Not necessarily easily, but not hard either.

Thanks.

[peterbaron]

Sorry to hear about it. What is the dealer name? I always take my CB for tires replacement to KW HONDA in Waterloo, 70 km from my house in Brampton. Happy so far after 4 tires replacement.

[Lord Popgun]

Don’t know what stems you have, but Kurvey Girl stems say 5.1 to 7.3 ft lbs. https://www.kurveygirl.com/shop/product_...3oh32r38e6

[Townie_imp]

Don’t know what stems you have, but Kurvey Girl stems say 5.1 to 7.3 ft lbs. https://www.kurveygirl.com/shop/product_...3oh32r38e6

That's the ones I have. But I don't know if the yahoo who worked on my tires torqued them to spec...I'm betting not. I can't check without removing the tire from the rim (again!) so I'm just wondering if anyone who had them installed correctly, is able to twist them by hand.

[Lord Popgun]

I have Kurvey Girls on my CB and ST and I just checked. They are tight and do not move.

I will say I don’t know what they are actually torqued to as I didn’t watch the installation.

[GoldOxide_imp]

(+1) The stems are not supposed to rotate.

[Townie_imp]

Thanks guys. Looks like the tires have to come off yet again to tighten the stems. Madness.

Is there any concern with them having to take tires on/off 4 times now (other than the rim scratches they seem to inflict)? I would think bike tires are designed to be installed once in their lifetime. Wondering if the bead and/or sidewall are experiencing something they shouldn't be.

[GoldOxide_imp]

In terms of tubeless tires (cars and motorcycles), I have never heard of an issue when the correct procedure, tools and shop supply (e.g. bead lubricant, or tire "soap") is used.

[Retsel_imp]

I've had rims, for autos, refinished at the tire stores expense under similar circumstances. It can be done. I would insist on it!

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