Flat tire with no leak??????????

Carl

Carl

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Staff member
So a couple of weeks back one of my trailer tires was flat. So I slapped the compressor on it and got it back up to 45#.
Three days later is was flat again.
Today, I took it off (breaking a lug nut in the process but that is another story).
Pumped it back up and soaked it all over with soapy water. No bubbles.
Filled the kiddy pool and submerged it. No bubbles.

I'm at a loss.
Should I:
Replace the tires?
Replace the valve stem?
Throw a can of Slime in it, run around the block and hope for the best?

Aint trailers great?????
 
Buy a new trailer...

Maybe a pressure leak - only leaks when the wheel has weight on it in a certain way? Valve stem?

Good luck with that one.

Jon
 
I have had several times where the problem was the valve stem core. I'm still not smart enough to check them first, but it comes to me to check faster than it used to.

See if it is tight and try a new one if that doesn't work.
 
yes - odd

i wonder if the bead is leaking and the weight of the trailer is enough to do ti
 
Over fill tire pressure and check with soapy water. I put tubes in my trailer tires. If they go flat and off the rim, I can use a tank to fill and get it home.
 
Yes, valve stem, or the bead.
I'm going thru that right now with my truck - in my case it is the bead. My chrome wheels are starting to corrode and over the course of a week I will lose 15-20 pounds of pressure around the bead.
If your wheels are in good shape... clean and undamaged, then I would put money on the valve stem.
 
VALVE STEM CORE - did you check it?


well, I slathered the entire valve stem with soapy water and then submerged the tire and no bubbles.
Does that count??
 
VALVE STEM CORE - did you check it?


well, I slathered the entire valve stem with soapy water and then submerged the tire and no bubbles.
Does that count??
Click to expand...

No, did you check it for tightness? You are in the realm of voodoo, you need to start on all angles. They can leak slow. Were it me, I'd put a new core in, but you may not have one sitting around.

There are also tire leaks that only leak when the tire is in one position against the ground. I have one on the tractor right now and have had it for a couple years. It will lose air overnight if parked the right (wrong) way, but most times it is fine. It has only been flat a half dozen times in the past couple years and otherwise it stays pressurized.
 
There are also tire leaks that only leak when the tire is in one position against the ground.
Click to expand...

Well duh,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you can't have the flat side against the ground. As long as the flat portion is not touching the ground, your tire is just fine.
 
Carl~

I'm sure Slime would work, but....is it an older tire where the rubber itself might have become porous?

All the best,

SJS
 
rims have t obe cleaned up at times depending on use. remove tire and use 800 grit wet and clean up rim where tire seals a bead
 
VALVE STEM CORE - did you check it?


well, I slathered the entire valve stem with soapy water and then submerged the tire and no bubbles.
Does that count??
NO it does not count. You need to push the valve from side to side, also make sure the valve cap is off.If it is not the valve then bring it to a tire shop and have them reseal the bead.
Click to expand...
 
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