​Tubeless Valves Explained
We've all seen tubeless valve stems before, but rarely do we consider how crucial a role they play in ensuring your tyres' safety and performance.
Tyre valves help maintain the correct car tyre pressure, control air being added or removed from the tyre, and ensure no air escapes once sealed. Without them, our tyres would be unable to maintain optimal pressure and have poor performance, as well as create dangerous driving conditions.
In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about tubeless valves, from their different types to learning when they've gone bad.
What is a tubeless valve?
A wheel consists of three essential components - the tyre, the rim that holds the tyre, and the inner tube that maintains the tyre's shape with air. Tubeless tyres, on the other hand, as the name suggests, are tyres without a tube. The tyre is built with a halo or chloro-butyl lining to create an airtight chamber.
So, when you have a traditional inner tube setup, the valve stem is attached to the tube itself, and you'll be able to see the stem and lock nut holding it in place through a hole in the rim. When you replace your tube, the valve stem goes with it, and the new one replaces it.
However, tubeless systems have no tube and, therefore, no valve. As such, the "tubeless valve" is added separately and mounted to the tyre's rim. There, it acts as a valve conventionally attached to the tube.
How do tubeless valve stems work?
Manufacturers designed tubeless valve stems with a spring-loaded valve core that automatically seals itself using the air pressure and is contained within the tyre. As such, your tubeless tyre valves play a vital role in adding or removing air pressure inside your tyre and ensuring no air escapes once sealed.
The tyre stem helps tyres maintain their optimal pressure levels using its different components. A valve consists of a valve stem body, a valve core, and a valve stem cap. Together, these work to keep the optimum pressure levels within the tyre.
Your tyre and overall driving experience may suffer from valves that have aged, cracked, become brittle, or begun to leak over the course of their lifespan.
Generally, there are three different tyre air valve stems manufactured:
- Tubeless Rubber Snap-in Tyre Valve: With a maximum pressure of 65psi, you'll usually find them on passenger cars, light-duty trailers and light trucks.
- Tubeless Snap-in High-Pressure Tyre Valve: These tyre valves can have a maximum of either 80psi or 100psi, depending on the rim hole fitting. As such, you'll usually find them used for medium or heavy-duty trucks and trailers that use pressure to handle larger weights.
- High-Pressure Metal Clamp-in Tyre Valve: These tyre valves have a maximum of 200psi, which is perfect for high-speed, racing vehicles that often exceed 210 km ph.
Tubeless systems have no tube and, therefore, no valve. As such, the "tubeless valve" is added separately and mounted to the tyre's rim. Generally, if you're buying car tyres separately without being mounted on a wheel or rim, they don't come with valve stems. The only scenario where you will find a tubeless tyre with a valve is if it comes as a whole, with a wheel or rim.
The tubeless tyre valve stems are located on the wheels of a vehicle and are used to inflate the tyres. It has a mechanism consisting of a spring-mounted valve that closes tightly with the air pressure inside the tyre. Since rubber deteriorates over time as it ages, it will become brittle and cracked and may eventually begin to leak.
As soon as the valve stems start to drip, the tyre will no longer be able to hold air. The rate of air loss will be proportional to the severity of the leak. In more severe cases, the tyre may not contain the air, and you'll need to replace it.
Since rubber deteriorates over time, tyre valves are expected to gain general wear and tear, which you'll notice as cracking or a leak. As they age, it can result in premature wear, flats, or damage to a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.
However, the frequency you replace your tubeless valve stems depends on the vehicle's driving speed and the pressure exerted on the valve. For example, if you owned a racecar, you'd only need to replace the metal clamp-in valve stem every other year. This is more regular than most valve stems because the heat transmitted to the wheel from the brakes is significantly greater than experienced in regular service.
You should have your tyre valves inspected and replaced if they become brittle, cracked or if there's any apparent leaking. As a rule of thumb, we recommend replacing your tyre valves whenever you have new tyres installed.
Whether you're changing your car tyre, a forklift, motorcycle or mobility scooter, it's helpful to know if you have a tube or tubeless tyre.
The easiest way to check is by looking at the side of your current tyre. The information will be stamped on the side as "Tube Type" or "Tubeless".
However, it's essential also to check the valve as sometimes people will use a tubeless tyre on a rim that requires a tube. First, deflate the tyre completely. If the valve falls inside the hole into the tyre, you have a tube tyre; if it stays fixed, you have a tubeless tyre.
The type of car valve you have depends on your vehicle type and the speed and weight exerted on your tyres. Generally, there are three different tyre air valve stems manufactured:
- Tubeless Rubber Snap-in Tyre Valve: Probably the most common, these are usually found on passenger cars, light-duty trailers and light trucks. These tyre valves hold a maximum of 65psi as a cold tyre inflation pressure. You'd often expect to see them with plastic valve stem covers. However, this is merely for aesthetic purposes.
- Tubeless Snap-in High-Pressure Tyre Valve: These tyre valves are used in instances where the maximum pressure is above 65psi. As such, You'd often expect to see them used for medium or heavy-duty trucks and trailers that use pressure to handle larger weights. The tyre valves can have a maximum of either 80psi or 100psi, depending on the rim hole fitting.
- High-Pressure Metal Clamp-in Tyre Valve: These tyre valves use a rubber grommet, which seals the valve against the wheel when you tighten the holding nut. As a cold tyre inflation pressure, they have a maximum of 200psi, which is perfect for high-speed, racing vehicles that often exceed 210kph.
If your valve stem is damaged, there will be a slow and constant leak. This leak could come from the valve's body or the base of the valve, where it meets the tyre. There are a few ways to tell if your tyre valve has gone bad:
- Manual pressure readings: You should check your tyre pressure across all four tyres. If one of your tyres appears constantly underinflated, there's a high chance you have a leak.
- Using the "spray method": You can rub or spray a mixture of dish soap and water over the uncapped valve stem. If bubbles begin forming in a specific area, the air is escaping from that point, and you have a leaking valve.
- Expect the tyre valve for excessive wear and tear: As rubber deteriorates over time, it will become brittle and cracked, often leading to a leak. If your valve stem looks cracked or brittle, it could be time to have your valve stem replaced.
- Check your tyre pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS): If your TPMS light is on, one of your tyres is under-inflated. Inflate all four tyres, and if your TPMS goes off again, you likely have a slow leak that could be coming from your tyre valve.
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