How Often Should Tire Valve Stems Be Replaced?
1 Answers
Valve stems do not need to be replaced as long as they are not leaking or showing signs of aging. Typically, valve stems are replaced along with the tires, and it is rare to replace them separately. The types of tire valve stems are as follows: 1. Rubber Valve Stems: As the most common material for valve stems, their low cost makes rubber valve stems widely installed on original wheel rims. The replacement cost is also very low. However, due to the inevitable aging issue of rubber materials, the valve stem body will gradually crack, deform, and lose elasticity. When the vehicle is in motion, rubber valve stems will also sway back and forth with centrifugal force, causing deformation, which further accelerates the aging of the rubber. 2. Steel Valve Stems: To avoid the aging problem of rubber valve stems, metal valve stems have gradually appeared on the market, and steel valve stems are one of them. Due to the change in material, the price of steel valve stems is significantly higher than that of rubber valve stems. The lifespan of steel valve stems is two to three times that of rubber valve stems, mainly because the metal material is less prone to oxidation. Additionally, metal valve stems offer superior airtightness. However, steel valve stems are the heaviest among the three materials, with a total weight of 150g for four steel valve stems. Considering the dynamic balance of the tires, installing steel valve stems requires adding more counterweights on the wheel rims, which increases the unsprung mass of the vehicle. 3. Aluminum Alloy Valve Stems: Aluminum alloy valve stems also belong to the metal valve stem category. Their lifespan and airtightness are comparable to steel valve stems, but the price is even higher. This is mainly because aluminum alloy is lighter than steel, which is undoubtedly more beneficial for the dynamic balance of the wheels.
