[Unclet]

In my quest to get all the details right, I'm looking for some really nice valve stem caps ( not hex head ones) in nickel plated brass or chrome plated. I changed mine out to ones from a 2001 Miata that look great but don't screw down all the way to the bottom of the threads so there's some threads showing. I know this is a minor detail but does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Unclet]

NEW RECORD

Possibly this message may get the new record for most views without a reply ! My next exciting post may cover license plate frames.

Seriously though folks, is the Tire Rack a good source for what I'm looking for? The web just does'nt have a lot of variety as far as nice looking stem caps are concerned.

 

[raitchison]

Not sure where you are located [mod]please put your location in your profile[/mod] but Pep Boys has a lot of this stuff.

The threads on my valve stems are like 3/4" long so I wouldn't think that a long enough cap exists.

Just don't get LED, Dice or Skull valve stem caps please.

 

[vaBooM]

Why even spend a dime on them when some punk ass kid may swipe em?

 

[Titanium Dragon]

Valve Stem Caps...

IMHO, it's great if you can actually get something small, nifty, and cheap to go with your car, but vaBooM is right. There is a chance that some punk kid will steal them.

If you're going to go with aftermarket Valve Stem Caps, maybe you should get something not too shiny or too noticeable. Get something very subtle. Like most thieves, they tend to be attracted to "shiny" things.

Good luck on your search.

 

[stinkypete]

Check ebay and search for 'mazda valve stem caps'. They have a few.

I'm going to check out pepboys myself and pick out some anodized purple ones...hah! j/k!

 

[Guest]

Why even spend a dime on them when some punk ass kid may swipe em?

amen... to get a bit off-topic here.. once i left my car on with my girl in it and when I come down I see her telling off some little punk kid because he was taking my caps... I took the little punk to his mom where she slapped the HELL out of him good times... (that was with my old civic)

 

[Sean]

I just leave them off, I am constantly checking tire pressures so it makes it easier. I've never had a single psi of air come out with them off.

 

[Hardrocky]

I noticed the valve stem caps didn't go on all the way the first day I had the car. The second day I checked the pressure, and of course dropped one cap, which proceded to vanish. Ran over to Meijer, grabbed some new caps, the cheap ones for $2 for four of them. And wouldn't you know, they fit correctly, all the way to the bottom of the threads. Replaced all four, threw factory ones away.
Don't leave your caps off. Debris can get in there and make the valve leak.

 

[morph860]

Check Pep Boys

 

[kleung21]

stolen

I like the way the anodized ones look and I used to have a set on my 2001 Celica.

Within the first week, they were stolen (kids?) I was just happy that they stole the $10 caps rather than deflating my tires as well... That would have been REALLY bad.

Since then, I've kept the stock (black) caps on. I don't want the hassle of dealing with a flat tire unnecessarily... (ie; the kids decide to flatten your tire at the same time they're stealing the caps).

Secondly, a cousin of mine had the caps corrode on over the winter (in canada + salt) and had to get the stems cut off and replaced.

Kevin

 

[fire76]

I wouldn't buy anything too nice. Neighborhood punks would take the chrome ones from my Jeep about once a week ( they were only plastic). Once I went back to the black ones, I never had to replace another one. It's too bad these little punks have nothing better to do, because they did look nice.

 

[mazda3speed]

yea i wouldn't buy anything to nice or to fancy

 

[sweetdeath]

I got Chrome caps and chrome valve one on my Platinum color mags. They look very good. But here there is no punk that can get close to my car in the nite... big bad dog outside the house is the way to keep your propriety safe...

 

[mazda3speed]

pep boys or discount auto parts

 

[fire76]

The chromes look much nicer hands down. And I know they're cheap, it just got old replacing them all the time when the "disappeared". :twisted:

 

[Rockinblue]

If you want to go cheap, Wal-mart has metallic caps. I saw a pair of shiny black caps that looked nice.

 

[JamesBOMB]

I noticed the valve stem caps didn't go on all the way the first day I had the car. The second day I checked the pressure, and of course dropped one cap, which proceded to vanish. Ran over to Meijer, grabbed some new caps, the cheap ones for $2 for four of them. And wouldn't you know, they fit correctly, all the way to the bottom of the threads. Replaced all four, threw factory ones away.

I just did the exact same thing... when to Canadian Tire, bought a set of generic caps for $1,49 and they fit all the way down.

One thing worth mentioning though is that if you look closely at the stock caps, inside, you'll see a rubber thingy was added to it. This is why the cap doesn't go all the way. They rubber thingy loos to be designed to seal the cap while not touching the valve release pin.

I did some calculations (read: fidgeting around) and came to the conclusion that both the stock caps and the after market caps work just as good (the stock caps might even work a little better because of the rubber seal). It all comes down to esthetics I guess...

Oh, btw, I kept the stock caps in my car... you never know when you'll lose one of those suckers... :wink:

 

[sam0m0]

i just bought a pack of 4 blue ones in hongkong for little less then 3 dollars canadian