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I'm using Café Latex in tubeless tyres with Presta valves. I always have difficulty when opening and closing the valves in order to pump the tyres up - presumably the threads are clogging up with the sealant - and I eventually have to resort to using a small pair of pliers to tighten them.
I have similar problems when removing and refitting the valve core in order to top-up the sealant.
I'm wondering if I need to regularly replace the valve cores etc.
Also, I checked the sealant level last season by cracking the tyre off the rim at the bottom of the wheel, with the intention of checking to see if liquid sealant was still present. There wasn't much, but what was left went everywhere, and made such a mess that I was unable to reseat the tyre, even when using a compressor. I ended up having to completely clean the rim, and replace the tyre, rim tape and valve.
I need to check and top-up sealant levels again, but I think I'll just pour some in without disturbing the tyres. However, I'm worried in case I can't get the valve cores in/out. I have one of those plastic 'spanners', but I'm not sure they're up to the job!
My experiences with cafe latex have been pretty bad- it dries out very quickly and doesn't seal particularly well
None of that helps you though!
I put a smear of chain lube on the valve core, which helps. I also replace the valve core as soon as it gets sticky (50p ea from ebay).
Wot he said ^
crap sealant, grease the threads, treat the cores as disposable, and only nip them up.
I've just started using joes eco sealant.. No latex and ammonia. Will see how it lasts in the tyres, but I've pulled a thorn out already and it did it's job without a fuss.
Thanks very much. I came over with an unusual spurt of energy this evening, and topped up my tyres. I found I'd already bought a pack of 10 valve cores, so I fitted two new ones, and used a touch of lube and grease as suggested.
I'll look into different sealants. At the time, I'd read that the Cafe Latex was really good compared with Stan's. It's been fine so far, although I've nothing to compare it with. Also, this bike is a road recumbent - I'm using Stan's Podium MMX rims and Michelin Advanced Wild Run'R slicks (or whatever they're called).
If you file down the end of the protruding pin bit a little you can unscrew the bit all the way off the end so you can remove the pin and stopper altogether and clean the dried latex out. Hope this makes sense.
I just put a drop of chain lube in the valve cap before I put it on and don't have problems any more with valve cores. Stans really is so good that I'm surprised anybody uses anything else , unless somebody comes up with a sealant that works as well as Stans and doesn't dry out . The only other thing that pisses me off with Stans is that it's sold in pints , but US pints not UK pints , Us being 16fl oz Uk being 20 fl oz . I'd like to see them try that trick in pubs .