Perfect Alignment: A Wheel Pant Valve Stem Trick

How to scribe the exact location for valve stem hole.

Checking air pressure is tricky. You need a hole aligned to the valve stem. The laser trick doesn’t work because the valve stem is angled.

Here’s a neat trick. Install the aft pant half. Find a tube that slips over the valve stem. You may need to ream it a little to fit. Cut it about half the length from the wheel to the inside surface of the pant. Steal the spring from someone’s ballpoint pen. Snag one of the kids’ #2 pencils. Slip the tube over the valve stem. Insert the spring. Cut the pencil so it will touch the inside of the pant under tension. Sharpen and insert it into the tube so it touches the pant.

Rotate the wheel. The pencil will scribe a circle inside the pant aligned to the angle of the valve stem. Pick a spot and drill a hole. Enlarge to three-quarter inch and use one of these soft rubber plugs to cover the hole.

Larry Larson
Larry Larson
Larry is a Van’s RV-7A builder and a private pilot. His goal is helping others with their projects.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Latest news
Related

2 COMMENTS

Subscribe to this comment thread
Notify of
guest

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tom Waarne
Tom Waarne
9 days ago

Or paint a white spot on your tire (tyre for you Brits) if you have an opening door on your wheelpant.

Larry Larson
Larry Larson
9 days ago

Yeppers. I forgot to mention tagging the tire to locate the stem. Thanks

2
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
×