Fix-a-flat for Slow Leak

[sam000lee]

I have a slow leak on my GS450 front tire that has <6,000 miles on it and is less than 2 year old. I noticed it was low in December, did a little bit of riding in January/February when the weather permitted but now it's low again around 17/18 psi. I'm tempted to just use the can of fix-a-flat that's been sitting around in my garage to seal up wherever the slow leak is coming from. Any reason not to? I'd rather get a couple thousand more miles out of my tire since the tread is still pretty good.

 

[Burque73]

Maybe a sealer like Ride-on would be better. It's on Wal-Mart web site for $15. I've had fix a flat cause balance problems so would only use as a last resort.

 

[sam000lee]

Balance problems as in it's pooling and then drying in one spot or something along those lines?

 

[Burque73]

Balance problems as in it's pooling and then drying in one spot or something along those lines?

Thats exactly what happened.

 

[Gorminrider]

Is this a tube tire or tubeless? (as in: what year is the bike...) It's important to know which it is.

I'd rather pump it up ocassionally than put goo in it.
In fact, I would never put goo in my tires except as a last resort to get a few miles to fix it properly and even then, only if it were a tubeless tire.
Assuming it is a tubeless tire,
Best, if it has a leak, fix the tire properly. You have to take it off to do that. ...However,if you want to find the leak, on a tubeless tire, to try a "plug" inserted which is lazy, get some soapy water -better yet a proper leak-finder mix that you can likely find at welders or tire shops.

If it's a tube tire, again, you have to take the tire off. and replace the tube. A patch on the tube is a roadside temporary fix.
Tires are the most important part of a two-wheeled vehicle.

 

[sam000lee]

Tubeless tire. I'll try the soapy water thing but think that it might be too slow for that to show the leak.

 

[Gorminrider]

Aah. Yes. But if you get the Proper stuff, you might be impressed. I was. I had a slowwww leak on a car tire . Pumped the tire every week. COULD not find it for two yearseven Put the tire in a tank of water, etc. etc.(the tank of water is suprising difficult, trying to get the tire properly "wetted"-all the little bubbles that stick to tread etc so adding a detergent to water and scrubbing tires might have helped to finally see that bubble that counted!)
But this stuff found it. It was pretty obvious too, once found.
Without all the fiddling, just pump it up and keep an eye on it. Maybe get a magnifier too and have a really good look at tread surface. If the leak is on the rim, you will have to reseat the tire but that's easier than taking it off.

 

[eil]

Tubeless tire. I'll try the soapy water thing but think that it might be too slow for that to show the leak.

This is the way to go. First, check to make sure that it's not the valve leaking. I've seen this on many of the slow-leak tires I've owned. If it is, that's an easy fix, just replace the valve. Next check around the rims. If it's leaking where the tire seats on the rim, you have to remove it, clean up the rim with a green scrubby, ensure there aren't any bad nicks in the seating area, and put the tire back on.

If the tire is leaking somewhere else, you have a puncture and it should not be hard to find. Typically, you'll find the nail still in the tire. If it's in the sidewall, you need a new tire. If it's in the tread, then you get to decide whether to replace the tire or fix it with a plug. Opinions are divided on which is best.

 

[chuck hahn]

NO on the fix a flat..what you end up with is one hellz of mess when its time for new rubber. Mix up some really strong soap water and spray the treads well as you slowly roll the wheel. Lay the rim down flat and FILL the bead..Hit the valve stems heavily. If the stems leaking try swapping in a new Schrader valve. If its the rim break down the tire and wire wheel the beads. Bead sealer will seal the beads after cleaning. If its the tread then take it in and have it patched from the inside and rebalanced..that or replace it.

Over pressurize the tire to around 40 PSI..no it wont blow off the rim..and that should make the soapy water more effective in showing bubbles.

 

[Steve]

Any kind of goo you add to a tire to "fix" a leak will only work if the leak is in the tread area. That is, unless you FILL the tire with goo.

In my tire-changing experience, most of the leaks have been around the bead and a few at the valve, so goo would not help at all.

Then, to add insult to injury, whoever changes your tire next will really cuss you for all the goo. Any chance you change your own? :-\\\

.

 

[chuck hahn]

I change my own but gotta take them in for balancing.

 

[Cipher]

SOme products seem to vaporize and fill the void in the tire in an all encompassing mist.
I have sealed bead leaks with the stuff.

Tears ago on my lawn tractor I was getting cracks and pressure loss
It seemed that it was a problem for everyone as folks were always whining about new tractor tires and the price etc.

I used one can on all four tires and they stayed sealed and pressurized for 24 more years and may still be for all I know.

 

[chuck hahn]

Lawn mowers dont go 90+MPH either. I wouldnt use anything other than a patch from the inside like they do car tires or replace it.

 

[Cipher]

Some do
ANd hes talking slow leak I didn't seem him mention an actual puncture?

I sealed a two inch woood screew puncture on a bike once
it was dark and I went for the quick fix
nearly passed out when I was saw it in the morning.

 

[Guest]

Identify the leak first, where the leak is determines how you can fix it.

The Three-Bond flat fixer does not leave a mess in the tire, it tolerates freezing over the winter as well.
I used a 10 yr old can on the rear of my CBR900RR a couple of years ago, after I plugged it (small stone from running gravel roads) I was in Butfuk Montana, no cell service, 60 miles from anywhere the Three-Bond inflated the big tire to 36 lbs from flat, I rode the bike home, 200 miles. the tire was still 30 + lbs in the spring 6 months later when I replaced it. ( I change my own, and balance them as well) No mess in the tire, I cant say how well the Three-Bond brand seals as I had plugged the tire, but it leaves no mess!

 

[Steve]

Lawn mowers dont go 90+MPH either.

Most of them don't, but there are exceptions. :-\\\
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Click link.

.

 

[Chris]

Lawn mowers don't go 90+MPH either. I wouldn't use anything other than a patch from the inside like they do car tires or replace it.

I certainly respect your opinion and am sure it reflects your experience. As it happens, my experience includes shooting plugs into tubeless tires on both cars and bikes with 100% success. I became a real believer in how well they can work after running a repaired Avon Roadrunner on the back of my RG500 for about three thousand miles back in the day, when I was a broke GI with a family and couldn't afford to replace an almost new tire with nail in it. That repair held up just fine, as have others I did. To the point that as long as the tire is only damaged where a plug repair is feasible and the tire carcass will take a plug I figure the tire is good to go once repaired. I suppose over the years I've run maybe 4 or 5 repaired tires until they've worn out on bikes and cars.

Now, I'm not advising anyone to either use or not use a repaired tire. It's nothing to me if you leave your bike on the side of the road rather than roll it an inch without brand new replacement rubber installed. Nor an I particularly interested in hearing how I'm an idiot for using repaired rubber. Don't care. I'm just reporting my experience with tires repaired by plugs. If it runs counter to your conclusions and you choose to disregard that experience that's perfectly OK with me.

As to the use of sealant: Years ago I had to replace a tire for a friend who had used that fix a flat sealant you squirt in through the valve stem. I don't have an opinion about how well that stuff fixed a flat or sealed a tire since I wasn't there to see it either work or not but i do know one thing. What a mess! I eventually got the rim cleaned up enough to mount the new tire but it was a complete pain in the tush. If you're stuck by the side of the road and have no alternative...OK...you do what you gotta do...but please realize you're going to have quite a cleaning chore waiting for you somewhere down the road.

 

[chuck hahn]

Im running a rear tire on my Cooley I plugged last year too. For me its an "OK" fix..but ultimately I would replace a tire that is "slowly" leaking from the tread area for no apparent reason. Not saying this is the OPs situation though.

 

[sam000lee]

Looking at the tire - no puncture or nail. I'll need to have another closer look when I'm finishing up the wiring harness this weekend and if I don't see anything I'll get out the soap and water. The fix-a-flat seems like a mess so I'm going to try and avoid it. I might have a look at the 3-bond.
Honestly I was hoping to find something stuck in there since I'm comfortable with using a plug.
Also I'll fill it up tomorrow, take the pressure and then take it again every day for the next week to see how fast it's loosing air. If it's loosing 1-2 psi / week I don't think I'll be able to help taking it out for a couple of `beginning of season' rides.
I did just order a slime compressor so will be able to top off anywhere, too.