A vehicle comprises many components which work together for smooth vehicle operation. Generally, some parts are not as crucial as the engine, but they play an important role. If they are not necessary, car manufacturers won’t bother adding them. One of such component is the tire air cap found on the tire’s surface.
The tire basically makes contact with the road, so with the tire air cap missing, what happens? Would it have any impact on the tire? We will discuss these as we progress, but first, let’s see what a tire air cap is. Is it even necessary?
Are air tire caps necessary?
Tire air caps sit on the valve and help prevent dust or debris from entering the tire valve. So do valve stem caps matter? Yes, they are important. Without the tire air valve cap, dust, dirt, and other contaminants your vehicle picks up as you drive will enter the valve.
And over time, the valve gets clogging up. With the valve clogged, you may have issues inflating your tires. In other cases, this road debris can damage the valve and cause your tire to leak air.
What happens if the tire air cap is missing?
With the tire air cap missing, there will be nothing to protect the valve from dust. Therefore, dirt and other debris picked by your tire will enter the valve and possibly damage it. Dirt entering the valve can also cause the valve to get clogged and give you issues during tire inflation.
How to prevent tire air cap from missing
Tire air valve cap missing can be totally avoided. So, to prevent the valve from missing, you may need to keep these in mind.
Keep the valve in a secured location when filling tires
Most times, as drivers remove the valve to fill the tires, and carry out repairs or maintenance, they misplace it. So ensure the valve is kept in a specific place where you can easily reach it. Replace it when done with the tire repair or maintenance.
Tighten correctly
Another way to avoid the air cap valve missing is correctly securing the valve cap back to the valve after tire filling, repair, or maintenance. Generally, before putting air pressure, the air cap needs to be taken out. So after filling the tire, do not just place it back, but put it back and tighten it. Because if not secured properly, the valve cap could fall out as you drive.
However, don’t over-tighten it, too, to avoid damage to the valve cap. After placing it back on the stem, turn the cap halfway anti-clock-wisely to ensure it’s well seated. Once secured, use your finger to turn them until they are finger-tight. Avoid using tools as they could over-tighten it.
Avoid curbs or bumps if you can
As you drive and brush your car against curbs or bumps, the impact or scraping effect could cause the tire air valve cover to fall off. It can even damage the valve itself and cause air or nitrogen leakage. While not totally avoidable, avoid brushing your car through bumps if you can. If possible, take other routes without bumps or road obstacles.
What should I do if I lost my tire cap?
For those asking, what should I do if my tire air cap is missing? If you lost your tire air cap, replace it. You don’t need to panic that it’s gone, but replace it immediately if you have the chance, as it is vital in keeping dust away from the valve itself.
How to replace tire air cap
Replacing a tire air cap is one of the simplest jobs you can ever do in a car. Tire air cap replacement could cost about $10 if you’re doing it yourself. All you need is to get a pack of valves for $10 or less, though heavy-duty vehicle valves could cost more.
If, however, you’re going to your local mechanic, you may spend between $25-$50. With your valve cover ready, here is how to replace a tire air cap.
Lift your car
Use a rack stand to lift your car from the ground and rotate the tires until the tire cap appears upside down.
Remove the old tire valve.
Aside from getting lost, valve caps could also be worn out due to bumps and other road obstacles it always contacts, hence a need for replacement. If your valve is already missing, skip the process; otherwise, remove the old valve first.
Removing old valve caps may be tricky because sometimes, the cap might get stuck in the valve.
So if you can’t get tire air cap off, don’t panic. Here is how to get a tire cap off quickly. First, spray lubricant on the valve cap; it should allow you to untighten it and take it off now. Another way is to use a pair of pliers; use one plier to keep the valve steady, then another to twist the cap till it comes off.
Replace with the new stem cap.
If the cap is already missing or you just removed the old one, it’s time to place a new valve back on. First, apply grease to the valve cover before reinstalling it; the grease will help prevent it from getting stuck in the future.
Also, keep in mind that overtightening the valve could damage it. So when applying, allow it to sit appropriately on the stem by turning it halfway anti-clockwise, then tighten with your hand until it doesn’t move further. By all means, avoid using tools; your valve cap doesn’t need to be that tight.
FAQs
Are tire caps universal?
Air caps are universal, at least for most models. Since many vehicles would work with the same valve cap, you could walk into any auto shop to get them. Usually, most shops don’t even sell them individually, so you have to buy them in packs.
However, if you drive heavy-duty vehicles or specialized farm applications, you may need a specific valve cap. Here, you would have to look for the valve with a specific type in mind.
Can you use any tire caps?
While most valves will fit regular cars, you can’t erase the fact that there are other bigger applications. So, not all valves will work for all applications. If you drive a regular car, let the auto shop know you need a regular valve for regular vehicles. If, however, you use other bigger applications, be specific, too, to get the best fit for your tires.
Understand that your specific vehicle will influence the price of the valve too. You can go online to check for the prices of valves in shops near you by typing cost of tire air cap near me. It should show you a list of shops and their prices.
But if you want specific prices of certain shops, search for air cap prices together with the shop name. For example, if you want the price for Walmart or Autozone, type cost of tire air cap Walmart or cost of tire air cap Autozone.
Will a tire lose air without a cap?
Generally, the cap’s job is to prevent dust and other debris the tire picks from entering the valve and clogging it. It doesn’t help prevent air leakage. So for those asking, can air leak from tire without a cap? No, your tire won’t lose air without a valve cap.
If your tire is losing air, chances are your valve stem is broken or defective, which could be caused by road bumps or debris entering the valve due to missing caps. But how badly it leaks air depends on the severity of the damage. Tire air leaks can also stem from tire slashing, damaged wheels, broken beads, or temperature changes.
Usually, drops in temperature cause the tire to lose air pressure. Another cause of tires losing air is age. As the tire gets to the end of its life, it starts wearing out. As it brittles, the tread will also begin to separate, causing the tire to lose air pressure. Liken it to the case of an aged person, how their skin shrinks is exactly what happens to an old tire.
Can you drive the car safely without the tire aircaps?
You can safely drive your car with a missing tire air cap. However, it is good that you replace it if you have the means so it can keep dirt, dust, and other contaminants off your valve. A clogged valve would give issues when trying to pump air into your tires, resulting in total damage to the valve over time.
Do your tires lose air without a tire cap?
The tire cap no doubt has its function, but not to keep air in the tire. So, will the tire go flat without a cap? No, it won’t. It doesn’t help keep air in the tire, so when it’s out, your tire won’t lose air either. However, it can happen indirectly.
The cap does prevent road debris from entering the valve. If the cap is out, road debris can enter and damage the valve over time and cause your tire to lose air slowly. So if your tires keep losing air without any physical damage on the tire, the issue may be with the valve.
To determine if your valve is damaged, mix water and detergent and pour the solution on the valve. Tiny bubbles coming from the valve’s tip or base may indicate your valve has issues. Aside from debris, your valve can also get worn over time due to constant road bumps.
Will my tire lose air if the cap is missing?
Can a missing tire cap cause a flat tire? No, your tire will not lose air if the cap is missing. The function of the cap is not to prevent air from leaking, so it won’t cause your tire to lose air if it goes missing. But while your tire won’t lose air without the cap, do you need air caps on your tires? Yes, you do.
The air caps help keep dust and other debris from contaminating the valve. If this debris keeps entering the valve, it could clog it and result in inflation issues later. In some cases, too much dirt in the valve can even damage it, letting air seep out from the tire.
Final Words
Tire air cap missing shouldn’t get you worried. Without the cap, you won’t get a flat tire and can still safely drive your car. This is true because the cap does not help keep your tires inflated. However, we recommend replacing it when it goes missing, as this valve cap helps in keeping dust and other debris away from the valve itself.
Without the valve cap, dirt will accumulate in the valve and cause inflation issues later. In other cases, too much dirt in the valve can damage it, causing tire leakage. Thankfully, tire air cap replacement is one of the simplest and least cost-effective jobs on cars. You can get the valves for less than $10 and do it yourself. Otherwise, expect to spend between $25-$50 for parts and labor at an auto shop.
