Is it worth trying to patch this tube?

[MikeD]

The tube is a pricey Vittoria latex tube. See the white dot at the base of the valve stem in the black? That's where the hole is. I was thinking of cutting a hole in the center of a Rema patch, and slipping the patch over the valve stem to cover the area, glued down with patch cement.

[p nut]

Would a little squirt of sealant work as well? Pump up, shake by the hole.

[Permanent socks]

I wouldn't fix that. It would likely fail.

[tellyho]

I've never had success patching in that location.

[Nomadmax]

I won't patch around a valve stem. No telling what other part around the valve might go next, maybe catastrophically. Teeth and collarbones cost more than a new tube. Even expensive ones.

[AngryScientist]

Additionally check the valve hole at the rim to make sure there are no burrs or sharp spots that may have caused that and will be a problem with the next tube.

[Seramount]

I repair tubes until they're completely unsalvageable...I think 11 patches is my record.

unfortunately, any hole near a stem usually ends in wasted effort.

save yourself some frustration and just toss it.

[saab2000]

No…..

[steelrimbrake]

Seems like a risk not worth taking.

[fiamme red]

It seems that every time I try to patch a hole adjacent to the valve, the patch fails sooner or later.

[zennmotion]

wrap a bit of sandpaper around a chopstick and round off the sharp edge of the valve hole in the rim, it's just going to happen again.

[Wunder]

I patch latex tubes, but when they fail at the valve stem I throw them away or cut them up for patch material.

[MikeD]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to bin the tube or cut it up for patches, although I think I'm going back to light weight butyl tubes. I've had these wheels for a long time and this is the first time I've ever had a flat at the valve stem and this tube has been in there for at least a couple of years. I didn't feel any burrs at the valve hole, but I think the edge is a bit sharp radius so I'll chamfer it and maybe put some rim tape there, since the rim uses no rim strips.

I think part of the problem was these tubes have no valve nut and every time I pump the tires, the valve gets pushed up into the tire. All that extra flexing may have contributed to the failure.

[Wunder]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Thanks for the info. I'm going to bin the tube or cut it up for patches, although I think I'm going back to light weight butyl tubes. I've had these wheels for a long time and this is the first time I've ever had a flat at the valve stem and this tube has been in there for at least a couple of years. I didn't feel any burrs at the valve hole, but I think the edge is a bit sharp radius so I'll chamfer it and maybe put some rim tape there, since the rim uses no rim strips.

I've also sometimes put a cut piece of latex tube (maybe two inch circle) over the valve on latex tubes as a kind of washer. Normally not needed, but if you have tubes failing at the valve it's worth considering.

[weiwentg]

I only just saw this. Yes, it's not patchable. Can I check, though, when you're putting your pump chuck on, how hard are you pressing the chuck in? Silca says push it on very gently. I got little tears just outside the black rubber patch until I followed that advice. You don't want the stem moving back into the rim when you push the chuck on.