Valve Stem Leak (at rim?)

Hi all. I've got a rear tire that would go down every 4-6 weeks, but lately is like every day. The last time I filled it up, I heard hissing coming from the valve stem. In putting my finger around the valve stem, it seemes to be coming from the interface between the rim and the valve stem body. Is this common? Can it be repaired or is a new tube in order?

Thanks guys!
 

i'd take some soapy water to be sure exactly where that air is coming out., if you're lucky, it's the valve itself not sealing for whatever reason, which is a cheap fix. otherwise, if it is indeed coming out between the rim and the stem, it could be a hole anywhere in that tube, and ya, i'd say replacement at that point.
 

Oh and I attempted to tighten the nut that is treaded on the outer most threads of the stem up at rim. It only hissed louder, so I stopped.
 
Kenockee,If it is leaking out around the valve stem and rim hole the tube is leaking.It can have a hole anywhere inside and the air will leak out around the rim hole.Rims rust inside badly inside and cause holes in the tube,remove the tire and inspect the rim and repair it.Then replace the tube with a new one.It may even take a new rim to make thing right.
 

duh, sorry, the part about your finger isolating the leak location just now sunk in. i blame my newly acquired chronic pain. but wtf, the soapy water is a cheap and easy test. sure sounds like u need a new tube tho :(
 

the only purpose that nut serves is to keep the tube's valve stem outside the rim where u can get at it.
 
Kenockee........would you believe you have a LEAK in yer tube? They make tube patches you kenn buy, sometimes bicyle shops haff'em. You'll haffta learn how to DISMOUNT yer tire with tire irons. Mark where your tube leaks with respect to the stem hole so you kenn FIND what (thorn?) caused the leak and flat tire. BTW, rear tire pressure is commonally 12psi. Front tires commonally 26psi. .......HTH, the tireless ...er... retired Dell
 

Thanks everyone. I am aware of the soapy water trick but between probing with my finger and trying to tighten that nut, I'm pretty sure I've found where it is leaking from. I will be sure to do the soapy water trick before I take any action to double check.

This really has me in a bad spot now. The rears are not in the greatest shape. If I have to dismount a tire, do I just fix the tube and nurse the rears for how ever long or do I take the plunge and get new rears? Unfortunately, I've had some big unexpected expenses lately. I guess it comes in threes right?

Guess I've got some thinking to do...
 
The only fix is a new tube, but like you say , you may need the complete lot. I had to go that way last year and it is not cheap. if you have no calcium chloride solution, your rime may be good and it may be worthwhile to just replace the tube for the short term.
 
If I have to dismount a tire, do I just fix the tube and nurse the rears for how ever long or do I take the plunge and get new rears? Unfortunately, I've had some big unexpected expenses lately.

You wont know until you get it apart . A patch for the tube is a few dollars and a new tube is about $50 . Your budget and your labor are the biggest factors . I think around here it is $25 to fix a flat if you haul the tire into the tire shop ( that can be a horror story in itself $$$ )

I have seen people on a budget use a roll of cheap duct tape on a hat rim to protect the tube from getting punctured from a chunk of rust . May last a week or it may last ten years .

Some of my friends have split a gallon of green slime on the back tires . That stuff says it will seal tubes but if you have a thorn or nail aggravating the puncture it usually will not seal .
 
Luckily for this purpose, they are not loaded. So far with the 8 inches of snow that we've had, I didn't need to have chains or loaded tires.

I watched a video on dismounting a tractor tire and I think it's doable.

There is a ag tire company that makes house calls. I guess if I get to a point and can't go further, I give them a call.

That's how I've always been. I try to fix it myself and worst case I have to have someone pick up where I left off. If I fix it, I learn something and save money, if I can't fix it, I have to pay someone to fix it which is where I was in the first place.
 
Cheap valve stems are usually the culprit for leaks at that point. If N it were me, I'd call the local AG Tire dealer and either have them make a house call or pull the whole wheel off and haul it to them. I don't muck around with tire removal anymore and I have the right irons and all. They have all the right equipment and do it fast, professionally, and pain free. Insist they put metal/brass stems in. Duct tape is just a temporary Band-Aid.

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)
 
I just had to replace one of my tubes too. In brand new tires.
Long story, but the previous owner had brand new tires put on
and re-used the old tubes. That half arsed job cost me $83.
I took the tire and rim to the tire store and have them fix it.
$50 for the tube, $30 labor, $3 tax. Done.
Not a lot of fun with the wheel weights on the tractor.
In six degree weather to boot.
At least I was inside out of the wind.

43686.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 16:01:30 12/29/16)
I watched a video on dismounting a tractor tire and I think it's doable.

The hardest part of dismountinmg a tire is breaking the bead of the tire away from the rim. If these tires have been mounted for a very long time, and or if the rubber is very old and hard, it can be near impossible to dismount the rubber while still on the tractor. Repair shops have a special bead breaker for this purpose. If the wheel is off the tractor, the bead can usually be broke, just need to get ingenious sometimes.

$30.00 dismount / mount from a tire shop will seem extremely cheap if you try a tuff one yourself.

May want to follow what Royse did:



I took the tire and rim to the tire store and have them fix it.
$50 for the tube, $30 labor, $3 tax. Done.
 

as a follow-up on the green slime, i've got a friend who has used it a few times with very disappointing results. to be fair, tho, this has been on tires on a six wheeler, and i don't know if that is anywhere near a valid comparison to a rear tractor tire. it wouldn't surprise me to hear it's not relevant here.
 

Thanks for all the input guys. You are right, there is something to be said for doing something yourself and being able to do it but also there is a point where the amount of effort to do it yourself without the proper equipment just isn't worth the small amount of money saved to have professionals do it.

I may just take the wheel off and load it on the trailer and get it fixed by the pros.
 
i dismounted a couple of tires myself recently and I can assure you it's not much fun. It took me about 3 hours and some serious effort. But, the tire shop is 40 minutes away and not able to handle the big ag tires except for 8-5 on weekdays. The logistics of running the tires over, time off work, etc made a 3 hour job on a Saturday afternoon by myself the best choice. Now that the rims are sandblasted and powder coated it's time for the pros though, I wouldn't want to ding up the powder coat with my cave man tools.
 
(quoted from post at 23:28:09 12/30/16) i dismounted a couple of tires myself recently and I can assure you it's not much fun. It took me about 3 hours and some serious effort. But, the tire shop is 40 minutes away and not able to handle the big ag tires except for 8-5 on weekdays. The logistics of running the tires over, time off work, etc made a 3 hour job on a Saturday afternoon by myself the best choice. Now that the rims are sandblasted and powder coated it's time for the pros though, I wouldn't want to ding up the powder coat with my cave man tools.
Be careful which "pros" you choose.
I took a pair of rims and tires to one "semi local to us both" dealer
to have the tires dismounted. I told them I didn't care about the
tires, they were junk. Cut them into shreds if needed.
The rims were sold though and I didn't want them damaged.
"Ok" they said, then they laid them down on the floor and beat on
them with a tire hammer. Beat the rims up so bad I lost the sale.
They ended up "buying" them and sent them home with me.
But not without a lot of hassle.
 
(quoted from post at 02:35:01 12/30/16) I just had to replace one of my tubes too. In brand new tires.
Long story, but the previous owner had brand new tires put on
and re-used the old tubes. That half arsed job cost me $83.
I took the tire and rim to the tire store and have them fix it.
$50 for the tube, $30 labor, $3 tax. Done.
Not a lot of fun with the wheel weights on the tractor.
In six degree weather to boot.
At least I was inside out of the wind.

43686.jpg
oyse, I see in your picture that you have every second pie weight removed from the wheel. Is this for clearance removing the rim or what? I'm still a newbie so forgive my ignorance.
 
You got it Chilidawg. I took every other one off to get to the
bolts that hold the outer rim to the center and allow the loops
to clear while taking it off. Put it back on the same way. Glad
they weren't loaded with liquid this time! I also had one extra
weight removed while I was checking/replacing the valve stem
before deciding it was going to the tire shop.
 
(quoted from post at 23:39:14 12/30/16)
(quoted from post at 23:28:09 12/30/16) i dismounted a couple of tires myself recently and I can assure you it's not much fun. It took me about 3 hours and some serious effort. But, the tire shop is 40 minutes away and not able to handle the big ag tires except for 8-5 on weekdays. The logistics of running the tires over, time off work, etc made a 3 hour job on a Saturday afternoon by myself the best choice. Now that the rims are sandblasted and powder coated it's time for the pros though, I wouldn't want to ding up the powder coat with my cave man tools.
Be careful which "pros" you choose.
I took a pair of rims and tires to one "semi local to us both" dealer
to have the tires dismounted. I told them I didn't care about the
tires, they were junk. Cut them into shreds if needed.
The rims were sold though and I didn't want them damaged.
"Ok" they said, then they laid them down on the floor and beat on
them with a tire hammer. Beat the rims up so bad I lost the sale.
They ended up "buying" them and sent them home with me.
But not without a lot of hassle.

Now you've got me worried. Are you talking about the guys in Greenville?
 
(quoted from post at 18:50:08 12/31/16)
(quoted from post at 23:39:14 12/30/16)
(quoted from post at 23:28:09 12/30/16) i dismounted a couple of tires myself recently and I can assure you it's not much fun. It took me about 3 hours and some serious effort. But, the tire shop is 40 minutes away and not able to handle the big ag tires except for 8-5 on weekdays. The logistics of running the tires over, time off work, etc made a 3 hour job on a Saturday afternoon by myself the best choice. Now that the rims are sandblasted and powder coated it's time for the pros though, I wouldn't want to ding up the powder coat with my cave man tools.
Be careful which "pros" you choose.
I took a pair of rims and tires to one "semi local to us both" dealer
to have the tires dismounted. I told them I didn't care about the
tires, they were junk. Cut them into shreds if needed.
The rims were sold though and I didn't want them damaged.
"Ok" they said, then they laid them down on the floor and beat on
them with a tire hammer. Beat the rims up so bad I lost the sale.
They ended up "buying" them and sent them home with me.
But not without a lot of hassle.

Now you've got me worried. Are you talking about the guys in Greenville?
No, not Greenville. M-66 South of my house a few miles. North of Ionia though.
 

Well I called a place a relative suggested and they have a tube and quoted me $82.00. I think this is a fair price. I'll be taking it off the tractor hopefully tonight, taking it to them tomorrow after work and maybe picking it back up Friday night or Saturday.
 

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