Wheel corrosion causing air loss!

[sirch345]

Have any of you experienced air loss from our Firestorm alloy wheels

Two years ago my Storm started to lose air from the front tyre. At the time I was using a Puncture Sealant that you squirt inside the tyre then reflate. I put this down to the sealant causing the corrosion, but to be fair I had been using the same make of puncture sealant for many years without any problems.

The rear wheel turned out to be badly corroded as well. This resulted in having to replace both front and rear wheels because they were so badly pitted.

That was around two years ago, now today I find I have the same problem, the rear is losing air again at the wheel rim where the tyre bead sits

I'm I on my own with this one

Chris.

[tony.mon]

Still the same tyres?

[sirch345]

Still the same tyres?

Yes they are Tony, they got a real good clean before refitting in an attempt to remove any of that puncture sealant, and have held air no problem for around two years. Although (now you mention it) the fitter did wonder, due to the indentations around the tyre beads if they would hold up, but they did until now.

I'll have to get the wheel out and around to the fitters, get the tyre removed and see what is going on

Chris.

[darkember]

Could be that lovely sea air you have down there.

[VTRDark]

I generally loose a few PSI every couple of weeks. It seems to require air more often than other bikes I've had but that could just be the sensitivity in steering changes with the VTR making me check them more often. Saying that though, when I had the tyres last fitted, I was also told that the seal was not that good around the bead. They painted some glue type sealing compound around the rim to help get a seal. I don't loose enough to worry about yet though and it could also be put down to stale air, weather changes.

(:-})

[Hairy biker]

It's quite common for alloy wheels to corrode and start leaking from the bead, usually a good clean with a wire brush and refit the tyre with bead sealer sorts it out.unfortunatly the puncture sealant won't help as this not only introduces moisture but it only sits around the centre of the tyre not around the bead seat area.

[Ckennedy]

I have heard of ally wheels losing air due to corrosion but I have not suffered with it myself on mine. Are your valves in good condition. I found I was losing a little bit in mine last year and one day when I went to put some air in the valves snapped I would recommend a good check if there old valves.

[tony.mon]

You got some of those life-threatening 90 bend valves on it, Chris?


Just fit Dunlop Sportsmarts, they are designed to run lower pressure to give more grip without problems, and once the pressure drops a bit it won't leak as much.

[Ckennedy]

You got some of those life-threatening 90 bend valves on it, Chris?


Just fit Dunlop Sportsmarts, they are designed to run lower pressure to give more grip without problems, and once the pressure drops a bit it won't leak as much.

No none of thosethose valves. These were the normal straight ones. They had perished, got a few cracks I reckon which was causing my leak and one day it snapped. I checked them just before I was about to jump on for a ride. Lucky escape

[sirch345]

PHEW it's good news this time No corrosion to worry about. It was where a little of the paint I had sprayed onto the rim where the tyre bead sits in an attempt to protect it which had lifted causing a small leakage.

Thanks to all for your replies

Chris.

[riverheader]

Hi Guys,

Thought I use this thread to introduce myself.
I had a front tyre sudden deflation episode whilst braking into a roundabout on a dual carriageway. Not a blow-out but fast enough to cause me to run off the roundabout to the grass verge under control!! It turned out to be a perished valve stem which hadn't been renewed when new boot was fitted. So, now I always bent the valve stem over to check for any degradation when checking tyre pressures.
Cheers