tire Valves for Stepdown Wheels

pseftoncomcastnet

A bit of a puzzle...

The counter guy at Autozone tells me that I need a "non-standard size" valve for my stepdown's 15 inch wheels. He doesn't have it and can't tell me the dimension needed. I would have to demount a tire and carry it around with me to try to match it up at most parts stores around here, as no one has the old parts books. Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the correct valve or a n id number? My car has whatever wheels came on a Commodore in 1951.

Peter sefton.

faustmb

I forget the size, but there are 2 common sizes, most wheels pre 70 something use the larger size. My 63 VW and 66 International used the same size as my 50 Hudson. Napa and oreilly keep the larger size on the shelf here, and most tire places keep a few of the larger old ones on hand.

pseftoncomcastnet

Thanks! We do have NAPA here, which is where I usually head for anything that isn't completely generic or that might require a little know-how to figure out. Perhaps some Autozones are better, but the staff at our local one can't seem to do more than tell you what their computer screen says.

Peter S.

faustmb

It's not only Autozone, a new hire at Napa here couldn't find a radiator cap without the VIN for my 66 International. I happened to have the VIN on hand, so I obliged and he still couldn't find it Yes, international is its own company

lostmind

The sad thing is Autozone puts the independents out of business by Siphoning off the high profit sales

and leaving the small stuff to NaPa and CARQUEST  stores.

We have two independents in a town of 10K people and they are building a New Autozone

The NAPA will survive , but the other that has been in town for 50 plus years will close,

all their knowledge and help will be lost.

They have an ad for new employees , computer experience needed , says nothing about auto knowledge needed.

A lot like Walmart auto service. They train them on tires , battery replacement , and siphon out the oil.

Don't ask for anything else , they don't know.

Lee ODell

Peter

I found my valve stems at a service station that has been around forever. Sorry I can't give you the diameter. There are only two sizes plus aftermartket bolt on steel valve stems with rubber washers.

Might be worthwhile to keep spares in the glove box just in case the need arises. I've had a couple customers bring there car in for alignment and the valve stem broke while driving onto the alignment rack.. Rubber valve stems show no outward evidence of a problem. But they do begin to crack where it goes into the wheel. The rubber is pliable enough that it can be pushed sideways on the wheel with no problems. But,after long periods on a car with many heat cycles the rubber hardens and begins to crack in the valve stem hole on the wheel.

Just a suggestion, I know you won't want to do this. Before any long trips with tires that have been on the car for a long long time. Check the valve stems. Press them sideways to see if they have any cracks. If they are cracked badly they will probably break so you might want to be somewhere they can changed. Better to find out before the trip than to have a flat tire on the road because of a bad valve stem. Also, a slow leaking tire could possibly be from a cracked valve stem.

Lee O'Dell

hudsontech

When I lived in Maine I had fun with my local NAPA dealer trying to find trunnions for a 1969 Rambler I  had at the time.  This was around 1990. Young fellow starts looking thru the catalog section (before computers they actually had parts books!!) and he's looking and looking and looking.  Finally looks up and says "Was that car built by Chrysler??"  I just looked at him and told him not back then it wasn't. 
He finally found the trunnions - interesting thing was, and you'd think these would be common, was they didn't have the lower ball joints.  I'd have thought the trunnions would have been a problem.  Those were made by Rockwell and I found out later were made for fork lifts.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

46HudsonPU

They are .625 inch.

Had the same issue (tire valve size) when I took four old 15" rims into Walmart, to have tires installed (sale on tires + rebate).  Had to make a special trip to the auto parts store to get them.  It is the standard 'larger' size for older rims - the rim was actually made to use tube-type tires, which is why the hole is bigger.  The later  'tubeless type' rims have a smaller hole, and you won't be able put a tube into the tire with those rims.

I got my valve stems at Tractor Supply - An assortment of long and stubby...

The clerk at the counter tried to charge me for the valve stems that I had to make a 'special run', in order to get my tires installed.  My words were "Are you crazy?!?  I had to go buy them - Walmart didn't have them!" (a few more descriptive four letter words thrown in).  The clerk actually went out and checked with the installer, just to be sure... 

Since I had that experience, I stocked-up on them (old style valve stems). 

pseftoncomcastnet

Lee, that sounds like an excellent pre-flight plan.

The tire valve treasure hunt was kind of convoluted but it did work out. The local Napa guy said his catalog showed only extra long brass stems in the .625 valves that I was sure would interfere with the hubcap. So there followed a fruitless expedition to NTW, Merchants Tire, Just Tires, Car Quest, and a few others before I went bacjk to NAPA desperate enough to try the brass stems. Then a different clerk pulled out a box of the correct .625 rubber stems from under the counter.

I bought a lifetime supply!

Peter S.

Kdancy

Peter, do you have a part # for those NAPA ones?

46HudsonPU

Here - If you can't get them locally, they're VERY CHEAP on Ebay - (25 for around $10  = $.40 ea, and that includes shipping.)

 

pseftoncomcastnet

Afraid I don't know the parts number. I think I paid 60 cents eaxh.

P

faustmb

My napa has the short ones and the long ones on peg hooks in a two pack for a dollar and change. Balkamp brand or whatever the Napa line is.