The Greatest Mystery of All Time - Where Do Valve Stem Nuts Go?

Summary

In this video, the presenter grapples with conflicting advice on tube tire valve stem nut placement, comparing Honda's factory setup with Michelin's instructions. After a humorous detour involving unhelpful AI and customer service responses, the video explores various forum opinions and concludes with practical advice. For street use, two nuts outside the wheel are recommended for valve stem security. Off-road, no outer nut is advised to prevent damage when deflating tires, with the inner nut ensuring a tight seal. The video also critiques some manufacturer practices and emphasizes the importance of nut positioning for tire longevity.

Takeaways

• 🔧 The factory setup from Honda places one nut fully tightened at the base of the valve stem and another tightened reasonably to the wheel.
• 🛠️ Michelin's instructions contradict Honda's setup, suggesting both nuts should be above the wheel, not under it.
• 🤔 The script writer faced confusion due to conflicting information from different sources, including Michelin's own packaging which showed different methods.
• 🏍️ For street riding with proper tire inflation, it's recommended to have two nuts on the outside of the wheel, with the first nut finger-tight against the wheel and the second nut locking it in place.
• 🏎️ Offroad riding may require no nuts on the outside of the valve stem to allow for tire rotation without damaging the valve stem when the tire deflates.
• 🔩 The top nut serves as a tool for installing and resetting the valve stem, especially useful in off-road scenarios where tire slippage can occur.
• ⚙️ The bottom nut under the wheel on off-road applications strengthens the connection between the valve stem and the tube, preventing damage from the washer bouncing.
• 🚫 Over-tightening the top nut can rip the valve stem out due to the rubber connection, which is why a bottom nut is important to prevent such damage.
• 💧 A nut under the wheel can prevent moisture and debris from entering the space between the tube, tire, and wheel, which is crucial for street applications where tires last longer.
• 🛠️ The script concludes that the best compromise for off-road use is to have a nut tightened to the valve cap, providing flexibility while preventing complete valve stem retraction.

Q & A

What is the issue with the tube type tire and valve stem nuts as described in the script?

The issue is the conflicting instructions on how to position the nuts on the valve stem of a tube type tire. The factory setup from Honda and the instructions from Michelin differ, causing confusion on the correct method.

How does the factory setup from Honda CRF300l position the nuts on the valve stem?

According to the script, the factory setup from Honda CRF300l has one nut bolted all the way down and tightened to the bottom of the valve stem, and the other nut is tightened down to the wheel reasonably tight.

What does the Michelin inner tube box suggest regarding the positioning of the nuts on the valve stem?

The Michelin inner tube box suggests that both nuts should go above the wheel, with no nuts under the wheel, contradicting the factory setup from Honda.

Why did the speaker have difficulty installing the tire with the new Michelin inner tubes?

The speaker could not get the bead to seat properly, and the tire could not be installed onto the wheel no matter how much the tube was inflated, which led to the discovery of conflicting instructions.

What was the advice from Chat GPT when the speaker asked for help?

The advice from Chat GPT was unusable and vague, essentially telling the speaker to 'go f... yourself,' which did not provide any solution to the problem.

What conclusion did the speaker reach after browsing forums and comparing information?

The speaker found no consensus on the matter of nut positioning in relation to the valve stem and the wheel, with forum members having zealous support for every possible approach.

What is the recommended setup for street riding according to Michelin?

For street riding, Michelin suggests having two nuts on the outside of the wheel. The first nut is tightened down to the wheel finger tight only, and the second nut is tightened to the first nut to lock them against each other.

Why should there be no nut on the outside of the valve stem when riding offroad?

When riding offroad and deflating tubes, having no nut on the outside of the valve stem allows the valve stem to be pulled in a bit into the wheel without getting ripped off, preventing damage to the tube.

What is the purpose of talcum powder or corn starch when installing tires and tubes?

Talcum powder or corn starch is used to reduce friction between the tire and the tube, making it less likely for the tire to pull the tube with it if it rotates independently of the wheel.

What is the speaker's opinion on the approach of having no nut at all on the outside of the valve stem?

The speaker believes that having no nut at all on the outside of the valve stem is not the best approach because it allows the valve stem to be completely pulled inside the wheel, making it difficult to reset without removing the wheel and tire.

Why should there be a nut on the valve stem base under the wheel for off-road applications?

For off-road applications, a nut on the valve stem base under the wheel strengthens the connection between the valve stem and the tube, preventing the washer from chewing on the tube when the tube is deflated.