Quick Valve Change Tool, replacing tire valve stems without tire removal. Any experience?

[2ndGearRubber]

It's part of their business model. Free flat repair and rotations. They push through the volume and use it to get you in the door/ build customer loyalty. I spent a lot of time in discount tires servicing their equipment along with Big O tire shops. I won't bring my vehicle to a Big O anymore unless I know someone who works there who can vouch for how the individual branch is run after seeing how most are run. Discount Tire is a grade A operation for the most part, everywhere has their issues though I very rarely saw something cringe worthy as a fly on the wall.

The history of discount tire is a good read. The owner had some great ideas and created a great business.

As a volume tire dealer, that's fine. If I'm stepping away from a clutch job, or making brake lines, or putting down a scan tool - that's a different story. That's why many shops charge "a lot" for things others give away as loss leaders. They're not interested in working for pennies in hope they'll get something down the line. They charge what it takes to stay in business, and they pay professionals to do so.

The tire chain stores have a model built on cheap and volume. You're not going to get that elsewhere. Just because McDonalds will produce a $1.50 cheese burger doesn't mean the fancy joint down town with it's own micro brews and winery is selling one for $1.50. Take whatever mount/balance costs, plus maybe 0.1 hours of labor (6min), and call that a flat repair price. That's what the business should be charging.


Their business model is all good for them. I'm billing around $650,000 a year for my employer, at a very high GP%, fixing all makes all models and making my own tickets. And I don't do tires to jack the number up. Me, the technician. Just because Discount Tire wants to do free flat repairs doesn't mean it makes sense for me to crawl out from under the hood of an Audi billing 5 hours and parts markup to fix a tire for 0 hours and 0 parts markup.


That's where the "it costs what?" threads can derail because there's an assumption that all shops, electricians, plumbers, businesses are using the same model and have the same costs. The BMW dealer down the road charges $250 to FILL your 134a ac system. Not check the function, not look for leaks, no diagnosis. Diagnosis of your dead compressor or evaporator leak is another $200 IIRC, after they fill it. Different business model than the chain store struggle or an independent. Which explains the price spread.

 

[BarrelRoll]

As a volume tire dealer, that's fine. If I'm stepping away from a clutch job, or making brake lines, or putting down a scan tool - that's a different story. That's why many shops charge "a lot" for things others give away as loss leaders. They're not interested in working for pennies in hope they'll get something down the line. They charge what it takes to stay in business, and they pay professionals to do so.

The tire chain stores have a model built on cheap and volume. You're not going to get that elsewhere. Just because McDonalds will produce a $1.50 cheese burger doesn't mean the fancy joint down town with it's own micro brews and winery is selling one for $1.50. Take whatever mount/balance costs, plus maybe 0.1 hours of labor (6min), and call that a flat repair price. That's what the business should be charging.


Their business model is all good for them. I'm billing around $650,000 a year for my employer, at a very high GP%, fixing all makes all models and making my own tickets. And I don't do tires to jack the number up. Me, the technician. Just because Discount Tire wants to do free flat repairs doesn't mean it makes sense for me to crawl out from under the hood of an Audi billing 5 hours and parts markup to fix a tire for 0 hours and 0 parts markup.


That's where the "it costs what?" threads can derail because there's an assumption that all shops, electricians, plumbers, businesses are using the same model and have the same costs. The BMW dealer down the road charges $250 to FILL your 134a ac system. Not check the function, not look for leaks, no diagnosis. Diagnosis of your dead compressor or evaporator leak is another $200 IIRC, after they fill it. Different business model than the chain store struggle or an independent. Which explains the price spread.

I'm not arguing with you 1 bit. The founder of discount tire decided all they were going to do was tires and do tires well. They don't do anything besides tires and wheels. No alignments, brakes, wheel bearings, oil changes. I don't know what they do when they need to replace a wheel stud or things like that. They promote from within, every manager/ sales guy was slinging tires and occasionally you'd see a manager out there helping out to push cars out quicker. Works out well for people who probably aren't cut out to be mechanics, I think the kids who really want to be mechanics move on.

It does skew things for other shops. Consumers don't realize how shops bill, they just don't want to pay.

 

[tak1313]

The last time I needed new TPMS sensors, the local Wally replaced them as "flat repair" = $10 each. That included replacing the existing with sensors I provided, and remount/balancing. I'm not sure if he price included reprogramming because since it was a GM, I didn't need direct ECU programming, so I just brought the tires in by themselves.

If you have sensors and don't have access to a cloning tool and sensors, you will have to have SOMEONE do it. If your tire doesn't use sensors, it's still worth it (TO ME) to let someone else do it.

That being said, I know of a few people that have broken just the bead on the valve side and replaced. You just need to make sure the sensor is the same (or at least same weight) if there is one, or the valve stem is the same size (and therefore approximately the same weight).

Since the tire won't move over its circumference, the balance doesn't get affected.

I would also recommend using bead sealer, and if you have a hard time airing the tire up because the bead doesn't seal against the wheel well enough, just get a ratchet strap to squeeze the tire around the circumference and it will force the bead to push against the rim more tightly.

 

[visionguru]

It works! Took me 30 minutes to get a new stem in, including slightly jacking up and cleaning the hole.




No tire pressure loss in 48 hours. A total success.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

It works! Took me 30 minutes to get a new stem in, including slightly jacking up and cleaning the hole.




No tire pressure loss in 48 hours. A total success.

Nice. Love it when a gadget like that works as designed.

 

[Locker537]

Last time I had a slow air leak at the valve stem, it was because the wheel had corrosion where the valve stem seats. No amount of cleaning or replacing the valve fixed it. I needed a new wheel.

Not saying that's the case here, but it's often a can of worms. Pulling off the tire let's you or someone else inspect.

 

[djbmw]

Just as an FYI, the rim does have corrosion on the outside of the valve stem hole so likely the inside is corroded as well. If you do the job again with your tool, coat the new valve stem bell end with bead sealer. If you don't have bead sealer, use a small dab of urethane or RTV so that it helps seal the valve stem in place.

 

[rust in the eye]

It works! Took me 30 minutes to get a new stem in, including slightly jacking up and cleaning the hole.




No tire pressure loss in 48 hours. A total success.

Great news. Thanks for the report