Frequently Asked Questions
What is QuikStem?
QuikStem is a patented, quick-change tire valve stem that works with most tubeless, tubed and fluid filled tires and installs in under 1 minute with a wrench, pliers, or socket wrench.
Originally designed to solve the problem of broken or leaking valve stems on tractors and big equipment, QuikStem now has models to fit tires on almost all types of machines.
From ATV/UTV/SxS to riding and zero turn lawn mowers, all types of trailers like boat, horse and utility trailers, and off-road 4×4 trucks, Jeeps, rock crawlers, and equipment.
Our name is sometimes misspelled as QuickStem, Quick Stem, and Quick Stem Tire Valve Stem, so if you see it spelled any of those ways, know it’s still referring to our brand!
How do I install QuikStem?
Do I need special tools to install QuikStem?
No special tools are needed!
The .625″ stem has a 9/16″ nut, so a deep walled 9/16″ socket works great. The .453″ stem has a 1/2″ nut (12mm works great, too.) Otherwise, any other pliers, wrenches, adjustable wrenches or channel locks will work just as well.
Whatever the tool, about the most you will need to tighten is 3 to 4 revolutions of the nut. If you hear a squeak or feel the grommet turning, stop. You’re ready to roll.
How tight should my QuikStem be?
Your QuikStem nut only needs to be “snug”. Over-tightening is not recommended.
As you turn the nut on your QuikStem stem you are pulling the metal flange on the end of the stem upward and outward and in doing so compressing the rubber grommet to cause it both double in diameter and in thickness. Since you are only compressing rubber and not tightening metal to metal, your QuikStem nut needs only to be “snug”.
In most cases with most standard rim wall thicknesses that is usually about 3-4 full revolutions of the nut. If you are making roughly quarter turn arcs with your socket wrench, that will be about 12-16 turns.
It is normal and desirable for your QuikStem to have a slight wiggle when it’s correctly installed and it will have made a 200psi rated seal.
If you would like to check your seal, inflate your tire and put a little soapy water on and around the stem. In the very rare case that you see a bubble or two, just snug down in quarter turns until it goes away. You’re done. The constant outward pressure of the compressed rubber acts as a locking washer and your nut will never vibrate loose.
Does my QuikStem require any maintenance?
No.
Once snugged down and installed, your QuikStem should serve you for many years. The compression of the heavy duty rubber washer acts as a locking washer to ensure that your QuikStem will never vibrate loose.
Is QuikStem a permanent Fix?
QuikStem has been working flawlessly in off road applications for over 7 years without any issues, so you can feel confident that QuikStem will get you back to work and keep you working until/if you should choose to return your tire to factory condition.
In most off road applications QuikStem can be considered a permanent fix. Of course, if you hit any stem hard enough, you can break it, so once you have your QuikStem installed in your tire, the only thing you really need is one more in the toolbox. That’s why they’re sold in pairs. Under normal use your QuikStem should last for years.
QuikStem is not recommended or marketed for On Highway Passenger Vehicle Applications.
What do I do with the broken valve stem?
A rubber snap in stem may be able to be removed in its entirety with a stem puller or stem hook, channel locks or vise grips. If not, cut it off at the rim. Any part of a stem that cannot be retrieved through the stem hole can be pushed into the tire.
If you have a metal stem, remove the locking nut or collar and push the rest of the stem into the tire. Even Tire Pressure Monitor Sensors (TPMS) devices can be pushed into the tire. In on-highway vehicles, we do recommend you have that tire serviced at your earliest convenience – like maybe when you get home from vacation.
In all but high-speed on-highway vehicles, the remaining piece of the stem can remain inside of the tire harmlessly forever.
Do I need to lubricate QuikStem before inserting it?
No. Do not lubricate QuikStem. If, for any reason, you find QuikStem wanting to spin in the hole as you begin snugging the nut, simply grasp the stem with a firm grip or a gentle squeeze of your pliers just until the nut starts to snug and the rubber seal takes hold of the inside of the rim.
How tight should the nut be before I insert QuikStem?
The nut should not be more than finger-tight.
Keeping the nut this snug will also keep it from backing off the threads in your toolbox or pocket. A quick wrap of electric tape around the barrel of your stem will also prevent any possibility of the nut coming off during long storage.
Do I need to do any prep to the rim or hole?
If the rim and hole are in serviceable condition, no.
If there is excessive rust or any sharp burrs or gouges around the rim hole, those should be gently cleaned up with a wire brush or small file. Do only the minimum necessary to clean up the hole. It does not need to be perfect and you want to avoid enlarging the hole. In most cases, no prep is necessary. Install and go.
QuikStem’s patented 3-Way seal works from the inside of the rim, the outside of the rim and expands within the rim hole itself to make a perfect seal even in imperfect rim holes.
What if my tire currently has an inner tube in it?
Just push the remainder of the stem into the hole, insert QuikStem, inflate and you’re back in business.
BOTH tires that failed on QuikStem creator Todd Johnson’s 90hp John Deere tractor over the span of 3 days in early 2014 were inner tube tires that dry rotted and cracked at the stem.
One of QuikStem’s early prototypes – not nearly the quality of the version you can purchase now – has been performing flawlessly in an inner tube tire since early 2016.
Does QuikStem work with fluid filled tires?
Yes, QuikStem works effectively with fluid-filled tires.
At first sign of a leaky valve stem on a fluid filled tire, pull the vehicle forward or backward until the valve stem is at the top of the tire, and, if you can, jack the wheel to just a hair off of the ground. This will take the pressure off of the tire and its contents. In most cases, fluid filled tires are only filled to just below the top of the rim.
The easiest and fastest way to install your QuikStem is to use your 9/16″ deep wall socket attached to its ratchet handle as your insertion tool. In some cases, if you’ve been leaking fluid out of your innertube into your tire for some time, some fluid may want to escape as soon as you push in the old stem. The fix is to remove any outer locking nuts from your old valve stem, and using your socket wrench as the insertion tool use your QuikStem to firmly push the old stem into the tire, and keep firm inward pressure on it as you start to snug your QuikStem’s locking nut. Your QuikStem will seal your rim hole and the grommet will begin to expand as soon as you start tightening. We recommend no more than 3 to 4 revolutions of the nut. If you’re using your ratchet in 1/4 circle arcs it could about 12-15 reps. Third or half circle arcs will be fewer. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! You are compressing rubber. It is not meant to lock down metal-to-metal tight. Just snug is plenty. A firm shake of the stem should produce just a slight wiggle. You’ve made a seal that will last for years!
QuikStem will seal your fluid filled tire indefinitely. Of course, some of your fluid will leak out of your inner tube into the main cavity of your tire, so if you or your mechanic are concerned with its long term effects on your rim, you can choose to service the tire later at a time that is convenient for you after you’ve finished your job – or your entire season. Until then, you can keep working with confidence. Remember, liquid and iron need oxygen to create rust. If it brings you peace of mind, at your next opportunity, if you simply remove the air at the top of your tire and have it replaced with nitrogen, you can dramatically slow, or halt, any inner rim corrosion.
Note: The inventor of QuikStem has been running QuikStems in his 90hp John Deere tractor for years. One of his rear fluid filled tires has been under heavy use with a QuikStem in it for more than 3 years now. It looks and works like the day it was installed.
Of the more than 70 tires on his ranch, 17 now run QuikStems. Some have been running for years.
Can I use tire sealant with QuikStem?
Yes, you can.
QuikStems use a standard replaceable valve core that can be removed to install sealant. Especially with the .453″ stems, you can also just remove the whole stem, install your sealant and reinstall your QuikStem.
I have found on some of my big tires that have had a .625″ QuikStem in them for years, the rubber takes a partial set in its expanded condition and may be difficult to remove. In that case, rather than risking damage to your grommet, just remove the core and install sealant through the stem. Of course that just goes to show just how rugged your QuikStem is.
