Tire Valve Caps, Tiny!

Even though they have holes for the stems to poke through, I just pull my wheel covers off to add air, then put them back. It's quick, and access is easy then.

I've got one of these thumb-release air chucks that just doesn't always want to seal well if I'm trying to wiggle it on through the wheel cover hole, anyway.

-Chap

 

Valve cap access is one of several reasons I have never had the wheel covers on the wheels.

 

Glad I am not the only one. I have checked the tires pressure twice and have lost 2 caps already (but found one in the driveway days later after it apparently rolled out from the wheel cover).

 

Maybe a short piece of vacuum hose, if you can find the right inside diameter, would help: push it over the valve cap and unscrew, lift out?

 

There's a socket size that fits the caps perfectly and I use a socket screwdriver. It's tight enough that the caps stay in the socket so you don't lose them and for ease of putting them back. If anyone's interested in the exact size, I'll go out to my car and check.

 

ok, do that

 

please

 

11/32 is the size and in case I wasn't clear, here's a pic.

 

thanx

 

You're welcome!

 

My other problem is that my air compressor will not reach into the hole and provide an air tight fit. One solution is to temporarily attach a valve stem extension (they stick out too far to leave then permanently attached) and then checking the psi and adding air are no longer a problem.

JeffD

 

Don't put the whole air compressor into the hole . . . . . Kidding, sorry you left that one wide open.

The extensions work well. This is another reason I removed my wheel covers.

 

Very ingenious

 

Just think of the weight savings using these tiny caps...

 

Doesn't screwing the valve stem extension on and then off again soak up more time than yanking the wheel cover off and bopping it back on when finished?

-Chap

 

What surprised me is how easy the wheel covers come off. Grab each side and pull. and done.

 

But:

• It doesn't cause bruises on the heal of my hand. (getting the wheel covers back on)
• It doesn't shorten wheel cover life. (My 2004 wheel covers broke about halfway through their life from the stresses of on/off)

JeffD

 

I've already yelled at two of my tire caps... and then at a third cap that vanished even after rolling the car back and forth

I seriously am nervous about bending/braking/snapping these pizza covers by "doing it wrong" on my own. So, I'm grabbing two of the five handles, through triangular openings, and then pulling straight out, firm and hard, normal to the plane of the wheel? Would that damage the overall shape of the cover? And there's no twisting involved, just pull? What about putting them back on?

 

As others have mentioned, leave the plastic covers off, filling the center hole of the rim can be done with a Toyota part ($$$) or a 2$ 1 1/2” electric panel plug, you need to check tire pressure monthly, the plastic covers will suffer, save them for trade in time. (I pop them off with a screwdriver)