Glued on dust caps

Following a dispute with a local tyre supplier they provided and fitted two new tyres to the car.

I had to go through head office to get the dispute resolved so I imagine the local branch manager got a bollicking and was miffed at having to supply and fit new tyres.

It now appear he has glued on the dust caps on the new tubed tyres. I don't know what he used but there is no shifting the caps either by hand or with the aid of two pair of pliers. (one to hold the stem, one to twist the cap).

If he used thread lock is there any solution I can apply to loosen the caps ?

Any other suggestions to shift them ?

It would require a round trip of 60 miles to bring the car back and I'd preder a simpler solution.

Reply to
fred
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Slice them with a Stanley knife along the stem? And make sure head office gives him another bollocking.

Reply to
Andy Burns

I doubt it. That'd be ridiculously petty.

Tubed? Really? I'd be very surprised. Or are they VERY old wheels which can't be used tubeless?

Rubber-stem valves? I wouldn't want to be using a pair of pliers on them, tbh.

If they REALLY, REALLY can't be shifted, then take it to a local tyre place, and ask them to fit new tubes.

Reply to
Adrian

2012 BMW 1 series. Yes tubed. Car came as new with a toy 12v compressor and aerosol repair kit

WTF. Why do you think I requested assistance here

Reply to
fred

If tubeless, the valve stems can easily and cheaply be replaced.

Reply to
GB

Are they aluminium caps? If so, this is a common problem and nothing to do with their being glued on:

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If that doesn't work, you will need new tubes and plastic dust caps.

Reply to
Nightjar

Surely tubeless!

My previous car did, the compressor has handy several times with slow leaks, the repair kit was utterly pointless the one time I would have put on a spare. Current car at least has a space saver.

Reply to
Andy Burns

I think that the suggestion of cutting the caps off with a stanley knife will work. Or are the caps metal?

Reply to
GB

Are you sure you mean tubed, not runflat? The tyres won't be designed for tubes, the rims won't be designed for tubes. I would have doubted you could actually GET tubes in modern tyre sizes, but...

Sorry, I thought you actually wanted suggestions and help.

If they were tubeless (which on anything from the last fifty years, let alone three, they certainly should be), then I'd suggest new valves. If they really have been (super?)glued on, then the threads are going to be a bastard to clean up, and you've quite probably f***ed the valve stems by pissing around with a pair of pliers. I wouldn't be trusting 'em.

Let's assume they are indeed tubeless, and you're confused about runflats. You didn't answer the question I asked about if they're the normal rubber stems? On something like that, it wouldn't surprise me if they were metal valves, in which case it's probably electrolytic corrosion. Where are the tyre pressure sensors? In the valve, or inside the rim? If they're in the valve, they've probably not been replaced.

Reply to
Adrian

In message , fred writes

Heat? Dust caps lie about the floor of any tyre fitting shop so you don't have to purchase replacements.

Damp cloth wrapped around valve stem and hot air gun/paint stripper/wifes hair dryer on valve cap.

Hot plastic stretches so your pliers should finish the job.

IME Locktite products soften with heat.

Reply to
Tim Lamb

If your normal reaction to well-intended suggestions is "WTF..." I think I can see why you were in dispute in the first place. (yeh yeh yeh - don't tell me ... "Who the f*ck asked _your_ opinion?")

J.

Reply to
Another John

But I don't think I'd trust valves that had got any where near the 450° recommended to loosen it, from what I remember seeing a faulty one, there's only a knurled surface holding the brass thread inside the rubber stem.

Reply to
Andy Burns

Not so Acetone is the one reasonably common solvent for superglue.

But a condom or 10, and fill it up with acetone - glass fibre suppliers have this - and stick it over the while valve and elastic band it in place.

Overnight soaking will absolutely remove every last trace of superglue. But its fearsomely volatile so needs to be inside a sealed container while it does it.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Many thanks Now that's a useful helpful link.

Reply to
fred

So ARE they metal caps and/or valves? If so, then how long since they were last removed?

Reply to
Adrian

Yes, but I resented the implication that I didn't know whether or not they were REALLY, REALLY stuck.

Reply to
fred

I bought a set of caps with a design on them. However since they were metal they corroded onto the metal thread of the valve. I had to use a hacksaw - very carefully - to remove them

Reply to
charles

I've never met you. I don't know you from Adam. For all I know, you're a seven-stone weakling with arthritic fingers.

Reply to
Adrian

compressor

Quite agree, most modern tyres would eat a tube in prety short order, they are horribly rough inside. Getting tubes at all might be interesting, I doubt yer average qwikfit carries them, cars are tubeless and have been for decades...

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

That says it all about you.

Reply to
fred

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