Stirrup pump to inflate tyres (to file or build up)

Since it works ok on the others, get a new valve assembly put in the problem wheel.

Or simpler still, just poke the tyre valve pin down a few times to unstick it from its seat.

Tim

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Thanks. I can easily buy a new valve and put it in, but am i right in guessing i would never be able to pump it up enough by hand to get it to stick to the wheel rim? Suppose that means going and having it done professionally ?

[...] *Unsticking* it is the more usual problem!

I seriously doubt you would have the problem you envisage; if you did, usual DIY solution is to remove the wheel and put a tourniquet of rope around the circumference, This pushes the tyre out to the rim to create enough of a seal for the pump to pressurise the tyre.

Is the problem the valve? It might be the connector - replacements are cheap enough to try another one. Have you tried another method of inflating the problem tyres? A garage airline perhaps?

TBH, why don't you just join the rest of us in the 21st century and buy an electric inflater?

Chris

Tyre pump down the petrol station should do it. It's much quicker and easier if you do the initial inflation - to seat the beads - with the core out of the valve.

There's a cheap and simple tool to remove and refit the core.

That allows the air to enter the tyre much faster, helping to seat the tyre. I've had to take them up to 40psi+ before they seat - and, if you've never seated one before, the first time will catch you by surprise. Keep fingers WELL away.

If it won't seat, because air's escaping too fast between bead and rim, then bouncing it on the ground can help.

If the tyre's a bit borderline in width, then you can need to get a bit brutal. Probably best left to the pros - last ones I took in like that, the tyre place guy didn't charge me, even a few quid into the tea fund, because he used them as a training opportunity for the lads.

I can still remember tyre gauges which had one of those valve tools in the end of it. I think I may still have it. ;-)

[...]

+1. Schrader did metal valve caps with them built in also:

Chris

Thought all you needed was a bit of butane or hairspray?

Tim

Oh dear, I remember those too.

He's an amateur.

I'm not entirely convinced it's the best way to do it, though...

Remember them? I've got some!

And a cross shaped tool that has one end for removing valve cores, one for cleaning up the internal threads of the valve body, one for the external threads and I can't remember what the other is for and can't be bothered to go out to the garage and find out.

Isn't it worth trying just changing the valve core and not the whole valve? No need for the tyre to come off for that and so no need to re-seat it. Just unscrew the core and screw a new one in.

[...]

Getting boy scouts out of horse's hooves, wasn't it?

Chris

That'll be the one.