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View Full Version : Why won't my new tires hold air?



chris200x
04-22-2005, 07:27 AM
I got new Holeshots mounted on used aluminum rims. The tires are brand new but go completely flat after about a week. I used one of those special tools to tighten the little pin inside the stem to no avail. Also there are no major dings or dents in the rim. I also submerged them in water and did not see any air bubbles. Any ideas?

Huffa
04-22-2005, 07:33 AM
If you didn't see any bubbles then I don't see how they are losing air?

What I would do is inflate them to max bead seating pressure which is normally written on tire and then dunk them.

Maybe you did that though?

chris200x
04-22-2005, 07:38 AM
Now that I think of it I never pumped them up at all before I dunked them in water. Duh! Huffa I don't know what I'd do without ya. I'll try that after work and let you know.

Orangecnty250r
04-22-2005, 09:35 AM
I has the same thing with brand new hoosiers I had shipped to me from Ronnies ATV with one of them. I dunked it and saw a very intermittent bubble by the bead. Instead of going through the hassle of sending it back I dumped so sealer in it and its fine. i know some people dont like that stuff but it worked for me.

yamahaman89
04-22-2005, 09:53 AM
If you tightend up the valve stem the you should put some bead
sealer on it thats probably the reason. Sometimes on new tires the bead dont set tight enough

Mr. Sandman
04-22-2005, 11:28 AM
If they're not leaking at the bead or valve stem, the wheels may be leaking at the weld where the two halves are welded together (inside the tire). If that's the case, remove the tire and run a bead of silicone over the weld and let it dry before remounting the tire.

straight pipe
04-22-2005, 01:00 PM
i had that same problem with my sx. i installed tubes for now. when the tubes go i'll try using that black bead sealer that the tire shops have.

Dammit!
04-22-2005, 03:11 PM
Did you have new valve stems installed? They can dry rot and cause a leak that's hard to detect.

chris200x
04-22-2005, 03:20 PM
Did you have new valve stems installed? They can dry rot and cause a leak that's hard to detect.


Hey Dammit, can I do that myself or do I have to take it to a shop?

Dammit!
04-22-2005, 03:23 PM
You can if you can get the tires off and back on again. They're easy to install but I always let the shop do it since I don't like to mess with the tires. I usually try to have metal ones installed whenever possible also. They're typically only a couple bucks each. It might even be possible to install rubber ones without taking the tires off. I never tried it like that though.

Mr. Sandman
04-22-2005, 03:57 PM
You can cut the rubber stem out with a razor blade and let the inside piece float around in the tire, but you'll still need to break the bead on one side to install the new stem.

sblt500r
04-22-2005, 09:57 PM
put some wd 40 on it and pull it threw. but the steel ones are better than the rubber ones. make sure you clean the rim where it seats.

70binder
04-22-2005, 10:43 PM
valve stems get pulled through the back of the rim. i wouldn't push them through the front, too risky in damaging the stem/rubber thats holding it all on the rim. are you sure you aren't running 2-pc rims or have dirt in the bead?

Dirtcrasher
04-23-2005, 10:42 AM
Sometimes pumping them up before dunking fools you. I have a set of Dirt Devils that show bubbles at about 4PSI but not at 10PSI. 1 tire goes flat when I run them where I want to, about 4 to 5 PSI. I find that the weaker the sidewall the better the chance of a bead leaking. That is why I now only buy XCR's or whatever top of line model a tire there is. 1 out of 3 times when I buy cheaper tires I get exactly that - cheaper tires.....

chris200x
04-23-2005, 10:51 AM
Well, there not cheap tires by any means. After closer inspection I found 1 small dent in the rim. Is it possible to hammer on it to try and straighten it out? I don't want to mess it up anymore than it already is. I think I will also replace both the stems. Can I take it to a regular tire place or do I have to take it to a ATV shop-which by the way I would like to aviod because they're idiots up there.

grundlegrabber
04-23-2005, 11:11 AM
Most common problems with atv tires are bead leaks. Sometimes hard to detect since they leak very slow, often caused by a minor ding or even a deep scratch in the seating area of the rim. Bead sealer is available at most auto parts stores. Break the beads down, coat the seating area on the rim with the sealer, install new valve stems. I use either the pull thru brass stems (made for high pressure applications but they work great in my atv rims), or the bolt in chrome stems, which I get from a friend of mine that works in a commercial tire garage. Your average automotive shop probably won't want to deal with your tires, best bet is to find a place that does commercial truck and equipment tires, or tractor tires. However, any shop that has the commonly used "rim clamp" type tire machine can break the beads and install new stems. The "fix a flat" type sealer is the lazy man's way of dealing with bead leaks. While it usually does stop the leak, it makes an absolute mess of the inside of the tire. Tubes will work, but they are a pain in the ass every time you get a flat. Can't plug them out on the trail. The tire also loses some of its handling characteristics when tubes are installed. I hate tubes and won't ever use them in my tires. There you have it, from a self proclaimed expert in atv tires.

Tri-Z Pilot
04-24-2005, 06:00 PM
The other day I sealed a Blackwater by using rubber cement on the bead, (it's called universal cement, you use it for tire patches and plugs). I didnt even break the bead, pulled the tire down with my knee, applied some of the cement between the bead and wheel, used a hairdryer to help the cement dry, and pumped the tire up in small intervals while using the hairdryer, it seems to have worked good.