Quick question: Slime for sidewall leaks?

[PowerTrike]

Can't get my freakin' front wheel off to get it tubed. Just wondering if tire sealant like Slime will fix sidewall leaks? (they are very small) I know it seems to work good for the tread area but I was just wondering if it speads to the sidewall? I know its nasty stuff and would rather use a tube but I would like to fix this quick and I'll face the consequences later!

Thanks for any help!

[TimSr]

It wont get to the leak without taking the wheel off and turning it to run that way. Why not just use a plug? They work fine on ATV sidewalls, just clip it short.

[PowerTrike]

I would use a plug but the tire has numerous small leaks all around the sidewall of the tire. My back tires had the same problem. Plugs would not work. I might try just jacking the front up and manually spinning the tire at an angle by turning the forks. That work?

[TrikeKid]

it sounds like you mean your tires are dry rotted i think you'd be better off getting new tires if you have the means

[83185s]

either slime or fix-a-flat should work..u can put slime on the outside and rub it in with somthin..if its like a side wall repair use fix-a-flat..or new tires

[Dads]

It will works. I use it all the time when the bead leals a little.

[MTS]

save yourself the trouble of it blowin up in the middle of no ware and get a new tire...sidewalls are vary hard to fix even with a patch boot...it dosnt hold...trust me im a tire apprentance :P

[PowerTrike]

Tire has good rubber with absolutly no dry rot and good tread! Must be a Kenda Scorpion thing... just tiny leaks in a few places along the sidewall the same distance from the rim. Both of my rear tires did the same thing and I run tubes in them and they work great. I have used slime on an old original 225dx front tire and it worked pretty good, you could actually see the stuff coming out from the outside of the tire in the tread area. I'm going to try once more removing the damn axle but if all else fails: Its gonna get slimed!

[TimSr]

Now I understand, you have a bead leak, not a sidewall leak. Im impressed by all the wild guesses, but it comes down to either the tire bead itself, of the surface its trying to seal to. Dirt or crap in the sealing surface, and especially rust can be a problem on steel rims. Clean surface on installation is important, and bead sealer is make for this purpose, and will also compensate for a chewed up tire bead. Tubes are an easy cure too, but some tire wheel combos on some machines slip, and can rip off the valve stem, but most work fine. And yes, there seems to be a "Kenda Scorpion thing". I had similar problems, and had to use bead sealer on a clean aluminum rim. In your case, since you're not crazy about busting it down off the rim, the slime will do the job, but you are going to have to remove the wheel so you can turn it and tilt it and flip it to get the slime into the bead area. after its inflated. It wont get there under normal riding.

Car tires, and ATV tires have different properties, and I strongly disagree with the statement that plugs wont hold in ATV sidewalls. I wouldnt plug a car sidewall, but good plugs installed correctly have worked quite well in so many instances within our group, I couldnt count them. My own TRX250 had a hole so large on a front tire sidewall it took 3 plugs (bent double) to fill it. It was supposed to be an emergency field repair, but it lasted seven years.

[PowerTrike]

Thanks for your help TimSr. Allow me to explain better:

http://www.angelfire.com/pro/mysite/kenda-k290-scorpion.jpg