<VV> Valve stem

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/4/2006 5:19:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time, pp2 at 6007.us  
writes:

>I  assume you're looking for the hole size the stem fits? 0.453" is the  
>standard size.

Have always wondered where such an oddball size  - 29/64" - came from. Also 
love the idea of 3 digit accuracy for a rubber  part..

Padgett 



Well, Padgett, I don't know for sure. But I have a theory. I have heard  that 
the pneumatic valve for tires was imported into the US in the 20's/30's  from 
France, along with the tube-type tire. (Maybe we had solid tires before  
then?) That is why the threads in the tire valve core are Metric. (Five of  the, 
at least, eleven Metric threads on a Corvair) Not sure about the threads on  
the valve cap, might or might not be metric! Maybe the diameter of the  Valve 
core hole in the wheel was dictated by the size of the valve core  portion of 
the early Tube-type tire inner tubes. Maybe the 29/64" is just close  to some 
original metric call out.  The tubeless valve stems may have  followed on with a 
hole-matching size. And yes, a three digit call out on a  molded rubber part 
is kind of goofy! - Seth