Location: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
3-piece wheels = leaks??
Three weeks ago I put on a set of new 3-piece wheels and tires. I carefully checked the air pressure at that time (I'm anal about air pressure)
Today I look at the tires and one looks low. I check it and it is down by 14psi! Thinking I picked up a nail, I pull it and examine the assembly with soapy water. No nails, but about 14 of the bolts on the wheel are very slowly seeping air out. Great....now the stupid wheels have to be sent back to the manufacturer meaning three more weeks waiting for a repair. I checked the others; one is down 1psi, one down 2psi, and the last is down 3psi....ALL OF THEM LEAK!!!!
Is this the price one pays for 3-piece wheels? (besides the outrageous initial cost) In other words, do all you guys with 3-piece wheels have to live with slow leaks??? :(
Yes, unfortunately, this can happen with multi-piece wheels. Usually it occurs when the seal between halves is disturbed when mounting/dis-mounting tires. I've had it happen.
Location: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Re: 3-piece wheels = leaks?? (leadfoot4)
Quote:
Yes, unfortunately, this can happen with multi-piece wheels. Usually it occurs when the seal between halves is disturbed when mounting/dis-mounting tires. I've had it happen.
What kind of wheels are they?
They are HRE and, when I called them today, they said exactly what you said; the people who mounted the tires disturbed the RTV sealer. (I'll bet money that the shop who did the tires will say that HRE did a poor job of sealing.....buck passing has become a way of life in the retail world.)
So, leadfoot, what did YOU do about it when it happened to you?
(the thought of pulling them all off, taking them 30 miles one way to have the tires busted off, then take the wheels back to HRE for fixing, then pick them up how many days later, back to the tire store, get MY new wheels scratched and nicked up with remounting then fight with the shop over that, etc. What an everlovin' pain in the rear....! I may just LIVE with the slow leaks!)
What I did was remove the tire, and using a utility knife, remove as much of the sealer that I could, and reapply a fresh layer of silicone. CCWs, like mine, are sealed with GE silicone sealer. IIRC, the GE part number is something like 505, 515, etc.
There are two ways to disrupt the seal. The first is to physically hit the seal with the tire machine's "shoe" while dismounting the tire. The second is to drag the tire's bead across the sealing area during mounting/dismounting..
I have one that leaks:( My fault though. I swapped the polished centers for anodized ones on my CCW's and my have messed the silicone up.Going to re-silicone all of them when I get them powder coated and chromed.
Don't let recent stories discourage you. There is nothing wrong with multi piece wheels. They won't create any more air loss if manufactured and maintained properly. Keep in mind, air will leak out of any wheel and tire combo over time regardless and pressure will change 1 lb per 10 degrees, so checking is necessary anyway.
Mike
Corvette Store
3-piece wheels = leaks??
