Presta value tip stuck in pump!

[baiskeli]

@JimK 44037 wrote:

My front tire, a Conti 4000S, has about 5,500 miles on it. I have not had to change the tube even once and the tire still has some life in it. Trouble is the tip of the Presta valve apparently was loosened over the hundreds of times I have attached my pump to it. Today, after adding a few pounds of pressure, I unhooked the pump and the tip of the Presta snapped off. No problem with that–just put a new tube in. However, the tip of the valve got stuck in my pump and I can’t get it out. Any suggestions?

What kind of pump? You can usually unscrew and disassemble the head enough to get something out of it.

This brings to mind another question: doesn’t it seem like a good idea to preemptively change a tube before the tip is compromised?

Well, yeah, sounds like a good idea now.

[JimK]

It’s a Hurricane floor pump. I took it apart as much as looked feasible without breaking any parts. No luck.

[baiskeli]

@JimK 44051 wrote:

It’s a Hurricane floor pump. I took it apart as much as looked feasible without breaking any parts. No luck.

Hmm. Usually you can unscrew the very end of the head, the part that goes over the valve, from the rest of the head. Like the grey part in this photo:

[IMG]http://untrflag.info/img.php?img=m5m4z5o4534454g4s59414f5r5e4k5k4i4m4i5r4f4k5z584u2b4l4m4v2h4f414p5m516q2s5e5w5l5j5p2k40333r484p27423046464w294m203z214u2s264a4a35353336303w283v294q4s4x254z3o5u5l5[/IMG]

[JimK]

Thanks. Yes, I did that. I removed the piece inside, which the tip is stuck in.

[hozn]

Obviously hard to say w/o seeing it, but is it loose in there — i.e. would something like a magnet help? (I’m not sure what metal those are made of, but figure it’s worth a mention.) Or blowing air through the opposite end of the pump somehow … or putting super glue on the end of the now-broken presta valve stem and jamming it in there to reclaim it’s lost member? (that last suggestion could probably backfire…)

[JimK]

Thanks for the suggestions. I blew it out with air (thanks hozn). The pump is working again and I will be preemptively replacing tubes every few months (if they last that long without a flat).

[baiskeli]

@JimK 44068 wrote:

Thanks. Yes, I did that. I removed the piece inside, which the tip is stuck in.

Okay. And it’s stuck that part? Can you get any kind of grip on it?

If I were you, I’d be rummaging in my tool box for two sets of pliers right now. Maybe needlenose to grab the valve tip.

PS I see you used air. I would have thought of that next, really, I would have.

[hozn]

@JimK 44090 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions. I blew it out with air (thanks hozn). The pump is working again and I will be preemptively replacing tubes every few months (if they last that long without a flat).

This is a good cautionary tale; I’ve never heard of this happening. I’ve definitely used tubes for up to a year or so before having to replace them, … but I will probably be more mindful of this. For my tubeless setups I definitely have valve stems that have lasted for multiple years now, but not under quite as much use / frequent pumping as my daily commuter.

[mstone]

@hozn 44123 wrote:

This is a good cautionary tale; I’ve never heard of this happening. I’ve definitely used tubes for up to a year or so before having to replace them, … but I will probably be more mindful of this. For my tubeless setups I definitely have valve stems that have lasted for multiple years now, but not under quite as much use / frequent pumping as my daily commuter.

It’s not necessarily age related–I’ve done it on the road with fairly new tubes and a bit of carelessness. There are few things sadder than watching all the air blow out of your tire, with not a thing you can do about it. I generally carry an extra tube these days.

[Rod Smith]

Can I come to your place of business every few months to pick up the discarded tubes?

[Author]

Posts