Pressure Loss - Due to Aluminum?

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 11:48 am

3 of my 4 tires keep losing tire pressure. I stopped at Discount Tire, to get the stems replaced, and was told that it's due to the aluminum rims, and this is common? They're saying I need new wheels. Does this hold water? Or are they nuts? :shock:

tan's2002kjlimited · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 5:46 pm

Road grime, salt, what not gets down in the bead of the tire after time and builds up a layer of crap that will eventually create a slow leak. If you're getting new tires, make sure they grind that stuff off with a wire wheel and seal the rim. If your tires are good, well, a mount and dismount, cleaning, and ballance are just needed.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 5:59 pm

go someplace else that doesn't hire stupid people

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:31 pm

Quote:

go someplace else that doesn't hire stupid people

So...............They're NUTS!!!! :lol:

Now, the rest of the story. Last December, when they put the tires on, the yo yos threw my valve caps away. When I noticed, they said, "Oh, those are in a huge pile, there's no way we'd be able to find them. Here, take these chrome ones". I have one tire that I couldn't remove the valve cap from. Today, they tell me that you can't have chrome caps on TPMS, and replaced them with plastic caps. All but one. The last one, had to be removed with a pair of ViseGrips. When it was, I was inspecting my CV boot for cracks. I heard a voice go, "Oh, F*&k! That's not good." I looked over to see the valve cap, AND the valve core, stuck to the cap. Needless to say, the TPMS is ruined.

Fortunately, they did not try to deny that they put the caps on last December, and will replace the TPMS for free, although it will take a few days for it to come in. Oops........ :roll:

I'm thinking I need to find a new tire store....... :-)r

InCommando · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:31 pm

x2 I had a horrible experience a Discount.

What a shock that someone who works on commission wants to sell you $600 worth of rims to fix your problem. Excuse me: $300 worth of rims for $600.

This used to be a problem with true multi-piece alloy rims years ago. It may have applied to some ultra lightwieght rims, too, some years ago ( memory getting foggy.) But do you really think that in today's law-suit crazy society that these rims would be offered by every manufacturer when a constant low-tire problem & the related safety issues would surely result in another Firestone-ish mess?

If 3 of 4 are slowly leaking, I'd bet on valve cores that were too loose/damaged as a first choice, bead problems ( mainly if these tires have been off of the rim) as a 2nd, a crappy pressure gauge for #3, and for 4th I'd never overlook that someone may be messing with you. Or maybe that only applies to me.... :shock:

InCommando · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:34 pm

Talk about hitting submit at the same time.....

That answer makes sense. At least it was found before it was a major issue...

Something as simple as valve stem caps... :roll:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:38 pm

QuestMan wrote:

3 of my 4 tires keep losing tire pressure. I stopped at Discount Tire, to get the stems replaced, and was told that it's due to the aluminum rims, and this is common? They're saying I need new wheels. Does this hold water? Or are they nuts? :shock:

Yes alloy rims can leak just because they are alloy,it depends on how the rims where made,some early American Racing alloy rims are prone to be "porous" and leak air.You may have a bad batch of rims,who nows.Not all alloy rims leak like this,ussually older rims that are not taken care of,cheaper alloy ones.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:39 pm

InCommando wrote:

Talk about hitting submit at the same time.....

That answer makes sense. At least it was found before it was a major issue...

Something as simple as valve stem caps... :roll:

If your valve stem caps are preventing a air leak you need new valve stems or cores,velave stemm caps are not there to seal the valve stems,only to keep junk out of the valve core.

InCommando · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 7:46 pm

I'm thinking that, in this case, the TPIMS have a core shape that was not compatable with their finist chinese chromium replacement caps. Or that the materials were corroding together, allowing air to escape.

I want to get a really big valve cap to put over my whole tire to seal air in should I get a leak.... :shock:

jason thompson · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 8:52 pm

I dont know about the leak due to "cheep rims"
The KJ ,that my wife DD's, may loose 1 or 2 psi over 3K miles
The TJ that sees trail duty only will loose 10-15psi in 2 weeks on any of the 4 ties
now the KJ has MTR's and the TJ has LTB's
the TJ does get all kinds of stuff stuck between the bead and about once or twice a year depending on how bad it gets
I will have the tires removed and I will then clean the rims and have them remounted
they will have some dirt and stuff really stuck to the bead however we have had a good size piece of wood stuck between the bead on the MTR's for a few months and they still did not leak

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 9:32 pm

Quote:

I want to get a really big valve cap to put over my whole tire to seal air in should I get a leak....

For the record, let me back up. They did NOT say that the wheel is porous, and leaking. What was said, is that the wheel rims have oxidized, pitted, and therefore are not sealing as well as they should. They also implied that using a wire brush would remove the oxidation, but may leave pitting. The pitting could cause permanent leaks. Also, the MGR. at DTC swears that this is a common problem with Chrysler, and is exceptionally bad on PT Cruisers. So.......this is either a very elaborate hallucination on their part or, possibly has some grain of truth to it.

In fairness, they only charged $15 to wire the rims, re-balance, and mount the tires and, oh. Yeah, the free TPMS monitor.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat May 10, 2008 9:41 pm

QuestMan wrote:

Quote:

I want to get a really big valve cap to put over my whole tire to seal air in should I get a leak....

For the record, let me back up. They did NOT say that the wheel is porous, and leaking. What was said, is that the wheel rims have oxidized, pitted, and therefore are not sealing as well as they should. They also implied that using a wire brush would remove the oxidation, but may leave pitting. The pitting could cause permanent leaks. Also, the MGR. at DTC swears that this is a common problem with Chrysler, and is exceptionally bad on PT Cruisers. So.......this is either a very elaborate hallucination on their part or, possibly has some grain of truth to it.

In fairness, they only charged $15 to wire the rims, re-balance, and mount the tires and, oh. Yeah, the free TPMS monitor.

Very true about the pitting also,and yes aluminum does "oxidize" just like steel,just doesn't turn redish/brown color.

Guest · **Posted:** Sun May 11, 2008 3:52 pm

QuestMan wrote:

Quote:

I want to get a really big valve cap to put over my whole tire to seal air in should I get a leak....

For the record, let me back up. They did NOT say that the wheel is porous, and leaking. What was said, is that the wheel rims have oxidized, pitted, and therefore are not sealing as well as they should. They also implied that using a wire brush would remove the oxidation, but may leave pitting. The pitting could cause permanent leaks. Also, the MGR. at DTC swears that this is a common problem with Chrysler, and is exceptionally bad on PT Cruisers. So.......this is either a very elaborate hallucination on their part or, possibly has some grain of truth to it.

In fairness, they only charged $15 to wire the rims, re-balance, and mount the tires and, oh. Yeah, the free TPMS monitor.

It's not just a problem with Chrysler, it's a problem with ANY aluminum wheel that gets exposed to salt. the salt sits and festers between the wheel and tire's bead, and eats through the clear coat and corrodes the aluminum. It happens to Toyotas, Hondas, Fords, Geos, Chevys, Yugos...anything. Chromed aluminum wheels are the WORST.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sun May 11, 2008 4:11 pm

So........You're telling me I ought to go for Powder coated? And yes......I know. I live in MICHIGAN. Land of the salted roads. :cry:

In any case, it's not an emergency, yet. I'll see how it goes, now that they've been wire-brushed. Besides, I've got bigger fish to fry. B&G flash? Or Bull bar..........Decisions, decisions.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Mon May 12, 2008 3:13 am

This is a very common problem that happens to all wheels, not just alloy wheels. When the pitting gets real bad you use a sandblaster and then follow with some rubber sealant around the bead. All you can do is pray that it holds.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Mon May 12, 2008 7:28 am

Now, I'm kind of wondering if they changed the grommets on the TPMS. If not, from what I've read on TireRack, THAT may be causing the issue, too.

dgeist · **Posted:** Mon May 12, 2008 10:00 am

QuestMan wrote:

So........You're telling me I ought to go for Powder coated? And yes......I know. I live in MICHIGAN. Land of the salted roads. :cry:

In any case, it's not an emergency, yet. I'll see how it goes, now that they've been wire-brushed. Besides, I've got bigger fish to fry. B&G flash? Or Bull bar..........Decisions, decisions.

Or.... you can keep the wheels clean :wink:

Since it's debris and salt damaging the clearcoat, make sure that stuff isn't there and they'll last a heck of a lot longer.

Pressure Loss - Due to Aluminum?

Who is online