Valve Dust Cap Stuck - Any Ideas?

[Drew Carey]

Hiya All

My aluminium cheesium made valve dust cap on my rear tyre has seized. Have tried WD40 and also penetrating oil to work it in. Then tried gripping the valve and twisting off but still no luck.

Anyone have any thoughts other than taking it to a tyre fitter and getting them to trash the valve and then re-fit the tyre????

Just thought I'd ask.....

Plus.....please dont say "See this what happens when you buy bling bits".....as I'm cheesed off and have decided that bike vanity will not triumph over sense again and that I will now only ever use standard plastic ones!!!! lol :-)

[ophic]

I had this problem. Middle of winter, dark, cold, wet, last thing i wanted was to have to faff about with the bike.

The trick was getting something the right size to grip the valve cap whilst being small enough to pass between the forks, as the rubber takes up a good half a turn.

I think in the end I got 2 pairs of pliers, one gripped the rubber, the other gripped the valve cap. It's awkward to do and you risk breaking it, but it worked fine for me. The only other thing i could suggest is heating up the cap with hairdryer or such like.

[Drew Carey]

Will hammering that not do damage to the valve?? Cause as it is I can still ride it (but cant check tyre pressures) so dont want to trash the valve at all.

[ophic]

Hit it with a hammer to loosen the rust thats inside on the threads..

Apart from giving it a belt with a hammer, i have no useful advice :)
doubt this would work as its mounted on rubber which would absorb all the impact shock.

[Mogs]

I had the same problem with my car. The solution that worked for me was to attach two small jubilee clamps, one on the valve and on the cap. This gave me sufficiant material to get a good grip.

[rossinio]

I also have the same problem, I knew those cheesy blue caps were going to be a problem when i bought the bike! When I got the front tyre changed they had to saw off the valve as couldnt get it off, I'll try the two clamp trick next..

[Drew Carey]

We managed to get it off over the weekend. We used my Mums kitchen gas torch (for creme brulee....yum yum) and warmed up the aluminium cap a little, then gripped the valve and rubber with two sets of mole grips, then gently worked the cap backwards and forwards and it went quiet easily. Hope you get it sorted too.