Slow Leak

[SteveF]

Our BX25 has about 35 hours on it. Purchased new about a month ago. When doing routine check a couple weeks ago I thought right front tire looked low and it was. In monitoring, it seems to loose about 4 lbs/day. I took wheel off axle to see if I could find the leak and I thought it was just around the bead somewhere.

I couldn't find any punctures or any leaks around the bead (used dish washing solution) but when I was hosing off the tire I noticed that it was blowing bubbles in the center circle. Seems it is a split rim assembly of some sort. I'm old enough to have repaired many split rim steel ring wheels but this is a different beast. I am hopeful that it will be a warrantable fix but I am curious if anyone has experience with the wheel assembly. Since the wheel is tubeless how does the rim seal enough to prevent (or in my case not) leaking.

Thanks

 

[Bulldog]

Seems like there has been several members with tire trouble on their BX tractors. Maybe it was the wheels instead of tires on the others.

You can probably get you a jug of slime and stop the leak that way if you want to go that rout. Slime is wonderful stuff.

 

[SteveF]

Thanks Bulldog. I may go the slimy route but being a little OCD, I'd like to get to the cause!

 

[Dave_eng]

Just dont go welding with the tire on the rim. If you dont know of the danger go to you tube and do a little searching and you will learn a lot about starting a run-a-way chemical reaction in the rubber tire which will lead to a big explosion.
Dave M7040

 

[Russell King]

I know very little about the rims and tires that you have but on bicycles they are also switching over to tubeless tires also.

There you have a bunch of holes at the ID of the rim for the spokes to go through. They install a rim strip (liner) over them - kind of like a big rubber band stretched over the rim. This seals the rim so the air does not escape through the spoke holes. They then put in some sealant (like slime).

I would assume that if the rim is split then there would be some type of liner inside the tire also.

I would return it (the wheel) to the dealer and let them evaluate it, repair or replace it (assuming it is under warranty).

 

[lsmurphy]

Warranty item.

Tell them to replace it.

 

[skeets]

Murph I had the same problem and when I brought it up to them they gave me a gallon of slime,, it seems for what ever reason these tires wheels will leak along the rim and the slime was the answer I slimed both fronts and never had a problem since

 

[SteveF]

Thanks guys... now I won't go ballistic if my dealer tells me to slime a brand new machine!

 

[SteveF]

Nice surprise today. Called my dealer about the leak. He said bring it up. He replaced it under warrenty. Sweet. I thought the rim was a split rim but apparently it is not and it is welded together on the inside where the two pieces come together. I guess the weld leaked. Anyway, a good day. Thanks for your insight all!

 

[skeets]

Yep some days life is good

 

[armylifer]

I had a similar problem with one of my front tires. I was hauling some rocks over some rocky ground in the FEL and I noticed when I got back from the dump site that my RF tire went completely flat. I put 45 pounds of air in it, and the LF tire too. I checked both of the tires with a gauge for the next several days they were both holding pressure. I am almost sure that I had to have a rim leak that was fixed by over pressurizing the tires. About two weeks later I released the pressure to 30 pounds in each tire and I have not had any problems since.

 

[6acres]

I’m also having problems with slow leaks, which I tracked down to the rim beads. I purchased the BX2200 used, and I suspect it was run with low pressure in the tires which allowed dirt to work its way into the bead, from there it was all downhill.
I had times where the pressure was too low carrying a load in the dirt, so more dirt got in. it looks like the trick is once it is corrected, never operate it without the correct pressure in the tires.
I have a couple of questions that I hope can be answered here. Is 45 PSI safe? I was told once never to use slime in tires if you ever plan to use a tube, I may have that reversed…? Is bead sealer any good?
I plan to clean the beads really good, use bead sealer, maintain correct pressure, and may slime them after I finish the cleaning and reassembly.

 

[Bulldog]

45 psi sounds high, it should have the working pressure on the sidewall of the tire in question.

Slime, I think it's worth it's weight in gold. I have used in in both tube and tubeless tires with great success. Bead sealer, I can't say good or bad but slime is all you need. If you put it in the tire it will seal all the small leaks up without any problem.

 

[6acres]

I got some of the bead sealer, it worked great. The instructions say you can put it on the outside the tire also. I broke the bead open and coated all the mating services with it, no more leaks. I am going to do the other 3 tires next chance. This stuff is messy, and it disolves rubber and plastics, use only a thin coat. Shop around, I paid $10 a can, NAPA wanted $20.