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Valve Stems | Caps | TPMS



Vivid Racing: Valve Stem | Valve Caps | TPMS

A valve stem is a self-contained mechanism that operates to introduce gas to a chamber (such as air to inflate a tire) and then is immediately closed and held closed by the pressure ratio, or a spring, or both, to prevent the gas from escaping. These are most widely found on tires for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles, but also for many other applications.

The plastic cap that screws over a valve is a valve cap; normally valve caps are used on a car or bicycle tire. Since a valve cap really has nothing to do with trapping the air inside a tire, many wonder why businesses are using it. While most believe that valve caps do serve a role depending on the valve.

A tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is an electrical device created to control air pressure on different types of vehicles inside the pneumatic tires. A TPMS communicates tire-pressure information to the vehicle's driver in real-time, either through a gauge, a pictogram display or a basic low-pressure warning sensor.

Why Are Your Tire's Valve Stems Important?

Everything that the manufacturer fitted on your vehicle serves a reason, big or small. Something as small as a valve stem cap for the tire valve might seem trivial, but it probably provides a very big function. The valve stem cap is not only a small plastic or metal cap for making the aftermarket valve stem look good. This is intended to protect the Schrader valve, an aftermarket valve stem threaded through by a valve stem core that holds the air or nitrogen in your tires. For the Schrader valve, a valve stem cap is necessary because, if one is not installed, dirt and moisture may enter the inside of the valve stem, potentially jamming or contaminating the sealing surfaces and causing leakage.

Due to the inner workings of your valve stems, the air gets into your tires and stays in them. You put the air pump onto the tip of the valve stem when you need to inflate your tires. The valve opens inwards to allow air in. Then, the valve seals and remains shut due to various friction or spring when you take the pump off. Take your car to the nearest Vivid Racing service center and you can get it repaired or replaced by performance aftermarket valve stem by a specialist if you happen to swell the tires and find a crack or leak on a valve stem or whether it even looks weathered. Also, it's better to change your valve stems whenever you have tire service work done on your vehicle. Valve stems should be replaced whilst removing the tire and replacing it on your wheels. This is especially important if your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) mounted.

What Benefits Can You Get by Installing Aftermarket Valve Cap?

Each valve cap takes longer to remove and install than it does to actually test your tire pressures. And they put black to your fingers. In fact, there's an argument that even if valve caps were not engaged in the process, people would be more likely to do those crucial tire-pressure tests.

The caps keep out of the valve opening from ground debris, spider webs, and generally nasty stuff and so when you connect the air hose and blow air into the tire the garbage doesn't get blown in with the air and potentially get fouled up into to the valve system where it can cause leakage. Most people would have thrown away their valve caps filled up the air in their tires, only to find the next morning a flat tire. The finest valve caps are the steel ones that are less likely to snap or come off than the plastic ones because when you drop them, they are much more likely to jump and roll under the car.

What are the Advantages of Having a Tire Pressure Monitoring System?

Direct TPMS

Direct TPMS uses a wheel mounted sensor for calculating the air pressure for each tire. If air pressure drops 25% below the prescribed level of the manufacturer, the transmitter generates this information to the computer network of your car and activates indicator light from your dashboard.

Indirect TPMS

The Indirect TPMS works with the wheel speed sensors of your car's Antilock Braking System (ABS). If the pressure of a tire is weak it can roll at a wheel speed different from the other tires. This information is processed by the computer system in your vehicle, which activates the warning light in the dashboard.

TPMS will alert you when there is low or flat tire pressure in your car. By having help to maintain proper tire pressure, TPMS will improve your traffic safety by enhancing handling of your car, reducing tire wear, reducing braking force, and improving fuel economy. If the warning light "low tire pressure" appears on your dashboard when the key is turned to the "on" spot, your vehicle has TPMS.

Test the air pressure in your tires, and inflate any low tire (as suggested by the manufacturer). The warning light will go off when the tire is at maximum pressure. Replace the tire with your spare tire if possible, and visit the Vivid Racing store for repairs or replacements needed. To diagnose the issue, we will check your vehicle's tire pressure and perform a device test on all of your tire sensors. Once our specialists address the tire needs of your vehicle, we will then propose the regular maintenance to safely get you back onto the road.

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