Can one tell for sure from the outside if the correct valve stems have been installed? I just bought a used 3500 and the GM dealer I bought it from just put new tires on it. (The correct size & load rating thankfully). Problem is, I have one leaky front tire that has my attention & I recently read a post by a forum member about different types of valve stems based on the psi rating. That post described the appropriate valve stem is supposed to have a metal sleeve in it for those E rated tires. Well, my 6 valve stems are all black rubber. Pic below. Thoughts?

I don't think they make any high pressure stem out of solid rubber. Not that I have ever seen or heard of anyways.

yea you should have different valve stems put in, that is not a high pressure valve stem unless they changed them w/o me knowing. p.s. i work at a tire shop. it should have the metal sleeve. I think those regular valve stems are rated for about 60 psi but since im sure you run 80? then you will want the high pressure ones. hope this helps.

plus the metals are tough

thanks guys for the responses. I will be bringing the truck to a tire shop on monday to have them checked / replaced because yes, I will need 80psi next month when I start towing again. -John

Good call...yes, I have metal screw-in valve stems on all.

Just went to local Mavis Tire. Verified, wrong stems. $64 to replace & rebalance. Sending quote to dealer now to get approval... Rebalancing will be nice, steering shakes like a bastard right now anyways from 45-65.

I put metal valve stems on my 03 dually when I changed the tires.

But my 08 which has E Rated tires, 80 psi max, comes from the factory with rubber stems, plus they have TPMS screwed to the stem. I guess they should work, time will tell.

.

We used to use a stem that was all black except for a .25-.5inch section was bronze, that was what we used for high pressure applications.

BUT those were recalled due to alot of air leak problems and we don't use them anymore, nor does the local les schwab use them anymore.