I have an '08 Rubicon that has a problem with the valve stem caps. They are
the factory caps, but have frozen on the valve stems. I don't want to
torque them too hard as I believe the valve stems are both fragile and
expensive to replace. Is there any secret to removing the caps without
damaging the stems? Also, any suggestions on how to prevent this from
happening again?

Best regards, Dave

Hi Dave,
Looks like the core is exactly the same as a regular valve stem:
http://revolutionsupply.com/(S(jftcagzgymujng55cfocn2zk))/TPMS/AppGuide.aspx?gclid=CMTloKznzJ0CFR4HagodMSHUsA
I'd just buy professional tool for it like:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=86089&group_ID=1668 &store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:BillHughes (AT) billhughes (DOT) com
http://www.billhughes.com/jeep_bookmark.htm

"D" <nospam (AT) nothere (DOT) com> wrote

Kate wrote:

Say what?? I assume that we are talking about those dinky little caps that
screw onto the valve stem to keep out dirt and such. The plastic ones are
a few cents each - even I'm not cheap enough to worry about that!!

Now if you are talking about some fancy extender that is only available from
the dealer, that's another story. Hell, they want $20 for a plastic window
handle to fit my Commanche!

--
Will Honea

"Will Honea" <whonea (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

A few cents? You actually PAY for these? You can walk around the parking lot
of the tire store and pick them up off the ground. Or, go to the air hose at
the gas station, lots of them laying around there. Well, not lots, you might
have to visit a few stations, but it shouldn't take long to collect 4. I've
never bought the plastic caps, and I have the fancy chromed caps on my BMW
and my Jeep, and the guy at the tire store gives them to me if I ask nice. I
like all four, or five counting the spare, to have the same size and shape
of valve stem cap, so I always ask the guy to make sure they match. He
hasn't the time or energy, so he gives me a bunch and I pick out the ones I
like.

Thanks to all for your help. I used the PB Blaster approach and, after
letting it sit overnight, was able to unscrew three out of five of the caps.
A second dose of PB Blaster and using a hair dryer to heat up the stubborn
ones did the trick. The threads on both the caps and the stems were
undamaged.

It seems that the caps are integral to the TPMS system. You can't just use
any old cap. Somehow, someone thought that this was progress. Seems to me
that it's just another case of creeping complexity. Just because a computer
can do something, doesn't make it a good idea. Sometimes you just have to
shoot the engineer.

Best regards, Dave.

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

Jeff Strickland wrote:

Unless the cap is round.... ;-)

--
Will Honea

Will Honea wrote:
Personally my gut reaction is, pull the damn stems, replace them with real
ones, and send the technocrap ones to the director of the NTSB with a note
explaining where he is to store them and in what orientation and at what
depth.