MTFCA Forum

I see that there are bushings sold for a steel wheel where the stem passes through. Does anyone use these? Are.they required?

Good question! I am interested to hear the answer as I am running metal stem tubes for the first time...

I see that there are bushings sold for a steel wheel where the stem passes through.

I don't see anything like that in the Lang's catalogue. What is it supposed to do?

I am not sure what the original poster is referring to but I have seen plastic items like a top hat with no top, that are inserted in the valve stem hole when mounting tyres and tubes. They keep the rubber stem of a tube from rubbing on the sides. I can see them being of use in T wire wheels, as the valve stem holes on those can be rusted thin around the edges. I believe the ones I have seen at the tyre shops were made to make the larger valve stem holes used in modern tubeless rims a close fit for tubes which are fitted in some repaired tyres.

Allan from down under.

Alan, you are spot on. I saw them browsing Ecklers and wondered if they where a must. I have a set of ash wire wheels and rubber stem tubes. Your response points me to take a better look at that area of the rim.
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My local agriculture tire shop uses plastic bushings to protect the tube stem when the wheel stem hole is sharp or oversize from decades of rusting. Bushings are not needed for a steel wheel in good shape, so if your steel wheel stem hole is not rusted away leaving a sharp edge or oversize opening you do not need them, and if you are using metal stem tubes you will not need them.
This is a stem bushing on my tractor wheel.

You failed to mention if your tube has a rubber stem, or a metal one. They are called rim nuts. Since you have wire wheels, you can use the Model A tubes providing your wheels are Ford wheels. A&L parts specialties has those parts. I don't know if they sell the tubes with the proper valve stems, or if you have to put them in yourself.