Slow tire leak

[Canadian FJR]

Bike was fine all winter but recently discovered a very slow leak around the rear rim. Slow enough to take several days to discover while bike is just sitting in the garage. Used a little soap an water so I'm sure it is leaking around the rim in seveal spots. I find this very odd because it was fine all winter and the tire has not been removed. The first flat was discovered about a couple of weeks ago. I just pounded 50 lbs in it to see how long it will last. It almost seems like the bead was not set properly but this tire has been on the bike for 9000 kms. Any suggestions?

Canadian FJR

 

[Ignacio]

Several spots? Hmm...maybe it went flat and dried up or something. You could try and remove the air and go around the area with tire snot or vegetable oil and a brush and air back up hoping it rebeads.

Otherwise, dismount and maybe have them try again. Maybe the tire dried up or something...maybe the tire got old and it isn't a mileage thing.

 

[Afast03nNJ]

I agree, have the tire dismounted. Clean the rim and check the tire for any signs of drying. There should be a date code on the side wall. Make sure it's not NOS, within 7 years I think is the limit. It could be some oxidation on the rim causing the improper sealing.

 

[Canadian FJR]

None of my tires are that old. The dealer knows that I will only take my tires if they are within a year. Thanks for the input. I'll have a look a t the inside of the rim. I may try taking it out for a ride to see if flex and heat will seal the rim/bead up.

Canadian FJR

 

[Moosehead]

No Problem,

Just always ride with a buddy who has an air compressor.

 

[Canadian FJR]

I was wondering how long it would take for a comment from the plug man.

Canadian FJR

 

[HaulinAshe]

I had the same problem on a brand new RoadSmart rear tire last Spring. Dismount the tire, clean the rim thoroughly (as stated above). I bet the problem will go away. Mine did.

Haven't found a dealer yet who actually cleans the rim between tires, unless you stand over them and make them do it.

 

[exskibum]

You could try and remove the air and go around the area with tire snot or vegetable oil and a brush and air back up hoping it rebeads.

Agree, but I'd break the bead and relube it before reseating the bead. The comments about cleaning the rim where the bead seats are good advice; I always mount my own, so that is a part of the routine. But I wouldn't dismount the tire until I'd tried this first -- it should be all you need to do.

BTW, this is why I use NAPA's commercial Tire Mounting Lubricant (aka RuGlyde). Note that it says it seals tire to rim w/o bonding. Both my street bikes' tires hold air really well. I think I paid under $5 for a gallon in '05 and still have 2/3 of it left.

 

[Grumpy]

Iggy, you'd actually used vegetable oil? Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

 

[Ignacio]

Agree, but this is exactly why I use a NAPA's commercial NAPA Tire Mounting Lubricant (aka RuGlide). Note that it says it seals tire to rim w/o bonding. I think I paid under $5 for a gallon in '05 and still have 2/3 of it left.

Actually, that's exactly what I use too.....and I have about 95% of my gallon left. Mine was more like $14 though.

Since I'm guessing the OP doesn't do his own tires I was using snot generically and vegetable oil as a possible household alternative as I vaguely remember reading somewhere RuGlide contained it as a primary ingredient.

Haven't found a dealer yet who actually cleans the rim between tires, unless you stand over them and make them do it.

I noticed that too....and they do accumulate yuck. It's one of the bonuses of doing your own tires...taking some dewaxer and cleaning up the rim before you put on new shoes.

 

[exskibum]

Actually, that's exactly what I use too.....and I have about 95% of my gallon left.

So, you haven't kicked over the plastic container into which you pour the stuff for use yet? Big fun -- all over the spoons, rim protectors, a couple wrenches. Like cleaning up blue snot. :lol:

 

[Ignacio]

So, you haven't kicked over the plastic container into which you pour the stuff for use yet?

Mines a piss yellow and comes in a different bottle.

In a seemingly non-ADD fit of foresight....I put some in a squirt bottle and dole out the slippery stuff in targeted rations. I did put the remainder high on a shelf in the hopes some day I knock it off on the concrete floor and explode in Dexter-like fashion across the garage.

 

[Crash Cash]

So, you haven't kicked over the plastic container into which you pour the stuff for use yet?

Mines a piss yellow and comes in a different bottle.

I was about to say "blue"?? as I have the same stuff as Ignacio. My bottle split, just sitting on the shelf, and so it's sitting in a 2gal ziplock bag. I will have to do the spraybottle thing too, when I find some some spraybottles.

 

[exskibum]

Mines a piss yellow and comes in a different bottle.
In a seemingly non-ADD fit of foresight....I put some in a squirt bottle and dole out the slippery stuff in targeted rations. I did put the remainder high on a shelf in the hopes some day I knock it off on the concrete floor and explode in Dexter-like fashion across the garage.

I've repeatedly had to warn the blond off the bottle of BLUE Tire Mounting Lubricant. The plastic bottle and its color look almost exactly like the several bottles of BLUE windshield washer antifreeze that I have in the garage, and that she also uses. I try to hide the tire lubricant, and so far I've been lucky, but I need to look into locking or child proof caps for it. It's not toxic, but take a guess who'll have to clean it outta her windshield washer lines.

 

[Mr Bill]

My rear was leaky last fall. The left side inside was corroded pretty badly. I think it was from all that rain last year at EOM.

My tire change guy wire brushed the inside and then put some sticky stuff on the rim before mounting the tire.

I hope to see some dry riding days this year.

 

[Canadian FJR]

Thought I would post a little update. I never did have the tire from last year remounted since it was getting near it's tread life. The next tire sealed properly. Last fall I had another AVON Storm II installed and all was also well. This spring, same damn thing. It has a slow leak. I plan to have this one removed, rim cleaned and remounted before my run to Port Dover. This is getting to be a pain in the ***. Update to follow.

Canadian FJR

 

[dannymax]

Aluminum oxide builds up on the rim causing leaks, always wire brush rims and lube new tire beads.

 

[Canadian FJR]

Update - The rear tire was removed, rim was cleaned with brush and polished with scotch bright. Old tire reinstalled ............. all seems well.

Canadian FJR

 

[FJRPierre]

I know you said rim, Scott, but I had a persistant leak which turned out to be a bad Shrader valve. The little spring thingy was broken and it didn't seal properly; a nice bicyle shop in Vermont gave me a replacement one along with the metal valve cap necessary to unscrew/screw the new one in.

YMMV.