Installing a Vintage K Valve on a Steel 72

[Bob DBF]

If your wheel nuts are too tight, you stand or bounce on the tool, for a gradual crack

Did that a while ago, then had to replace the stud.

 

[happy-diver]

I've always seen you as a fit good looking bloke not some fat guy Bob
anyway it's good you found out like that rather than the guy who
used to be, when his wheel came off around the fast lethal corner

 

[Pat Regan]

I clamp the end of a 3" wide nylon tow strap to the bench; wrap a turn or two around the tank, and lay it down on its side so that when I torque the valve, it tightens the strap and keeps the tank from moving.

(That avoids the neck-nicks I see on some tanks where a monkey wrench or channel locks have been applied.)

I use a large adjustable crescent wrench. If the valve doesn't have flats at the base, there's probably a surface to which the wrench can be applied.

If the valve doesn't unseat right away, tapping the wrench once or twice with a mallet is usually all I need.

Beyond that, a length of pipe extending the wrench handle makes a very capable breaker bar.

To protect the finish from marring or galling, I've been known to wrap the valve in a bit of Gorilla Tape. But that's about as far as I've ever had to go.

I would never use a mallet on a valve knob.

Installing, I wrap the 1/2" NPT threads with a bit of teflon tape, hand-thread into the neck, and then tighten it with that same adjustable crescent. No need for an extension and i sure don't want to over-tighten; just as long as it seals.

Hope this helps somebody.

 

[happy-diver]

One must choose their knob wisely

 

[AfterDark]

Did that a while ago, then had to replace the stud.

Rotate your tires much?

 

[happy-diver]

I just pulled an unused spare out from under my new old car, and why would you rotate
the spare when the car has factory alloys and the factory only provides a steel wheel spare

 

[AfterDark]

I just pulled an unused spare out from under my new old car, and why would you rotate
the spare when the car has factory alloys and the factory only provides a steel wheel spare

In the USA we have fake spare tires that can't be driven over 50MPH when used, so we rotate the 4 tires on the car. My Subaru's tires get rotated from front to rear every 7K miles. Unknown to most people because the spare is a smaller diameter than real tires when using the doughnut type fake spare tire it should only be used on the back. If a front tire is flat a rear tire should replace it and the spare should be used to replace the rear tire, so we get to change 2 tires for every flat front tire. Thanks to the EPA CAFE standards that require smaller lighter cars to achieve the MPG rating they need to meet.

 

[Big Dan K]

Count yourself lucky to have a spare at all. My wife’s Acura has neither a spare nor a jack, just a can of fix a flat and a useless 12v air compressor. One more reason sensible Texans drive trucks

 

[Bob DBF]

Rotate your tires much?

Wasn't my vehicle, wasn't home. At home I have an impact gun, a real jack, and jack stands. Rotating tires is easy and quick.

 

[AfterDark]

Count yourself lucky to have a spare at all. My wife’s Acura has neither a spare nor a jack, just a can of fix a flat and a useless 12v air compressor. One more reason sensible Texans drive trucks

I've heard of that but have never seen it, they must think that people that buy Acuras just call tow trucks when they have a flat!

I guess if ya think to ask the salesman about the spare tire and he shows you a can of flat fix, it could be a deal breaker. But who asks about the spare tire when buying a car?