Sealing tire rim

[hwatkins]

I have a bunch of small leaks around the rim of my ATV tire, I was planning on breaking the seal and cleaning it out as best I can. Are there any tricks to getting a good seal? I saw some people say put dish soap on it.

 

[AchingBack]

See if this video helps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv-Tv4DJtzo

 

[oosik]

My wheelbarrow/tire look exactly like the one in the U-tube video. For years the dumb tire would be flat by spring time. I put a little Slime in it - pumped it up - spun the tire for distribution and its now been OK for over 20 years. I do add a little air each spring because it naturally deflates slightly with time.

 

[McREBEL]

I have used Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak with success. With the tire laying down and deflated pour a bead of the Lucas all the way around. Let it soak in then flip it over and do the other side. This works well unless you have trash between the rim and tire. I have only done this on low speed applications (wheel barrow/lawn tractor tires).

 

[Stubut]

I used Green Slim on my John Deere 4400 Utility tractor 3 years ago and still no leaks. Air was leaking very fast around the rim. I also drive over 2" thorn bushes with no leaks on front or rear tires.

Stubut

 

[FTG-05]

Old rock crawler trick aka cheap bead locks: demount the tire from the rim, the coat the rim surfaces with simple roofing tar. You can get a tube of it at HD/Lowes for a couple bucks. Make sure the surfaces are clean, apply the tar, then reinflate the tire.

Good luck.

 

[hwatkins]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to try the Green Slime.

 

[drizler]

SLIME. Get the bigass Half gallon size and keep it handy. It's what I use when the old especially aluminum car rims start those slow d go leaks. Just pull the gut, pump in the required amount and go run it. It's also what I have used when a tire plug tended to leak a bit. I have even used it in tubed tires and now days even bicycle tires often comes with it inside. Fantastic stuff, right up there with JB Weld.

 

[skyhook]

The rim needs to be sanded, use a wire wheel on a grinder etc and use a wire brush on the tire.

 

[drizler]

Those green abrasive pads from the supermarket work well too if you don't have a grinder and wire wheel.

 

[the old grind]

Terramite front tire would hold air for only a day or two due to a rusty, leaky rim such as the OP's, and would be off the rim in < a week. (always parked outside) I wiped loose rust with just a rag, sprayed with Pam (original) cooking spray as a quickie-fix and re-seated. The idea was to stop water seeping under/into the rusted bead area and then drying out to renewed porosity. Using vegetable vs petro 'oil' would hopefully spare bad interaction with rubber.

Did this several years ago and the tire still holds air for more weeks/months than days that it used to. I might spray it again but tend to stay busy airing up the other front tire ... the one I haven't treated this way.

Now that Fluid Film has replaced half a dozen of my outdoor lubes and rust inhibitors I'll see how that works compared to the kitchen stuff. I like the tar idea, but since it tends to dry out vs stay somewhat soft I'm sure rust would creep under it eventually. Wouldn't want to muscle-off a tire done that way for a touch-up. tog