How did they screw this up?

Had a tire mounted and they put in a new tube... this is what I got back - see image?

So did they just put in the wrong tube? Note the gap around the valve stem and the wheel. You can actually stick a pencil inbetween the valve stem and the wheel into the tube... not that I would, but I can't believe a tech released thi to me.

It's a little hard to tell exactely from the pic, but are the edges around that hole as rough as they look? :huh:
Looks like the "tech" buggered the hole up trying to get the old valve stem loose from the wheel. :pinch:

Just for peace of mind, I'd take it back to where you had the tire and tube installed and ask them why is that hole so danged much larger than it was when you brought it in?!?

And don't let 'em BS you by saying "it was like that when it came in". Simply (and calmly) tell them that if they noticed it, then why the heck weren't you told about it? Especially since that's a major safety issue, and could possibly go flat/blow out and cause you to wreck. I really doubt that they want to deal with a lawsuit, and will quickly (and for free) fix it.

Did the old tire have a tube in it? The hole in some rims is very large. I have a 16x3" rear wheel and the hole for the valve stem is like 5/8". I just installed a new bridgestone tube into a new bridgestone spitfire tire and the valve stem on the tube looked just like yours. I cant imagine there are tubes with different size valve stem diameters, could be wrong though.

Your tube valve stem is just not centered in the hole real well. Its possible if you had a tube before there was a larger washer on the valve stem to cover the big hole and you never noticed it.

The whole is smooth. I think the pic appears rough, but is the angle. My concern is the size, being to big, and especially that it is not covered. I can't remeber what the old one looked like, and I'm positive it was not exposed.

I'll have to note my other bike, not at this location now.

and yes it is the 16" wheel. Maybe the rubber stemmed tubes have a fatter stem?

The front appears OK and has no excess area. Fits the way you would expect it to fit.

RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:

It's a little hard to tell exactely from the pic, but are the edges around that hole as rough as they look? :huh:
Looks like the "tech" buggered the hole up trying to get the old valve stem loose from the wheel. :pinch:

Just for peace of mind, I'd take it back to where you had the tire and tube installed and ask them why is that hole so danged much larger than it was when you brought it in?!?

And don't let 'em BS you by saying "it was like that when it came in".

Ask for the old tube and hardware and compare. It sure didn't look like that.

supercharged wrote:

Maybe the rubber stemmed tubes have a fatter stem?

Could that have originally been a tubeless rim? The valve stems for those are bigger.

I'm with Bounty. I think they installed a tube in a tubeless rim. I also noticed you have almost 2 oz. of weights on that rim. Ask them to double check the balance and rotate the tire on the rim if neccessary. There should be either a red or yellow dot on the tire that needs to line up with the valve stem. At the bike shop I work at I don't think I've ever had to put more than 1.5oz on a tire/rim to balance it.

Just my $0.02.

Later, Doug

My LTD has a larger tubeles valve stem in it that fills the hole. Was there a hole in the tire that caused them to use a tube? A tube type early mag will have the smalled inner tube hole. If the tire needed a tube theres not much you can do except get the valve stem centered or get a new tire

Agree, looks like mine w/ a bolt in valve stem & no tube.

There should be either a red or yellow dot on the tire that needs to line up with the valve stem

Good to learn new things, wish I knew before I mounted mine:laugh:

This is a 1979 wheel and at that time it was tubed. I don't think the wheel had the necessary bead for tubeless. It also had a tube prior to this NEW tire mounted.

I did compare to another 1980 tubed rim and it appears they used hardware as such.

Under the rim a washer and a nut to stop tube from being pulled through the whole

Above the rim, a was and a nut to secure the tube

in the Middle... it appears to be a groumet. This was still mounted so I was unable to confirm a groumet or a rubber washer, but with that, the hole was closed and all secure.

My guess is if they added the additional harware, it would also place more weight in that area, lessening the balance correction.

I callled the shop last night and the mechanic was gone, this morning they admitted they figured out what went wrong, so we will see later...

Basically then, they used a cheap tube instead of the threaded valve stem type with a lock nut. Id get them to change it, I dont like the looks of it

I don't get it at all unless the LTD is different. Every one of my KZs have a hole for the valve stem exactly the same size as the tube valve stem. I wonder if someone at some time drilled the hole larger in an attempt to add a tubeless stem? Whatever tube you use, that hole is not right the way it is.