Tightening valve stem nuts loss of air

I had new maxxis installed with metal stems. After I got the tires home, I started to torque the nuts to 40 inch pounds, they started releasing air. It stopped after a second or so, got to 40 and no sound of leak. I sprayed soapy water and no bubbles. Any ideas why it would release air around the stem while tightening?

Kblock108 said:

I had new maxxis installed with metal stems. After I got the tires home, I started to torque the nuts to 40 inch pounds, they started releasing air. It stopped after a second or so, got to 40 and no sound of leak. I sprayed soapy water and no bubbles. Any ideas why it would release air around the stem while tightening?

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Might be as you are tightening you are distorting the rubber seal on the inside of the wheel letting air escape between the stem and hole where it protrudes through the wheel. There may be a shoulder on the inside wheel portion of the stem to hold while tightening the outside compression nut?

Do you have a make/model of the valve stems installed? A quick google search for pictures would confirm.

Hope this helps,
Brian

These stems just had the threaded stem, with a rubber seal, washer and nut. Anyone think tightening to the correct torque is good enough? I hate to head out and have issues

Like this?

If so, my thoughts are you are good to go just tightening to correct torque.

I would wonder though, why the installer did not do this when installing the stems on the wheel?

Brian

Exactly right Brian...It just dawned on me, I let the air out and took them to costco for free nitrogen. I wonder if that played a role