Mercedes Tire Valve Stems or Other ? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

leathermang · #1 07-14-2003, 02:17 PM

One of my tires had a valve stem that was too short for my air pump to connect to. I took it in to the tire shop and they said I needed the special tire stem which has the locking ring on it..
So I am wondering if the other three tires are bogus stems... or if upgrades are acceptable.... they are rubber and longer than the Mercedes stem...
Anyone had experience with this problem or any problems to relate using regular rubber valve stems on the alloy aluminum wheels ? Obviously I am running around taking pics of spare car tires.... since the original has been pulled from the rim...

leathermang · #2 07-14-2003, 02:20 PM

The replacement .. (?)

leathermang · #3 07-14-2003, 02:26 PM

...OK, in looking at the second one it really looked like a Mercedes stem also....
So this is the stem type in question.... regular rubber looking..
Having changed many tires and stems myself.... my nagging feeling is that this rubber stem is not correct due to either not having something to hold it in.. like a nut... or that it is not thick enough to span the very thick Mercedes wheel... like most tubeless stems do....
I am sure someone already knows these answers, thanks,,,,,

The Warden · #4 07-14-2003, 02:52 PM

FWIW, the stem on the top pictures looks like the 4 stems that I have on my car, and I haven't had a problem with any of them...

OTOH, my truck's stems are pure metal that are threaded onto the rims. They're also consistently holding back 80 psi...

I don't know what's "right" for the alloy wheels, though...sorry

md21722 · #5 07-14-2003, 02:54 PM

I purchased four dealer valve stems recently. They looked just like the ones my mechanic installs. All rubber design, with a metal cap.

HTH,

leathermang · #6 07-14-2003, 04:07 PM

Tim , the problem is I can not put air into that one on my car.. my air pump nozzle won't go down on it due to its short length..

MD21722, the three others on the car look like you describe.... so I guess this is just the dinosaur still using the old style..

thanks....

Wasuchi · #7 07-14-2003, 08:07 PM

This is what mine look like, which I though was original. Maybe it is since I have the chromed wheels.... they sort of still are.

Wasuchi · #8 07-14-2003, 08:09 PM

You can't see in the picture but the stem is threaded for it's entire length.... or it appears to be.

P.E.Haiges · #9 07-15-2003, 09:57 AM

Leather,

The valve stems in Wasuchi's picture are the original stems for the bundt cake wheels.

They are available from the dealer but are expensive, something like $14 each.

P E H

leathermang · #10 07-15-2003, 11:26 AM

This crazy server is messing with my pictures.... at first it displayed my original , which looks like Wasuchi's, then I posted the long one... and now it has substituted the second picture into the first post....

$14 !! wow.

I am now thinking second level fix.... this stem was not faulty.. just short... but I am thinking about substituting a narrower nut on it... why does it need that slope top on it ? Eliminating that may fix my ' access' problem by itself.... since these are held on with nuts instead of just ' popping' into the hole like a thin steel rim has... I don't see any problems with reusing it... I don't normally do that....

Thanks guys...

janko · #11 07-15-2003, 11:29 AM

don't know if i miss the point here but i have over the years used this type of valve stem in a number of applications. seemed to me i purchased the buggers at a place like pep boys or equivalent. if memory servers me correctly, the selection offered contained a choice of lengths. at maybe $2.00 a piece.

Wasuchi · #12 07-15-2003, 12:04 PM

I have one of them that is short too, I think it's the one in the picture. Anyway, I wonder if they can be unscrewed some since the whole stem is threaded? I've never looked at them while getting new tires so maybe I'm justing dreaming...... but I can't figure how they become too short if they aren't being screwed in more.

Oh, and if anyone has a spare I could use one, I only have three.

P.E.Haiges · #13 07-15-2003, 09:58 PM

Wasuchi,

The original valve stem nut can be unscrewed but the special washer below the nut seems to corrode and "weld" itself to the valve stem. I have found that heating it is the only to get it loose. Be careful, it is either zink or aluminum and can be melted.

You can get another valve stem from a MB stealer. At least I did a few years ago. Don't forget to take your wallet or credit card.

P E H

#14 07-15-2003, 10:42 PM

no pictures but there are rubber stems that do fit the way they are made to. Totally pissed off Tire Kingdom last month after having new tires put on the front and noticed the stems did not look right. Made them redo the job before I would accept the car. Don't know where they got them this time but in the past they looked correct. Also they get pissy when you make them use a lug wrench and not blow the lug nuts on with 10 million pounds of air.

leathermang · #15 07-16-2003, 03:24 PM

For the record I tried O'Reiley's, A-line, and my local tire repair place ( which I have 30 years experience with )... none had it.. all said that maybe Discount Tire would have it... but that is in Austin.. so might go to the dealership if I have to drive that far...LOL....