[phobos512]

Ok so I haven't ridden my bike too much over the past few months because whenever I let the bike sit for a few days the rear tire goes flat. Finally I've gotten sick enough of it to check things out. I bought a spray bottle and went over the tire with some soapy water (after reinflating it) and what I've found is shown in the picture below.

So as you can see on the left side of my rear tire there are several leaks at the junction between the tire and the rim. There is also a small leak on the right hand side of the tire in just one spot, again right where the tire meets the rim.

First off, what could have caused this - bad tire install? Bad tires? I had these tires installed a little over a year ago at a local shop - I don't think this problem has been going on for that long but that might not be accurate. I've only ridden something like 800 miles on them.

 

[Guest]

My guess is that they didn't get the rim clean when they mounted the tire. The propper fix would be to break the bead and clean the rim really well. Mickey mouse fix, a can of fix-a-flat. But I personally would do it right....

Rich

 

[phobos512]

I had it on the centerstand when I was doing the inspecting...The wheel doesn't have a mark on it; neither does the tire.

 

[fog]

Usually bead seal leaks like that are the result of poor installation proceedure. Specfically failure to clean and relubricate the wheel before mounting the new tire. I can't believe that it did not leak from the beginning.
Anyway try breaking the bead and squirting in some sort of sealant, They ought to be able to help you back at the shop that mounted them.

FOG

 

[bitzz]

Don't let the shop just break the bead and lather it down with that tar stuff.
Do it correctly and remove the tire and clean the rim. THEN smear it with the tar stuff.

If it is a used tire inspect the bead area before you put it back on. NO sorry... it is NOW a used tire so inspect the bead area before you put it back on.

 

[Nick D]

Mickey mouse fix, a can of fix-a-flat. But I personally would do it right....

Rich

Seconded, just for the record. The PO used fix-a-flat on the front tire of my KZ. It was no wonder I had a high speed vibration, that stuff was caked on everything, was hard to break loose, and wasn't even at all.

 

[phobos512]

Ok what they told me was that they removed the tire, sanded and cleaned the rim, remounted and balanced, on both front and back (front was losing air but not at the same rate as the rear). So I'll watch it for a few days but it looks like it's all good.

 

[AntiAndy]

Ok what they told me was that they removed the tire, sanded and cleaned the rim, remounted and balanced, on both front and back (front was losing air but not at the same rate as the rear). So I'll watch it for a few days but it looks like it's all good.

at no cost right?

 

[phobos512]

Ok what they told me was that they removed the tire, sanded and cleaned the rim, remounted and balanced, on both front and back (front was losing air but not at the same rate as the rear). So I'll watch it for a few days but it looks like it's all good.

at no cost right?

I wish.

 

[AntiAndy]

Why them greedy bastards....

Ok what they told me was that they removed the tire, sanded and cleaned the rim, remounted and balanced, on both front and back (front was losing air but not at the same rate as the rear). So I'll watch it for a few days but it looks like it's all good.

at no cost right?

I wish.

i dont get it...they fucked up the job int he first place, how is this right?how do they justify taking the tires off, doing what they should have done int he first place, and re-mounting?

 

[Nick D]

i dont get it...they [email protected]!#%d up the job int he first place, how is this right?how do they justify taking the tires off, doing what they should have done int he first place, and re-mounting?

The key was probably the fact that it was over a year between the install and the problem (a year to them, since nothing was said until recently). That tire could've worked loose during riding and slowly filled with dirt (it'd have to be imperfect at install, but wasn't noticeable then), leaving it where it was. That'd be a hard fight to win, and sometimes it's worth it to just shell out a few bucks and go on with life. Now if they tried to flat out rip me off over it, that's another story (but I'd have probably just tried popping it off and cleaning it myself first).

 

[phobos512]

Ok just to follow up on this since I got the tires re-done they have not leaked a pound so I guess they did it right. Just wish I would have caught it right when I got it back from the install way back when.

 

[Smoky]

I change tires all day long and one of the most common things I see is a build up of corrosion on the wheel near the bead. Mostly on aluminum wheels. This will cause your tire to leak.

 

[Jsvob03]

yea, the bead sealer stuff (the tar stuff) works wonders, when used right. If they cleaned the rim properly, and applied a coat of the sealer, it won't leak anymore. if they just cleaned the rim, and used no sealer, its porbably going to leak eventually. the sealer helps to a.) seal the air in. b.) prevent the rim from corroding again in the future. i've been doing this for years on cars. my bosses always said i take too much time cleaning/sealing rims. i pointed him to the fact that i was the only guy in the shop with no comebacks on flat repairs!