steel wheel fail

rugbyken

rugbyken

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over the last couple of years have noticed quite a few today i found myself with a puncture ! about half flat my heavy duty compressor has a split airline so couldn’t inflate but we were parked on a sandy car park so i slowly drove back out onto the main rd this is where the luck of the irish comes in there was a one man band knocking out part worn tyres just across the junction , he couldn’t help with my tyre size & was dealing with a customer so i borrowed his trolley jack got my spare out and whipped the wheel off we fitted that and while i was tightening up he took the dodgy wheel inside to test for a leak , as i returned the trolley jack he had a soapy solution all over the tyre nothing i suggested the valve again nothing then he sprayed inside the well and we got bubbles , is this welfable or best to go for a new whee” and any suggestions 16” 2013 fiat ? 4E586CAD-D96B-4457-B02A-1A4808F07A36.jpeg1E8AEC73-187A-435A-B134-333CE7E62A21.jpeg
 
Ken, first of all I am describing an alloy wheel on our Merc which had a slow, and this was earlier last month. I took wheel to college to check, turns out oxidation of the alloy and alloy wheel coating separation was preventing a 100% air tight seal. The area which look similar to yours with the frothing up, the inside of the rim was tidied up, oxidation and loose ally coating removed, a combo of wire brush/scrape/emery cloth at the affected area, then tyre refitted, and before inflation, a glue was applied at the leak area.

Problem solved with tyre, perhaps similar treatment will do a fix on your steel rim?
 
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runnach said:
Ken, first of all I am describing an alloy wheel on our Merc which had a slow, and this was earlier last month. I took wheel to college to check, turns out oxidation of the alloy and alloy wheel coating separation was preventing a 100% air tight seal. The area which look similar to yours with the frothing up, the inside of the rim was tidied up, oxidation and loose ally coating removed, a combo of wire brush/scrape/emery cloth at the affected area, then tyre refitted, and before inflation, a glue was applied at the leak area.

Problem solved with tyre, perhaps similar treatment will do a fix on your steel rim?
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When Alloys go a bit porous (old VWs get this for example), a acid dip for clean followed by powercoating fixes that :) I think steels are fixed by welding?
 
wildebus said:
When Alloys go a bit porous (old VWs get this for example), an acid dip for clean followed by powercoating fixes that :) I think steels are fixed by welding?
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No idea really, I originally took car to local Kwik Fit, where a new tyre at £100+ was recommended. Left and arranged a campus visit. The repair was a learning curve for me, I had a leaking tyre that had no obvious nail, or other blemishes visible. The lads sorted me out, usual visual checks, nothing, then spray around outer and inner rim, voila, just like Ken, bubbles along a section similar to Ken’s image, my previous post explains the fix for my alloy rim, fair to say, same may apply for a steel rim? Oh, I mentioned glue in my previous post, it may well have been some kind of sealant, what I do know is, it fixed a slow weep of air.

Any hot work on a steel or alloy for me, would indicate a crack.
 
2cv said:
I had 2 steel wheels with slow punctures at 11 years old on my Trafic due to internal corrosion on the wheels. Replacement wheels were not expensive so I renewed them all round as further leaks seemed likely.
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Bill, this is an obvious common fault with some wheels beit alloy or steel, which in reality is an easy fix these days.
 
Just a tip if a replacement rim is needed.

I needed a spare wheel for my first Tag axle van and I got a brand new one at a reasonable secondhand price. I got it from a garage close to a motorhome dealers who replace the rims with alloy ones for the dealer on their new motorhomes.
 
From my experience of a similar leak, you can weld it but there's a possibility of distorting the wheel, I was advised to get a replacement wheel, which I did as Ken had one from when he changed the wheel to the next size up.
Just looked on ebay £48 free delivery brand new.
 
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We've had two steel wheels leak in the past, tyre off and weld, sorted, just needs a bit of primer and black paint.
 
hopefully sam has a couple of spare but not sure of sizes took the trim off to pump it up and saw this wtf tried to take cap of & it unscrewed out the wheel ???IMG_2212.jpegIMG_2213.jpeg
 
rugbyken said:
over the last couple of years have noticed quite a few today i found myself with a puncture ! about half flat my heavy duty compressor has a split airline so couldn’t inflate but we were parked on a sandy car park so i slowly drove back out onto the main rd this is where the luck of the irish comes in there was a one man band knocking out part worn tyres just across the junction , he couldn’t help with my tyre size & was dealing with a customer so i borrowed his trolley jack got my spare out and whipped the wheel off we fitted that and while i was tightening up he took the dodgy wheel inside to test for a leak , as i returned the trolley jack he had a soapy solution all over the tyre nothing i suggested the valve again nothing then he sprayed inside the well and we got bubbles , is this welfable or best to go for a new whee” and any suggestions 16” 2013 fiat ? View attachment 72091View attachment 72092
Click to expand...
No big deal! Use an angle grinder and sanding disc, clean off the rust treat and repaint. Refit tyre with sealant. Or fit a rube, old technology but works. If you want a new wheel contact a company who sells new motorhomes. They fit alloy wheels as an option and have the standard ones to get rid of.
 
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