Your tire valve stem may be small, but has a crucial purpose.
It’s the cylindrical tube protruding through the wheel rim. Its protective valve cap keeps dirt out and is where you inflate your tires.
If your valve stems start leaking air, you’ll need to replace them.
We’ll take you through a tire valve stem replacement step-by-step, and answer some other valve stem questions you might have.
This Article Contains
- 9 Steps to A Valve Stem Replacement
- What Causes Valve Stem Damage?
- How Do You Tell if a Valve Stem is Leaky?
- How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Valve Stem?
- 4 FAQs on Valve Stems
9 Steps to a Valve Stem Replacement
You can DIY a tire valve stem replacement. However, separating the tire bead from your wheel is difficult to do yourself. It’s best to let professional mechanics or tire dealers handle the repair, as you could risk injuring yourself or doing more damage to your car tire.
If you’re still going down the DIY route, here’s what to do:
1. Gather Materials
Once you’ve confirmed the tire has a defective valve stem, you’ll need some tools for the replacement:
- An air compressor with a hose
- A metal jack
- Jack stands
- A lug nut wrench
- Needle nose pliers
- A valve stem tool (valve core tool)
- A bead breaker tool (or tire iron and sledgehammer)
- A ratchet strap
2. Loosen Lug Nuts
With the wrench, loosen the lug nuts on the wheel that needs a new valve stem. It’s easier to do this with the wheels on the ground. Make sure your parking brake is engaged to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
3. Raise the Car
Carefully jack up the car and raise your vehicle onto jack stands. Don’t rely on the metal jack to keep the car raised.
4. Detach the Wheel
With the car raised, unscrew entirely the lug nuts and remove the wheel from your vehicle. Set your tire on the ground with the valve stem facing upwards.
5. Remove the Old Valve Stem Core
Remove the valve stem cap. Then, using the valve stem tool, remove the old valve stem core from the uncapped valve stem to release air, reducing your tire pressure.
6. Break the Tire Bead
Use the bead breaker tool to separate the tire bead. Alternatively, you could use a tire iron and sledgehammer to free the tire bead from the wheel rim. Work the tire iron around the edge of the wheel until your tire is completely free. Remove the tire from the wheel.
7. Install the New Valve Stem
Remove the old valve stem from the wheel. Take your new valve stem and insert it into the valve stem hole from the inside of the wheel. Use needle nose pliers to pull your new tire valve stem into place.
8. Reseat the Tire Bead and Inflate the Tire
Reseating the tire bead can be difficult if you don’t have special tools like a tire changer or bead seaters.
Here’s a method using a ratchet strap:
- Install the tire on the wheel rim.
- Tie a ratchet strap around the center tread of the tire circumference. Tighten the strap to compress the tire so the bead will contact the rim and seal, allowing air to pressurize.
- Inflate the tire with the air compressor until the beads on both sides of the rim are set.
- Release the strap and inflate the tire to the required pressure. Secure the valve stem cap.
9. Reinstall the Wheel
First, check the new valve stem for leaks using a spray of soapy water. If everything is fine, reinstall the wheel and tighten the lug nuts slightly. Lower the vehicle and secure the lug nuts.
Note: Installing a replacement valve stem isn’t always possible. Sometimes, you’ll have to get an entirely new tire.
Now that you know how to replace a leaky valve stem, let’s look at possible causes.
What Causes Valve Stem Damage?
These are some common causes of a broken valve stem:
- Normal wear and tear
- Excessively hot or cold weather
- Salty air
- Debris on the road
- Corrosion
Let’s go over signs of a leaky valve stem and how to check it.
How Do You Tell if a Valve Stem is Leaky?
A slow leak and a broken valve stem can be difficult to spot.
Luckily, most modern vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system. Your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) will alert you if your tire’s air pressure is too low via the TPMS sensor. If you keep getting a flat tire but can’t see any visible damage, your valve stem could be the culprit.
To test a leaking tire valve:
Pour some soapy water onto your wheel valve stem. If tiny bubbles come from the tip, you’ll need a replacement valve stem. Alternatively, tiny bubbles could rise from the base of your tire valve stem, also indicating a problem.
Let’s look at some costs revolving around replacing a broken valve stem.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Valve Stem?
Standard valve stems generally cost between $5-$30. You’ll find them at most auto parts stores.
Labor charges vary depending on the tire shop, but you can expect a range between $20-$70.
This puts the overall cost of a valve stem replacement around $25-$100.
Still have valve stem questions?
4 FAQs on Valve Stems
Here are some extra questions you might have on valve stems and their answers:
1. How Does a Tire Valve Stem Work?
The valve stem is the entry and exit point for inflating and deflating a tire. When you attach an air pump, a spring-loaded valve stem core inside the stem depresses, letting air flow into the tire. The core then seals the opening using air pressure from the tire. A valve cap helps protect the valve core from dust and debris.
2. What Are the Types of Tire Valve Stems?
Here are some types of valve stems:
- Tubeless tire rubber snap-in valve stem: This rubber valve stem for tubeless tires allows maximum cold tire inflation and is a relatively standard valve stem.
- Tubeless tire rubber snap-in valve stem (high pressure): These rubber valve stems are for medium and heavy-duty vehicles with tubeless tires.
- Metal valve stem: A metal valve stem can be suited to any vehicle and is generally aesthetic. Metal valve stems use a rubber grommet, which seals against the wheel when tightening their retaining nut.
3. Can You Still Drive with a Leaky Valve Stem?
It isn’t recommended.
A leaky valve stem means you have a slow leak that’s difficult to spot. A tire leak can be hazardous while driving. Low tire pressure can risk a blowout, which could cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
If you have a defective valve stem, head to a professional tire shop ASAP, or get a mobile mechanic to drop by your driveway and help you. If you can’t access a mechanic quickly, you can use your spare tire until the valve stem on the main tire is fixed.
4. Can You Replace a Valve Stem Without Removing the Tire?
Yes, you can. Some tire valve repair kits, like the Colby Valve, allow installation from the outside of the rim. These would be a lifesaver if you often go off-road with your truck and need a valve stem tire repair.
Get a Valve Stem Fix with AutoNation Mobile Service
Your valve stem is an integral part of your tire. If you have a broken valve stem, you could get a flat tire or, worse, risk a blowout, which is incredibly dangerous. A valve stem replacement can be done as a DIY job — just make sure you have the right tools and technique.
Or you could reach out to AutoNation Mobile Service.
We’re a mobile auto maintenance and repair solution with competitive and upfront pricing, available 24/7. And you can easily book us online.
Contact us now, and our expert mechanics will drop by your driveway to fix your faulty valve stem or any other automotive issue!