Tough mouthpiece valves

[treasureman]

I have been fighting with some moutpice valves for the last twenty minutes. They are new. I have siliconed the crap out of the cage wheel centre hole, the stems etc. I pull on em, and the knob that is the widest part just dont want to come trhough. Already ripped one off, got three more (maybe i coud make a double hose into a single hose...hmmmm

sacrilege I know.

Any hints other than perhaps using drill bit and making the cage centre hole a wee bit larger

[Nemrod]

I put the silicone on the valve stem and cage hole, silcone grease--not spray or liquid.They just pop through. I would ell you to drll the hole larger but that might ruin the wheels. One I push the stem through I grab that portion with a cloth (because it is slippery from the grease) and pull it through. Don't ruin any more of those valves, stop and take stock of the situation.
Using numbered bits you could find the size that just fits in the cage hole and then go one size larger whcih in numbered bits--the next smaller number. I think you have poor valve stem pulling technique---lol.

James

[kgehring]

spit also works!

[treasureman]

tried great gobs of spit, had to re-clean valve, tried the cloth routine cause the slippery devils kept ..well slipping. I think I will have to slightly enlarge the hole in the centre. I have a bit that is tight to the centre hole, and would provide just enough clearance.

[1969ivan1]

Buck up...They can be very tough to get through, but silicone grease does work. I also have ripped some in my day....Bummer, but Bryan's prices are so good it is not a major expense....

[luis]

I would try just slightly counter sinking the leading edge of the hole. What I mean is just use a counter sink or a larger drill bit and by hand de-burr or round off the entrance of the hole. Between that and using grease I have been successful at installing the valves.

Some of the cages have either a very sharp leading edge or even a burr at the edge of the hole.

[Bryan]

Luis is right, I have seen some sharp edges....If it appears there is a defect or a problem with the mouthpiece valves I sent you I will be happy to exchange them for you.

[treasureman]

No problem with the valves, Luis has the right idea. perhaps by radiusing the hole on one side so as to ease the passage and lube the bageebers out of them it will work.

I have put all my regs to sleep for winter, this is the last one to go.

The RAM i picked up is soooo nice to breath with, cant wait to submerge with it. I put the RAM nozzle with the Conshelf parts into it.

Out of curuiosity, I set the IP at 120 per specs for the old RAM manual, yet I read and hear of others setting IP at 145, 135 etc.

Where exactly should this be set. What damagae can be done to seats etc if the IP is set too high, or is ther any damage that can be done.

I have been copying all the answers I have been getting with respect to spec for pressures, tips and tricks and putting them into a file. Once I am done if anyone wants it, i could e-mail it off.

[duckbill]

The valves are a little stuborn. I used talc powder, pulling the stem one way then the other, and giving a little bit of a push from the front with my other hand.