Folk,
I am replacing the tube in the 4" wheel rim of a hand truck belonging to a friend.
The existing hole for the valve stem is about 9 mm diameter. On the new tube, the brass stem is 8 mm diameter and where the stem joins the tube there is a collar or shoulder 10 mm diameter. Is there any reason not to drill out the hole in the rim to fit the shoulder properly?
I realize that the edge of the hole must be deburred and smoothed after drilling.
Thanks, ... Peter Easthope
I think you will then lose the clamping force of the nut on the outside holding it solidly in place if it is a threaded rod.
Did the last one fail at this point?
Mike
The original tube has a rubber stem. The new tube has a brass stem without a thread and the shoulder where it joins the tube is rubber over brass. So in both cases the stem is held in place by the air pressure, as in a bicycle wheel.
The tire was dragged around flat until the stem was so chewed that it would no longer hold air. Of course, if the original tube was a decent quality it probably would still be pressurized.
This has happened on both wheels. The manufacturers must be quite happy that some people buy another hand truck rather than fix the first or second flat.
I'll go ahead and drill out the rim.
Thanks for the feedback, ... Peter E.
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