Car tire valve caps - function?

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
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I heard somewhere that those plastic valve caps are really just to keep dirt/dust out of the valve. Is that true? If so, I'll stop trying to twist them on tight enough to keep the air in. If they are to keep the air in, how come tires always lose air over time?
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,795
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Originally posted by: LoKe
They're not to keep the air in. ~_~

Not even a little? IOW, maybe you'd only have to reinflate every 40 days instead of every 20? Or are they just to protect the integrity of the valve (keep dirt out)?
 

Atheus

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2005
7,313
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0
Originally posted by: Muse
Originally posted by: LoKe
They're not to keep the air in. ~_~

Not even a little? IOW, maybe you'd only have to reinflate every 40 days instead of every 20? Or are they just to protect the integrity of the valve (keep dirt out)?

You pump up your tires every 20 days?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: Muse
Originally posted by: LoKe
They're not to keep the air in. ~_~

Not even a little? IOW, maybe you'd only have to reinflate every 40 days instead of every 20? Or are they just to protect the integrity of the valve (keep dirt out)?

Not, they're not there to keep the air in. They're not designed to be airtight. Tires lose air because the seals they make with the wheel are not 100% perfect.

Here's an experiment for you: get a pair of needle-nose pliers (Which, based the fact that you don't know how a schraeder valve works, you probably don't own) and unscrew the actual valve stem from the tire. then put the cap on, and see how long it holds air.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: Muse
Originally posted by: LoKe
They're not to keep the air in. ~_~

Not even a little? IOW, maybe you'd only have to reinflate every 40 days instead of every 20? Or are they just to protect the integrity of the valve (keep dirt out)?

You pump up your tires every 20 days?

If this is true, you probably have a nail in your tire or something.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,795
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Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: Muse
Originally posted by: LoKe
They're not to keep the air in. ~_~

Not even a little? IOW, maybe you'd only have to reinflate every 40 days instead of every 20? Or are they just to protect the integrity of the valve (keep dirt out)?

You pump up your tires every 20 days?

No, I was just giving an example.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,795
10,196
136
Here's an experiment for you: get a pair of needle-nose pliers (Which, based the fact that you don't know how a schraeder valve works, you probably don't own) and unscrew the actual valve stem from the tire. then put the cap on, and see how long it holds air.

I have several pairs of needle nosed pliers AAMOF.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,795
10,196
136
Originally posted by: FoBoT
you are joking
i hope you are joking

No I'm not joking. There are more deluded people in this world. Nobody ever told me what those caps were for. Now, I'll put them on but won't crank on them. Just screw them on loosely. Thanks for all the sage advice. :roll:
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Originally posted by: Muse
Here's an experiment for you: get a pair of needle-nose pliers (Which, based the fact that you don't know how a schraeder valve works, you probably don't own) and unscrew the actual valve stem from the tire. then put the cap on, and see how long it holds air.

I have several pairs of needle nosed pliers AAMOF.

*waits for a thread with pictures of a shrader valve embedded in someone's forehead*
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,795
10,196
136
Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Originally posted by: Muse
Here's an experiment for you: get a pair of needle-nose pliers (Which, based the fact that you don't know how a schraeder valve works, you probably don't own) and unscrew the actual valve stem from the tire. then put the cap on, and see how long it holds air.

I have several pairs of needle nosed pliers AAMOF.

*waits for a thread with pictures of a shrader valve embedded in someone's forehead*

I think I'm unsubsribing now. Bye.