Leaking tires Any advice or help please!!

[Dirtcrasher]

This is the third set of wheels in 2 years from different places that I'm having a problem with.

And it's happened AGAIN. I just bought a new set of Bandits on ITP aluminum wheels. I have not rode on them one day, but installed them awhile ago. One of them was real low and the other low, so I filled them both to 5psi. I did not even move the ATC. Next day the real low one was near flat and the other low again. I'm certain that it is a bead leak and the valve is tight.

Bandits are about 100$ per tire with a tough sidewall.

Last year I had Dirt Devils on steel rims - brand new. First time out in the snow and one tire spun on the rim. That one tire would constantly leak out the bead unless I ran about 12 psi. I had them unseated and bead seal installed and it still leaked. So I brought it to another guy who gooped the hell out of both sides and yet it still leaked. There was no rim damage whatsoever. I finally gave up and sold them cheap. The Dirt Devil tire had a thin sidewall and I blamed that.

Third set, brand new Holeshots on .190 Douglass. Again, one side leaked unless I ran more air. I sold these too because it was making me crazy to have paid what I did and had this problem. I ended up buying the Holeshot XCR (thicker sidewall) and they worked great until I sold the machine.

Can any suggest what the hell I have going on here? I bought nice Bandits on good rims and they leak. WHY WHY WHY????????? Is there a fix? Why can't my local tire shop fix this problem or show me a defect that is causing this problem?

Is there a known, tested and proven beadseal. I'll buy it but I don't understand why my new setups need it.

It costs 10$ to unmount each tire each time. And I run the risk of some bonehead kid overinflating my new tires and increasing the diameter.

Can anything be done, I love these tires but I will junk them too if I must.

I HATE FLATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[super90]

Well new tires tend to leak in the beginning for some reason, After you ride it more it might settle in better. If it continues I would get a couple tubes for the tire.

[TimSr]

Its not the sidewall thickness, but the hardness of the rubber compound that is the biggest factor. Softer rubber seats much better. Some hard compounds never seat well.

In your case, the problem would be easily solved by breaking the beads off the rim, and applying a bead sealer commonly used for automobile tires. It brushes on like tar, and fixes the most stubborn of bead leaks.

[Brockey]

I know you are worried about oversizing them but a lot of times you need to run higher pressures and use more bead sealant and leave them at a higher psi for a day or two and run them. After a nice run if they are ever gonna seat they will then.

[Dirtcrasher]

Its not the sidewall thickness, but the hardness of the rubber compound that is the biggest factor. Softer rubber seats much better. Some hard compounds never seat well.

In your case, the problem would be easily solved by breaking the beads off the rim, and applying a bead sealer commonly used for automobile tires. It brushes on like tar, and fixes the most stubborn of bead leaks.


Thanks to anyone who responds!!

Tim, I let 2 different guys goop up the D Devils and they still leaked. Those tires seemd to be a bit softer compound too. The 2nd guy put a ton of goop on them and still, leak leak away. Slow leak but nonetheless, a leak....

[TimSr]

Thanks to anyone who responds!!

Tim, I let 2 different guys goop up the D Devils and they still leaked. Those tires seemd to be a bit softer compound too. The 2nd guy put a ton of goop on them and still, leak leak away. Slow leak but nonetheless, a leak....

Goop is not bead sealer. Bead sealer looks like a tar or a roof coating, and is brushed on to the rim.

[Dirtcrasher]

LOL, I call it goop. It was a black, tarlike substance.

[Russell 350X]

Did you replace the valve stem? That could be the problem. Seal the hell outta them and a new stem, and coat the hole where that goes too.Pump it up to around 12 let it sit for a while. Should work.

[Dammit!]

You said the stem was tight but was it new? They dry rot over time just like a tire.

[DeePa]

im going for valve stems. Fill em up and spray water inside of the stems and see what happens. Bubbles are bad.

Mike

[cr480r]

Did your tire shop damage the beads when installing them?

[Dirtcrasher]

Every set was brand new - tire, rim, stem all new.... And Rocky Mountain ATV sold me one, Local shop another and I forget who made up the third set. They have all leaked at the bead and I thought it was the mistake of buying cheap tires so now I always buy XCR or EX or whatever more expensive one they sell. I now have over 300$ in Bandits that leak......

[Red Rider]

Every set was brand new - tire, rim, stem all new.... And Rocky Mountain ATV sold me one, Local shop another and I forget who made up the third set. They have all leaked at the bead and I thought it was the mistake of buying cheap tires so now I always buy XCR or EX or whatever more expensive one they sell. I now have over 300$ in Bandits that leak......Why aren't you returning these leaking tires, especially if they haven't been ridden on yet? If they're brand new & leaking, I wouldn't trust any bead sealant to fix them, nor should you have to!

[84honda200s]

yea man return em. its not your fault their leaking.


not to jack the subject but how much air should i have in my 25 inch swamp fox tires?

[Erics350x]

air em up to about 30psi and let em set for a day or so to make sure the beads have seated. then spay them with soapy water to find any leaks. the higher pressure will make it easier to find any leaks.

[3bogger]

sometimes riding on them will help seat the bead. have you sprayed soapy water on them yet to confirm where the leak is? unless there is a big chunk missing if you put real bead sealer and they are fully seated they shouldnt leak if there is a big chunk missing i would try to get the shop that did it to buy you a new tire because there is nothing that will seal it. a small chunk gone wont cause it to leak necissarily unless its folded over and preventing the tire from sealing against the rim. if you cant get them to seal break them down and really inspect the bead.