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Slow Trailer Tire Leaks

D

DScott

Member
I have a 14 K gooseneck trailer that I bought new in 2004. The tires (imported, bias belt) probably don't have 1000 miles on the and are in like new condition. Ever since they were new they have had a slow leak. I air them up to 75 lbs. and 3 months later they will be down up to half that, even the spare will be way low and it's never touched the ground. I have always just checked them before going anywhere but that's getting old. The leak is so slow that I don't think the old soapy water trick would detect it. I am thinking that it is leaking at the bead. It could be the valve stems but it's hard to believe they would all be bad.
I thought about putting Slime tire sealer in them to seal up any leaks but I read the instructions on the can and it says that it will not seal leaks at the bead. Is there a "bead sealer"? Anyone had experience with this? Ideas?
 
just put inner tubes in them, a tubeless tire will leak air if it is not used on a regular bases. that Slime, sealer makes a big a mess in the tire and does not seal the leaks.
 

Maybe a dumb question, but did you ever check that the valve stems are sealing and that the valve cores are tight? Using the metal valve stem caps with the seals in them may also help.
 
Any tire that sits will over time go down no matter what you do with them. Ya some slower then others but they all will go down. That is one reason you should check your car/truck spare tire every so often or when you need it the tire will be flat. Yes there are things that can be done to help slow the problem but that will be about it. Even tires with tubes in them given enough tie will/do go flat. A lot of it has to do with the heating and cooling they go through from sitting but ones that are run get warmed up and worked so they hold air better/longer
 
Just mix more soap, air the tires up good and hard and get to work checking them. The first place I'd check is the valve stems for that kind of slow leak, then the beads... It may take some time but you may well find the leaks.
I wouldn't run tubes unless there was no other option... It's just one more thing to go wrong.

Rod
 
Take each tire off, pump it up good and hard maybe 65 psi and submerge it in a good clean cow tank full of water. You will find the leak. I have an automatic tire changer and change alot of tires for the neighbors and have never had one get the best of me when I do it that way.
 
Air molecules do work their way directly through the rubber. Even if there is no puncture or leaky bead, the tires will still go down over time.

That's part of the reason some tire shops are pushing 100% nitrogen, either selling it as an upcharge item or including it to justify their higher prices. Nitrogen molecules are the biggest ones in normal air, and don't migrate through the rubber.
 

Thanks for the replies. This trailer has always made me wonder because I have other trailers that don't do this. In a year they might lose a couple of pounds or so, but not much. I located a bead sealer product which apparently is a pretty common item. So I think this weekend I'll break them down, seal the beads up and install new valve stems for good measure while I'm in there.
I'll report back the results.
 
Slime works but not for your trailer. As soon as you go over 65 with it the slime will blow out. All tires will leak over time. Tubed or not. Again tires run everyday hold better because of the heat cool deal, but even they will become low eventually.
 
I don't like tubes in trailer tires, it makes them run hotter & heat is a tire's biggest enemy. Over time tubes lose pressure just the same as tubeless.
 
Last weekend I broke the tires down, sealed the beads and installed new good quality valve stems. Now I will just have to wait a month or two and see if that fixes the problem.
 
dunk them n a horse trough and look for bubbles..

I have some imported chinese tires on a lawnmower and a wheel barrow.. rubber is so porous that air leaks right thru..

I clated the tire insides with fix a flat.. it seale dthem up.. though i would not use that stuff in an on road tire..

if they hold air for a week.. you can at least air and go..

soundguy
 
i had this happen on my boat trailer.turned out to be the valve core in the stem .loosened it half turn and retightened.no problem since.
 
Between my job and the farm, I have 7 Gator tires, 5 mower tires, two wheelbarrows, 3 bicycle tires, 3 tractor tires, and a skidloader tire all sealed with Slime and holding air; many for several years. In fact, I just had the skidloader tire into the tire shop after the valve stem got torn off while plowing snow. The tire guy said he wasn't a believer in Slime, but from the condition of my tire he couldn't deny that it worked. Most people that have told me Slime doesn't work have been using a knockoff brand or skimp and don't put the required amount into the tire. I have nothing to gain from endorsing Slime, but the stuff really works!
 
(quoted from post at 18:41:57 03/08/10) Between my job and the farm, I have 7 Gator tires, 5 mower tires, two wheelbarrows, 3 bicycle tires, 3 tractor tires, and a skidloader tire all sealed with Slime and holding air; many for several years. In fact, I just had the skidloader tire into the tire shop after the valve stem got torn off while plowing snow. The tire guy said he wasn't a believer in Slime, but from the condition of my tire he couldn't deny that it worked. Most people that have told me Slime doesn't work have been using a knockoff brand or skimp and don't put the required amount into the tire. I have nothing to gain from endorsing Slime, but the stuff really works!
Click to expand...
Ron, I have used it in off road tires like you mentioned but not in a road tire. I had the same good results you have had. But, I think the instructions warn about using it in a tire at speeds over 30 or 40 mph. I don't want to get my trailer loaded up with tractors, 200 miles from home, 1 o'clock in the morning and discover what the warning was about.
 
Slime or something like it works very well in lawn mower tires. Just try to take one apart to fix and you will be a believer.
 
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