Bad Wheels

[Speedo]

No, not legs.
I bought a set of better-than-average tires a little over a year ago and have had ongoing problems with one of them losing air. I'd head back to the place I bought them, they fixed it without charge as they were under a one-year warranty (a problem with the valve stems, they said). Now that it's expired, they're telling me the problem all along has been the particular rims on my vehicle and how it's an ongoing problem with the model I drive. Now, they didn't tell me that when I bought the tires, or while they were still under warranty. What's the scoop, gang? Is this legit, or are they blowing smoke up my ass?

 

[pizzaboo]

On some fancy rims they need to apply a " glue " to the rims to get the proper seal . You could try getting the tire reinstalled and balanced since the other three tires are holding. Other than that if it is not a big leak carry a tire pump so that you not stuck somewhere.

Boo

 

[xix]

The rim

it sounds like the rim is the problem or the tire. Perhaps the glue or sealer wasn't not applied properly or not enough.
The best way to cehck and $ave is this.
Get dish detergent and mix with water in spray bottle. Shake, swivel and apply around the rim adn tire meet on both side of the wheel. Also on the stem and top of the tire or around there could be a nail stuck in there somewhere.

 

[Sargeant StiffCock]

The rim has to be cleaned, even sanded in some cases so the tire edge has a nice flat surface to seal to. Most shops don't take their time doing this. Does it lose air and get to a certain pressure then stop? or will it go completely flat if you let it?

 

[Bill the Pirate]

I don't know how much your time is worth but I wouldn't be pissing around with soapy water and a spray bottle. There is a 90 % chance that the rim was not cleaned properly before the tires were installed. Take it to a reputable tire shop and by that I mean a Goodyear or a Firestone store and explain you problem. They will fix it right. It will probalby cost you $30.00 but it is worth it.

 

[KBear]

Leaking around the valve stem and rim, had the same problem with the chromed rims on my car. The first place that put new tires on my car used silicon to try to seal the leaks, which is not the best. Second place used a proper gummy sealer and there have been no problems for months. Although they told me the leaking will start again in a year or so and I will have to reseal the rims.

 

[Speedo]

Take it to a reputable tire shop and by that I mean a Goodyear or a Firestone store and explain you problem. They will fix it right. It will probalby cost you $30.00 but it is worth it.

It was the Goodyear shop in Markham that I bought the tires from and had them installed in the first place. These were the guys who were preaching the rim problem.

So, with the warranty expired, I dropped in to my mechanic to get his advice and he told me I should buy a lottery ticket. Along the sidewall was a long crack about eight inches in length. He said that within another hundred kilometres, the tire would have exploded and I would have been sailing into the trees. I asked him what could have caused that, and he said it was a defect in the tire and that he wasn't much of a fan of Goodyear. Thankfully he had a pair of new Tiger Paws for me to buy. I asked him about the rim theory and he said there was nothing wrong with the rims I have...

Thanks for the replies, guys...

 

[tboy]

Glad you found the problem and in time....but ever since the advent of alloy wheels there's been seating problems when mounting tires.

I was at a ford dealership once and someone brought in their brand new (less than 100 kms) mustang with a slow leak in the right front. They did the soap test and found the leak: right in the middle of the rim between two of the large spokes. No, not at a weld either, it was a miniscule pin hole...a flaw in the aluminum.

 

[goodtime]

Along the sidewall was a long crack about eight inches in length. He said that within another hundred kilometres, the tire would have exploded and I would have been sailing into the trees. I asked him what could have caused that, and he said it was a defect in the tire and that he wasn't much of a fan of Goodyear. Thankfully he had a pair of new Tiger Paws for me to buy.

My old Goodyear Eagle were pricey but great, too bad it outlasted the car. Goodyear & Uniroyal never fan of each other.

Defects along sidewall are pretty rare. Few may blame it on improper under-inflate for undue stress on sidewall. It's should be cover under warranty for defects. If you have the orignal receipt, take it back, credit for mileage driven/wear, sell the new tire, if you don't want GY.

It's no longer acceptable to drive mixed tires (2 + 2), trends counter each other. Lack grip in emerg manevers. Your Mech is not doing you a fav selling you just a pair.

 

[Speedo]

Your Mech is not doing you a fav selling you just a pair.

I've got the other pair on order -- should be in next week.

Thanks for the tip, but they're rejecting the defect claim. They told me I was driving it while under-inflated and that's what caused the stress. That's BS, because I'm a bit fanatical about making sure my tires are at ideal pressure -- just for the gas mileage!