Tire Valve Stem Cap Tool

[rgsparber]

I'm sure glad there is no lower limit on simplicity here at Homemadetools. The tool I built is dead simple yet I find that it is handy. Without this tool, I often fumble with the valve stem caps on my tires and they drop inside the hub cap. Then I have to remove the hub cap and sometimes the tabs break off. So what started as a simple task of checking tire pressure ended up requiring me to replace the hub cap.

The tool fits tightly over the cap and lets me unscrew, handle, and reinstall the cap without dropping it.

Start by finding a 1/2" long piece of soft tubing that is a snug fit over your valve stem cap. Then find a 3" long piece of stiff rod (wood, plastic, or metal) that is a tighter fit inside the tubing. Push the rod about 1/4" into the tube.

To use, push the tube over the installed cap while holding onto the rod. Then roll the rod to unscrew the cap. When done checking tire pressure, spin the cap back in place, pull out the tool, and finger tighten the cap if necessary.