Savannah/Ventura

[skippydiesel]

The word aspirational comes to mind. I believe this to be a marketing term, meaning BS😈

[sfGnome]

It amuses me to think of how ‘slapped together’ the final result would be to do it in 400h. No deburring, no corrosion protection, no checking, no good. 🫤

[IBob]

I guess they probably do that fine at the factory......where they've had the practise, have worked out their methods, and will have jigs and tools to expedite everything.
So they'll be on the tools and building all the time. Whereas, on a first build, there is probably a great deal of time spent figuring things out, getting things right, and generally proceeding cautiously.
I have struck the same thing with house renovations/modifications: a builder mate of mine would drop by and do more in 3 hours than I got done in a day. It puzzled me a bit, so I began watching myself......and realised just how much time I was spending trying to think things out etc, while he knew just what he was doing and his 3hrs was on the tools full time.

[sfGnome]

Ok, I have a problem (hopefully one that Savannah owners have already figured out).  In the context of assembling the wheels, the manual helpfully says “fit the valve stem to the rim”. No way could I make the stem fit. Ok, fair enough , it has to be a tight fit so it doesn’t leak, but how tight is tight enough? Anyhow, I took it to a tyre place as they do this all the time, and they couldn’t pull it through either. The stem was going to break if they tried any harder. 
 

So… assuming that Savannahs have the same tubeless wheels, how did you get the stem to fit? Drill out the hole in the rim a bit (and if so, how much)? Give up and fit tubes? Or, did yours go in easily and I’m just unlucky? 

[Kyle Communications]

The sav wheels are tubed. Split rims. and almost all pinch the tube on a wheel

 

 

 

[IBob]

I would think the air seal is achieved between the valve flange inside the wheel, and the inner face of the rim (rather than by the fit of the stem in the hole)?
If that's the case, then the stem doesn't need to be a super tight fit in the hole.

[facthunter]

There MUST BE a correct fit. Nev

[onetrack]

Photos would be good. Facthunter is correct, valve stems must be a good fit in the rim, I'm surprised the tyre shop couldn't sort out the problem. 

Tubeless stems are normally a tight fit, did you use some soap or tyre mounting lube on it?

[sfGnome]

I’ll get some photos later, but the uncompressed diameter of the stem is 14.5mm, and the rim hole is 10.5mm. Nothing will compress the one down to the other. I’ll try expanding the rim hole slightly. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll fit tubes. 

[IBob]

Don't fit tubes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We envy your tubeless...........)

[IBob]

Run it past the agent, or ICP themselves if he can't answer.
 

The problem with tubes is that under certain pressures the tyre and tube can rotate round the wheel when braking, wrenching the valve in the tube.

 

[Red]

22 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

I’ll get some photos later, but the uncompressed diameter of the stem is 14.5mm, and the rim hole is 10.5mm. Nothing will compress the one down to the other. I’ll try expanding the rim hole slightly. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll fit tubes. 

14.5mm dia is awfully large, got a pic of the stem?, or do you mean just the flared section is that wide?

Try warming it with a hair dryer first

Edited 22 hours ago by Red

[Blueadventures]

44 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

I’ll get some photos later, but the uncompressed diameter of the stem is 14.5mm, and the rim hole is 10.5mm. Nothing will compress the one down to the other. I’ll try expanding the rim hole slightly. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll fit tubes. 

I'd suggest revisiting the tyre shop and measure their stem size and the normal wheel it goes into.  Then you can compare your size. (eg if your stem is same as ones at tyre shop then your hole must be too smaller an id.  You could then consider drilling or reaming your rim hole and dress the edges, so they are not sharp, so no mechanical damage occurs in service.

[spacesailor]

Automotive tyre stems Are larger then the hole in the rim .

Not tubed , so tubeless stem is ' lubed '  & pulled through with great strength .

The reason your worker can't do it .he's lost muscle strength. 

I use a ' claw ' hammer to ease it through.  I also have the correct pulllthroug

 

 

 

spacesailor

 

 

Edited 20 hours ago by spacesailor
Two pics

[Moneybox]

2 hours ago, Blueadventures said:

I'd suggest revisiting the tyre shop and measure their stem size and the normal wheel it goes into.  Then you can compare your size. (eg if your stem is same as ones at tyre shop then your hole must be too smaller an id.  You could then consider drilling or reaming your rim hole and dress the edges, so they are not sharp, so no mechanical damage occurs in service.

 

Don't do too much for now. I've got valve stems and a rim or two so I'll measure it. Normally you'll just lube it a little with anything suitable for rubber, silicone grease, tyre lube, lanolin grease, soap or whatever. The valve stem is inserted from the inside and pulled through to the outside using a suitable puller made for the job (it screws on where the valve cap fits). Fitting it takes perhaps five seconds all up.

[Moneybox]

 

I just measured a VW rim that is 11.5mm, about the usual size. If pulled through from the inside out very little effort is required. I have this little tool just because it was as cheap as chips on TEMU but a normal "T" shaped valve tool from your local auto parts store will easily do it. You are correct the valve stem od is 14.5mm but it easily compresses into the 11.5mm hole.

 

Edited 19 hours ago by Moneybox

[sfGnome]

Here’s the photo as promised. The tyre blokes do this many times a day, so if they said it wasn’t going to happen, I’m happy to believe them. I have asked ICP, so I’ll report back with their answer.

Moneybox, I appreciate your measurements. I think that the difference between your 11.5 and my 10.5 is the difference. Thanks. 
 

 

Edited 19 hours ago by sfGnome

[IBob]

sfGnome that looks like half a wheel. How does that work as tubeless?

[facthunter]

They don't work well WITH a tube either. Nev

[sfGnome]

Yes, they are bolt together, but with an O-ring to seal the halves. 
 

I have received and answer from ICP (they are super helpful and quick, which ameliorates somewhat the less-than-helpful assembly manual). Anyhow, the answer was “expand the hole”. Unfortunately, Federico didn’t suggest by how much the hole should be expanded, but I’ll start with MB’s measurement and go from there. 

[facthunter]

Borrow an adjustable reamer to enlarge the Hole and remove the sharp edges with the right sized ball rotary burr or a scraper.   Nev

[Moneybox]

58 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

Yes, they are bolt together, but with an O-ring to seal the halves. 
 

I have received and answer from ICP (they are super helpful and quick, which ameliorates somewhat the less-than-helpful assembly manual). Anyhow, the answer was “expand the hole”. Unfortunately, Federico didn’t suggest by how much the hole should be expanded, but I’ll start with MB’s measurement and go from there. 

 

My VW rim with the 11.5mm hole is typical of automotive rims with the valve stem shown. Your valve stem is very short so I'm guessing the brass insert for the valve extends down to the area you need to compress. That's going to make it very difficult. You could just go with automotive valve stems although the length might run into the hub making inflation difficult.

[onetrack]

The correct size hole and plenty of lube (neat dishwashing liquid is good), and the pull-in tool that Moneybox pictured, will ensure the stem goes in satisfactorily.

Make sure the leading edge of the hole is neatly and cleanly chamfered, polish with some emery cloth to ensure smoothness.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by onetrack

[Moneybox]

As soon as you enlarge the hole you have broken through the powder coating so you'd better use a rust preventative coating and a lube that helps prevent corrosion.

[facthunter]

Rust often happens UNDER powder coating . Use a zinc based paint. nev