Plastic spanner tool for metal caps on metal valve stems

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DRPM635CSi
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Plastic spanner tool for metal caps on metal valve stems

Post by DRPM635CSi »

My painted Alpina wheels have bolt-in metal valve stems with metal valve caps attached. I find I need two ring spanners to safely undo the valve caps to top up the tyre pressures. Doing this makes me nervous though because one slip with a metal spanner and I'm going to scratch my painted wheels. I haven't done this yet, but I need a better way of putting a little bit of tension on the valve caps so they seal with the rubber O-rings inside properly.

Has anyone ever seen something like plastic hex head lever arm spanner finger tools for undoing and doing up metal valve stem caps without having the associated risk of spinning conventional metal spanners in very close proximity to painted wheel lips?
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Brucey
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Re: Plastic spanner tool for metal caps on metal valve stems

Post by Brucey »

could you not just wrap the spanners you have in tape and/or heat shrink?

If you know someone with a rapid prototyping system I'm sure they could make plastic spanners to your design, and provided the torque is low they might be strong enough too.

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bpoliakoff
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Re: Plastic spanner tool for metal caps on metal valve stems

Post by bpoliakoff »

+1 or put shrink tubing over the sides of the wrenches (spanners to you) or just get some plastic and a coping saw and make an appropriate tool. Shouldn't take all of 10 minutes
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