Air Leak between Tire and Rim

Joined
Jan 15, 2016
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Moorpark, CA
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2002 Honda ST1100


I replaced the rear tire on my 2002 ST1100. Afterputting the tire on and filling with air I found that it now leaks air betweenthe tire and the rim where I had scratched the rim. Is there a fix for this or do I have to lookfor a replacement wheel?
 
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Canton, GA
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How deep of a scratch? Can it be sanded out? Did you clean the rim well when changing the tire?
 
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I've only had this happen on a bike I rescued from 'behind the garage'. Years of water had caused a patch of corrosion just inside the Comstar rim right where the tire and rim seal. I cleaned the corrosion out and installed a tube just to make certain it didn't leak. While this is an option, I don't care for it unless it's absolutely necessary.

Is the scratch deep and in the tire bead seating area? If so, you may be able to polish it enough to complete the seal.
Is the tire damaged by a tool in the seating area?
Last...is the tire properly seating?

One of the 'fix a flat' sealers may help.
 
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Grand Rapids, Mn
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If you can't buff out the scratch/groove and the tire itself isn't damaged, I've sealed up some non-motorcycle type tire/wheels with such an issue using a small amount of RTV. Not recommended, and may make a further tire change interesting, but sometimes you do what has to be done.
Tire sealants can make a real mess inside and often only work on the puncture leaks on the tread part, rely on centrifugal force to distribute the sealant. Most also can effect balance badly.
But again, got to do what gets it done.
 
Last edited:

Tom Mac 04a

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Had a good scratch in same area ( done by a metal tire iron and someone with big fists ). Sanded as best as possible and did what mentioned above, use some silicon caulk sealant in the area about 1" on each side. ( finger wipe )
Next day when dry, mounted tire and all was fine. No issue changing tire next time

Sanding or silicon or both solved the problem ( BTW, was a slow leak so no major danger level )
 
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I would think that sanding should do it. If this is not merely a scratch, but a gouge in the metal, sanding, cleaning, and filling with a good metal adhering epoxy followed by some more sanding (think body work) should save you the cost of a new wheel. I'm not suggesting a thick layer of epoxy - only a thin film to smooth out the damaged area.
 
OP
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Winfried
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Thanks for all of the responses. I didn't think itwas that bad of a scratch, so I installed the new tire. But using a lotof soapy water when putting it on showed bubbles, air was coming out. Stopped typing and went out checked the tire. So I am back andall the air was gone from tire. So put air back in and sprayed soapy wateron it again. No bubbles. So it has 40 psi. of air pressure and I willgo back out in a while and see what the air pressure is again.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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Wow I wouldn't have thought a scratch would cause an air leak. But if sanding and polishing doesn't do it then filling the gap should. Just finish it like the rest of the rim.

You might even try something like Devcon or J-B Weld if it were a severe gouge. But I can see even RTV or similar sealer working after buffing out any rough edges.
 

970mike

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Sometimes when installing a new tire you may not get the bead seated 100% you may try pumping the tire up to 50PSI and let it sit out in the sun and then recheck your tire with soppy water before setting the tire to its proper pressure.
 
OP
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Winfried
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I had used my bench mounted vice to break the bead on therear tire with little problem. I wentout yesterday morning and checked the tire. Found that all of the air had leaked out. I refilled the tire and sprayed my soapysolution on it, and wow, found no air bubbles this time. Checked air pressure to be at 50 psi,released air to 40 psi and left it that way for an hour and came back and itwas still at 40 psi. Must have seateditself properly after air had leaked out. Balancing it and found the Avon Storms don’t have the red dot. Looked it up and a lot of times don’t needit. Anyway, found it didn’t need andweights.
Next went for the front tire. I used the Ziptie method on the rear andfound it was not worth it. Found atHarbor Freight plastic paint guards for painting the trim, and they worked finefor not scratching the rim this time. Ihad used cardboard on the rear. Did thevice again on the front tire and removed the time using the regular method andfound it much easier. Balancing it foundthat it needed 2 quarter oz. weights on one side and mounted the tire backon. It is now Sunday and I will ride atleast 50 miles to scuff up the tires before my daily commute to work onMonday. That is always a 51 mile roundtrip.

 

T_C

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Gald to know it seated and all is fine without extra work... but for future reference, if your do get a scratched rim, a little corrosion on steel rims or there is a dimple in the bead and air is leaking; try Tire Bead sealant. I know it seems stranmge to use a product that was actually designed for the job, but sometimes.

Here is a link to one product at a nation-wide chain store. I'm sure other places carry it too.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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try Tire Bead sealant. I know it seems stranmge to use a product that was actually designed for the job, but sometimes.
NOW you tell me! :rofl1: And as an Xtra benefit— it's Xtremely flammable.

Seriously it's probably less appropriate for the OP's use case though it might work. Properly prepping a typical car/truck/mc rim would make this unnecessary.

This stuff it probably better at gluing the bead to the rim where low tire pressure might allow them to separate maybe in rough or soft terrain and not repairing a gouged rim. Of course any fix on the road that gets you home is a good one.
 

Reginald

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Gald to know it seated and all is fine without extra work... but for future reference, if your do get a scratched rim, a little corrosion on steel rims or there is a dimple in the bead and air is leaking; try Tire Bead sealant. I know it seems stranmge to use a product that was actually designed for the job, but sometimes.

Here is a link to one product at a nation-wide chain store. I'm sure other places carry it too.
That's what I use on my scratched rim. The last tire I mounted held air for 6 days. Its a rubber that peals off easily. Put the tire on, paint rim flange lip to bead seat with bead seal, and inflate tire. Painting the rim bead seat doesn't help much, the inflated tier just pushes most of it off the bead seat.
 
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