MTFCA Forum

My first T so learning quite a bit. I have 21” wood wheels on my 26 Roadster Pickup. I went to check tire pressure but was surprised when I removed the dust cap on one of the wheels. It looks like the stem and valve are inserted into a larger stem and valve. At first I thought the dust cap cap apart and left part on the wheel but in comparison to the other dust caps it doesn’t seem that’s the case. Before monkeying around I figured I’d asked the club. What setup do I have in this wheel and how do I access the valve to check pressure and pump up? Didn’t want to break anything

Those are accessory stem covers to look like old timey covers ! The adapter came off from inside.

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Thu May 25, 2023 10:42 am

Those are accessory stem covers to look like old timey covers ! The adapter came off from inside.

How do I access the valve for inflating? Is there an adapter? Do I have to take my tire off to remove the adapter?

You have an aftermarket dust cap setup designed to adapt to a modern rubber stem tube. The threaded insert inside is adjustable to compensate for different heights of rubber stems. I am running them right now on my 1912 Flanders 20 because it came to me with rubber stem tubes and I don't want to change them out for now.

https://www.modeltford.com/item/DC-RSBR.aspx

Model T Fords originally came with Schrader 777 stems that clamped the rubber tube, see the attached pics. Although valve caps and dust covers are fairly available, the stems and other parts themselves can be hard to find. If you want to switch to Schrader 777 metal stems, keep an eye out on Ebay and the classifieds here. Schrader 888 stems will also work, they are 1/4 inch shorter than the 777 stems. You can cut the rubber stem off of a modern tube and insert the Schrader 777 or 888 stem like this:

http://sheepisland.com/cars/tech/metal_stems/

The metal stem tubes currently available from the vendors use a larger size metal stem, not compatible with Schrader 777 hardware. Some folks run them anyway.

Do a Google search for "schrader 777 stem mtfca" and lots of older threads will show up.

Jim

the answer to your question is this: your aftermarket valve cover has come apart and left part of itself stuck/threaded onto the tire valve. Use a padded pair of pliers on those threads and they will screw right off, leaving a normal looking rubber stem exposed, to which you may add air.

Your old cover may or may not be repairable by applying a small dab of epoxy and screwing the thread adapter back in.

Jim - carefully twist off the little brass piece off the tube stem then air up your tire. You need a large hex wrench to screw the adapter back into the cover.

The metal stem tubes currently available from the vendors use a larger size metal stem, not compatible with Schrader 777 hardware. Some folks run them anyway.

That would be me. When I first started replacing rubber stems with original metal ones, I used the larger size (Schrader 724 and 725) because they were what I happened to have. All the new dust covers and most of the decent originals I've found fit that size, so I continue to use them. It's unlikely that I'll buy any new metal stem tubes, but if I do my dust covers will fit them.

https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG110.html

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Thu May 25, 2023 10:58 am

Jim - carefully twist off the little brass piece off the tube stem then air up your tire. You need a large hex wrench to screw the adapter back into the cover.

Thank you I’ll try a hex with a pair of pliers holding the stem from rotating.

It shouldn't be on there super-tight. Once you get it off, screw it into the inside of the dust cover far enough to keep it from bottoming out on the threaded part of the rubber stem before the dust cover bottoms out on the felloe. The ones I bought for my Flanders came with a round rubber gasket on the bottom to act as a cushion between the dust cover and the wheel felloe.

Jim11787 wrote: ↑

Thu May 25, 2023 12:07 pm

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Thu May 25, 2023 10:58 am

Jim - carefully twist off the little brass piece off the tube stem then air up your tire. You need a large hex wrench to screw the adapter back into the cover.

Thank you I’ll try a hex with a pair of pliers holding the stem from rotating.

Here is same type repro cap for rubber stem tubes in brass. The insert is threaded for the valve stem, and is adjustable for depth depending on the wheel application. Once you get the insert out, it has very small splits that you can pry out just a little, and that gives resistance to backing off with the larger threads inside the repro cap. The insert uses a 3/8" hex wrench to position it back to where you want it, trial and error, but you'll want the cap to bottom out on the wheel felloe, or that insert can stick like that one did.

Now if they only made those with a round, knurled base instead of hex!

Thanks to all. Got it straightened out.