Finally a reason to buy the new aluminum wheels I've wanted for years!!!

Good thing you checked... the rubber on valve stems can rot just like tires.
That's why most tire shops change the valve stems each time they mount
tires...
It's not just a money making thing!

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
M. Jade
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 2:48 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Glad that I checked my tires

I was preparing my 85 Vanagon for a trip for the upcoming weekend. Among
many things I checked in the engine compartment I checked my tires. Turned
on my air compressor and inflated all 4 tires up to 40 PSI, slightly higher
at the
rear tires. While I was putting the wheel hub caps back on I spotted
something.
There is a cut on the valve stem near the base on the rim.

What a bummer! It looked like it could suddenly lose air through the cut in
the
middle of my road trip. Well, the hub cap was on the wheel all the time.
Nothing
could reach there to give it a cut like that. The only suspect has to be the
hub
cap itself. When it was put on last time it must have been touching the
stem.
The vibration over the past many months probably is the reason resulting in
the
cut. I will have to rush to a tire store before it is too late for the day.

So Vanagon folks, when you put on your hub caps you may want to make sure
the cap is not pressed against the stem in a way that can result in a cut.
The
cut on the stem on mine looks definitely like a time bomb waiting to
explode.

MJ in sunny California