IceShark

Does anyone know where to get or have a few of the stainless steel valve stem caps that come on many German cars? They are the ones that are pretty thin walled, knurled base with a flat top, except the top has a small pimple in the center.

These damn kids keep stealing them for their bikes I suppose. I would probably kill one of those little bastards if I caught them. Gone through a dozen caps in the last 4 years.

Anyway, if someone has two extra which I need now or knows of a place to get a reasonable price on 10 or a dozen caps, let me know. I don't see this thieving stopping anytime soon unless I rig up one of those 50,000 volt electrocution gizmos to my car.

Matt H

Dan - I will send you some, we buy them by the thousand!
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IceShark

Matt, That would be GREAT!

Since you are moving to Chicago you better bring along a box for yourself because the stealing is *really* bad down there. I got by when I lived in ChicagoLand because my next door neighbor owned a tire shop and had a pile of used caps around and I started using Loctite on the threads. But the little bastards figured that out and started using pliers, I guess.

Matt H

I dont even put them on anymore, they disappear at such a high rate, I keep a set for "special occasions" put at home I use black plastic or none.
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IceShark

I hear you, Matt. But I'm not ready to give up yet. I'll locktite the next caps and maybe that will throw the Minneapolis guys off.

I was thinking I should probably get 4 of the inner valve mechanisms as mine are over 10 years old by now. Are they all a standard thread size? Let me know if I need to check that out. They are in stainless valve stems that came on the BBS rims.

Also let me know what I owe you for this favor.

josephsc

Why don't you go down to the local school yard and see if there are any kid's bike with steel stem caps? Then you can steal them back from the kids...

Red1

I remember about a year ago some guy in a BMW caught a kid trying to steal his valve caps. The kid got away, but left his bike behind. The guy ended up holding the bike ransom, and had pictures of the kid bawling while waiting for his parents to come pick him up. The kid had to explain his situation to his parents, and the BMW guy seemed satisfied the parents were going to handle disciplining their little monster.

I remember seeing the pics of the car, the bike, and the sobbing brat. That's been a good year ago.

slinky

I had someone steal the metal VW vavle stem caps off my Corrado, so I put black plastic ones on. The next day, those were stolen too! So now I've got nothing on there. People are so ignorant!

Matt H

Dan - they are all the same. Are you saying the stems themselves are 10 years old? If so, YIKES. The screw in stems are only a few bucks a piece, I will see if I can snag a set from a vendor (they like to do favors) if so I will toss them in.

Dont worry about it, you dont owe me anything.

Brian - great story.
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IceShark

Matt,

Yeah, my inner spring & rubber valve gizmos are circa 1991. I know they haven't been changed out because I always went into the tire shop bay to watch over things and make sure they didn't do something stoopit. They are original for sure and that rubber must be getting hard. I did change out the rubber for the valve stem and nut to wheel 4 years ago when I had the rims in my hands awaiting new tires.

Brian, I remember hearing about that stem cap story, too. I think the BMW guy got a bunch of $hit for hanging onto to the snot nosed brat and making him cry, by the liberal press and soccer moms.

It would be unreasonable punishment to put the kid to death over this minor infraction but they should get slammed. In my day when a kid got caught stealing something two things happened. The father made the victim whole plus something for the trouble. The kid lived under strict rules and worked that debt off ...... a least month of hell.

Sami951

People who steal valve caps suck! Had that happen once too, next set I got (metal ones, oh yes) I tightened down way tight with a wrench.... haven't lost those yet

jason952

those you mean are like the oe bmw ones.

Robert D

Odd, never happened to me. Ever. I guess in a college town, people are more concerned with partying, class, and work? I know I bought a little tire-kit with a set of metal and plastic caps, the valve pieces and a tool to remove/install them, and a pressure gauge for a few dollars at autozone (has a cool little plastic case too). Discount tire carries them as well, may give a few to you for free.

Red1

I found where we talked about that kid last year. Some of the links don't work anymore.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...ying+BmW+steal

I wish the links to the pics still worked. He was one unhappy little thief.

Legoland951

Drill a hole carefully and safety wire it after wrenching it down with loctite?!??