I have a slow-ish air leak which is the result of a corroded(?) alloy wheel, inside where the valve seats.

 

I knew it was not punctured as I checked it in the bath, so took it to local garage for check up, and told them where the leak was.

The lad confirmed some kind of corrosion inside the alloy and informed me that he had cleaned it to the best he could. I was gobsmacked when he only charged me a few quid, literally. And it was definitely a new valve that they had used. This was a few years ago, but it is happening again, again confirmed by a dunking.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if I take the wheel back and leave it with them, is there a sealant that they could use to seat the valve, and let this set before refitting the tyre and pressurising.

 

Do they normally use a sealant anyway, is it sealant that they use around the tyre edge, or a fitting lube?

 

Any other ideas for a solution will be welcome.

 

Cheers in advance.

There isn't really a bead sealant as such; the "squeezy bottle" that most fitters use contains diluted washing up liquid and is used as a lubricant.

 

You can live with it, buy a new wheel, or get the wheel refurbished including a re-enamel to get a permanentish cure. Or use a puncture goop sealant as a bodge.

In my youth I worked for a Tyre Company for a few years and you could get Valves that bolted to the rim.

 

Think these might give a better seal as they are tighten up with a spanner not just pulled through the hole in the rim. Might be worth a try

The only way you can guarantee to fix it is to get the wheel refurbished.

 

It's very common with alloy wheels.

 

Phil

There is tyre sealant available, sticky black stuff. Had the same valve leakage problem on mine, so the area was cleaned up, and sealed with a new valve, been fine since!

Corrected that for you...

:D

 

No comment, for now