Alligator CVV high-pressure tire valves, a warning!!!

Bartyfixedit

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I had some Michelin Agilis tyres fitted last week and I supplied some alligator CVV high pressure valves.

I watched the valves being fitted to the rims and the tyre fitter had a real struggle getting the first two valves in, they were really tight to pull into the rim.

When it came to the third and fourth wheel he managed to break both valves, pulling the metal part out of the rubber cone. Luckily the tyre place had some screw-in type high pressure valves which they fitted instead.

Once home I googled the fitting instructions for the alligator CVV and these showed that the valve should push in simply with your thumb. Link below



If you watch the video you will see that to remove the valve you simply cut the little green ring and the valve will pull out through the rim. Having seen this I was immediately concerned about the state of the little green ring in the two wheels that still have alligator valves, having seen how hard the tyre fitter had been pulling on them. I'm taking the van back on Monday to have screw-in type valves fitted.

I am not criticising the alligator valve here, my concern is that most tyre fitters will try and pull them in using the normal tool rather than pushing them in with their thumb and I'm concerned that if that little green ring is damaged and later fails then the valve will blow out with an instantaneous deflation. Below is a photo of one of the valves that broke so you can see what I mean, you can see that the little ring is cracked.

DSC_0004.JPG
 
Though knowing nothing about snappy valves if they really do need to be fitted in a special way they should come with instructions.
 
I agree that there should be instructions, but I think you will find they are not retail packaged. I had to buy mine online and they came four valves in a jiffy bag with no instructions.

Alligator valves are very obviously a high quality product, but as with all things, incorrect fitting can render them either useless or downright dangerous.
 
Have to ask if you think they are genuine? A quick Google suggests each should come in its own packaging. May be nothing but counterfeiting is rife but it seems a fairly obscure object to be worth copying.
 
I cant tell by your avatar picture but your not fitting these to alloys bye any chance are you ?

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I'm no expert but I'd assume if you have tyres fitted by a reputable company with their valves,they will guarantee the package.
As soon as you offer your own valves for fitting you do so at YOUR own risk .




Vlad
 
So...it's a rubber valve with a metal stem... Odd that, standard shraeder valves are rubber with a metal stem.

Bolt in metal valves are all metal, except the sealing washers, and in my opinion are the ONLY metal valves worth using.
 
I am an engineer by trade so I can spot when things are not well made. These valves were very well made, the problem was in the way they were fitted.

I also spent some time as a tyre fitter and the way the chap was trying to fit the valves was exactly the same way as any other pull in valve. The alligator looks like any other pull in valve and so is likely to be treated the same, with the risk of damage to the valve.

I will be contacting the supplier of the valves so that I can inform him of this situation such that all deliveries of the CVV include fitting instructions and a link to the video.
 
I'm no expert but I'd assume if you have tyres fitted by a reputable company with their valves,they will guarantee the package.
As soon as you offer your own valves for fitting you do so at YOUR own risk .




Vlad

The tyres I removed were fitted by a reputable company who I shan't name. The valves fitted were standard 65 psi rubber pull in valves. The reputable company who were fitting the new ones would also have used standard valves, and wanted silly money for high pressure valves.
In the end I sorted everything out myself and took it to the bloke round the corner, who was delighted that I'd sourced the valves as his supplier tended to take several days to deliver high pressure valves. It's just a shame he didn't know how to fit alligators.
 
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Sorry but.
To my mind Unless the valve manufacturer has a franchised fitter that your meant to use ,you might as well make your own then complain when they fail !
If the valves are provided by yourself and the fitter has no experience of fitting them they won't hold their hands up to poor fitting practice if they fail!


One of our members akin to the oracle will be round soon to to give you a full legal and manufacturing standpoint !



Vlad

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Sorry but.
To my mind Unless the valve manufacturer has a franchised fitter that your meant to use ,you might as well make your own then complain when they fail !
If the valves are provided by yourself and the fitter has no experience of fitting them they won't hold their hands up to poor fitting practice if they fail!


One of our members akin to the oracle will be round soon to to give you a full legal and manufacturing standpoint !



Vlad
I'm not sure the OP is trying to blame anyone, just pointing out his experience. Which is if you supply an unusual valve to someone make sure they know how to fit them or supply instructions.
 
Never said he was trying to blame anyone !
The OP stated that as an ex tyre fitter he watched the fitter struggle to get the first two in!
Was that me I would have not given him a chance to break The next TWO :doh:

Again like others your assuming something that's not there ,read the posts


Vlad
 
Not suggesting rubber valves should be used in high pressure situations but you would be surprised how much pressure they can take. Many moons ago we used to run anything upto 120psi in car tyres used on auotest cars to make them let go easier and never had a valve fail but did have a tyre explode and take a front wing off. Tyres were smoked all the time and would last around six to ten minutes of actual driving on the drive wheels.
 
Exactly what ?
You've come on here to say you've supplied valves that were wrongly fitted ,and that if they do fail could cause a catastrophic blow out!
Therefore as an ex tyre fitter and engineer you should be warning us of the dangers of trying to supply such parts when buying tyres.If you buy a tyres and valve package from a reputable company your fully covered .
In your opening post you're endorsing a product that in your own words could be fitted by people who can't fit it safely and if not fitted safely it could cause a blow out !
This is just an opinion from a fellow traveller on the move with 2 kids.



Vlad

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I had to buy mine online and they came four valves in a jiffy bag with no instructions.

Alligator valves are very obviously a high quality product,

High quality products in a baggie.. that's likely to lead to only one place..
 

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