Gentlemen
What is your opinion in regard to using the bridge washer / nut on metal stemmed tubes on the 30 x 3 1/2"? When looking at it,the bent washer raises the tube well clear of the rim in that area. Do you have any comment on the benefits or negatives of using them? I was thinking they were a necessity on the original style where the stem was held in place by the nut and washer assembly but the new tubes appear to be vulcanised / glued in place.

Thank you. Alan in Western Australia

I never use them.

I don't know why you would need them when using a stem that is vulcanized to the tube. Unless maybe they are needed to keep the stem from sticking too far into the hole in the wheel???

The bridge washer and nut positions the tube properly in the tire carcass. Without them your tube is pulled too far up and the tube will be distorted there. You must use them.

While the stem is vulcanized in place in the el - cheapo modern tubes the bridge washer and nut keeps the stem from pulling out. Again, it is needed.

All of these parts serve an important function and are needed.

We don't use bridge washers with the 20 year old set of tubes in the '17 touring. No problems so far.

Royce is correct. Use them. The valve stems were never vulcanized to the tubes originally, and the ones they are using today are the wrong size, plus they are vulcanized. Two negatives! While at Hershey, I had the pleasure of seeing a number of NOS inner tubes. All had bridge washers. Some of the tubes were a tan color, and the others were red.