For the 2nd time since I've owned my bike====I go out to ride and less than a mile from my house I notice the bike handling funny. I pulled over and checked the rear tire, FLAT. I came home and added air with a compressor, only to hear air escaping around the valve stem. Last time this happened I had torn the stem out of the tube, I assume thats what happened this time.
I payed to have the rear tire and tube changed and after I had ridden the bike a few times, I noticed the dealer had left the valve stem bolt loose and it was 3/4's the way up the valve stem. I tightened the valve stem and withing two weeks it was torn out of the tube. I changed the tube that time and have ridden 500 miles without issue. Till today, and out of nowhere I think its torn again.
My question is, am I overtightening the valve stem nut(10ft lbs at most is how tight I have it)? I normally check the tires before each ride, but of course today I didnt, so I could have had a flat tire to start with.
I am going to get a rear tubliss setup but not for a few months.
Any pointers on what to do to stop ripping the stem out of the tubes
and lastly ----I was running 20-22psi in the tire.

 

I took those nuts off. If your tires are properly inflated your fine without them. All they do is make the stem pull out, leave them off & it gives a little movement so they don't.

 

are you putting any powder in the tire be fore the tube?

 

Man, this has me worried now! I'm going trail riding tomorrow, and I fully expect the trails to be way snotty, so I aired down my tires to about 11psi. Since I don't have rimlocks yet, I was just hoping all would be okay at this pressure, but now I'm second guessing. I think I'll add a few pounds for safety.

 

Sucks... Run 30psi or get a rim lock. If Kawi had put a rim lock on these bikes stock, we would see alot less of these problems. Many of us have had similar problems. With weather and temperature changes tire pressure varies. It's something that needs to be checked every other day or so... If you're running 22psi on monday, that doesn't mean you're running 22psi by Wednesday. Rim locks....

M

 

From my understanding the baby powder is used to help install the tube. I did not use any baby powder when I installed the last tube. I rode the bike about 500 miles on this tube. I went off road in the hill last weekend and then rode 15 miles on the road back home. With no problems.
What is the purpose of the valve stem nut?
I work on cars and you dont leave things loose )
I need a tube tire(tyre) lesson. Anyone know a place to do some reading?

 

The baby powder is to prevent the tube from sticking to the tire, so when the tire creeps a bit on the rim the tube is more likely to stay put in relation to the rim. The stem nut is an installation aid only. Once the tire install is done (aired up and down and up again, everything seated nicely) wind the stem nut back up to and firmly against the valve cap. If the valve stem starts to tilt you know the tube is creeping with the tire. I've almost torn unpowdered tubes getting them out of a tire if they had been in there for a long time.

 

There is also the opinion that the stem nut helps when airing up the tire and using an air guage to check pressure. You usually push fairly firmly with an air chuck and even some air guages, so the nut gives support. Think about how many times you add air and check your tire pressure. I think using the nut appropriately is fine, but don't tighten the thing down with any real force. I've never ripped out a tube stem by tightening it down, but I've had them tear after a tire went flat. Many tubes have a stout metal plate at the base of the stem, but this won't stop the twisting action than can occur with over tightening the stem nut. I just turn the stem nut down with my fingers. Even if it backs up the stem, the valve cap will prevent it from coming off. I'm running Tubliss now on my KLX, but my KLR650 still has nuts.

 

The tightening of the nut is not what is doing it--the fact the stem has zero movement with it tightened is. Leave them loose. If you want it to check the tires run it down with your fingers, check the pressure, then run it back up as just mentioned--or just take them off all together as mentioned at the top.

 

i have had a few tube tear right at the stem, it sucks, i know. the nut in my mind is needed. hold the tube in place, helps with air and air pressure checks. cars dont have valve stem nuts cus the valve stem is not connected to a tube, cus cars dont have those (duh), its a rubber seal thats pulled threw the back side of the rim. i need to find an auto job again, i use to change 4 tires on a car in less than a half hour. those where the good old days.