Rims corroded -- tires not holding air well

[dparm]

My brother's Jetta has an old set of Mille Miglia wheels with winter rubber wrapped around. Discount Tire told him that corrosion is causing the seal to be very poor -- and that they won't hold air well. They were able to buff them a bit to clean it up but warned him this will just come back.

I believe they are aluminum wheels with clearcoat. They're definitely a few years old but I've never heard of this happening.

Thoughts? How do we fix this? Do they need to be stripped and refinished?

 

[JHZR2]

There was another thread recently where a sealant product was discussed. I believe you apply it to the bead first, optimally, but it can also be potentially applied after the fact.

 

[OldSparks]

I have some alloy wheels that are fairly rough on the inside where the tire bead is seated.

I was thinking I would buff them and then paint them with 2k epoxy primer.

 

[threeputtpar]

Yes, I think I replied in that thread.

What I alway did in my wrenching days was to pull the tire off the rim, use a wire cup on a drill to clean the rim bead and if necessary to remove any flakes off of the tire bead, clean the rim and tire beads with the tire prep rubbing compound, and then apply the liquid tire bead sealant to both the tire and rim beads and then remount. I'd also let it sit in the shop a couple of hours to allow the sealant to cure.

Also, it's important to let the tire sit in the shop overnight to get to room temp before doing any of this. The sealant won't adhere to the rubber at colder temps.

Aluminum rim corrosion is just a fact of life for those of us in the salt belt. No getting around it, only dealing with it when it gets bad enough to cause leaks.

 

[Texan4Life]

I would try some slime tire sealant from walmart. I have a steel rim on a shredder that has rust pits you could park a truck in on the bead. I haven't had to air it up since.

I was against tire sealant for a long time... but Slime is really growing on me. The stuff flat works.

....double pun! lol

 

[HerrStig]

Put a tube in it.

 

[dparm]

Everything I am seeing about that tire slime says that it causes the tires to become unbalanced and is only for absolute emergencies.

We are looking for a more long-term fix, which unfortunately might be to strip and refinish them.

 

[SuperDave456]

Slime also destroys Tire Pressure Management Sensors.
It's good for lawn tractors and ATV's. That's about it.

 

[dparm]

Yep, and his Jetta has TPMS. Good point.

 

[Vikas]

somebody should point the disadvantage of putting the inner tube; seems to be the best and most correct solution assuming the corrosion can not be fixed at reasonable cost.

 

[Oldyellr]

I would agree with painting the inside of the rim with some kind of paint to seal it. Tire and wheel shops would kow what to do.

As for Slime, stay away from it. When I went to a tire shop to have a flat fixed after I'd used Slime, they wouldn't touch the tire, but sold me a used one. Don't do it to any tire you value.

And using a tube, you probably won't find a tire shop that would do that anymore because the heat from having a tube would derate the tire. I only do that with lawnmowers anymore.

 

[A_Harman]

Dismount the tires.
Clean the corrosion off the bead areas.
Apply JB Weld, or equivalent 2-part epoxy to the pitted areas and let harden.
Finish the epoxied areas with a file flush with the bead seat.
Remount the tires.

 

[MBS500]

Yes, it happens pretty often. Fixed lots of those back in the time when I worked in Tire shop.
Clean, buff, apply glue like sealant-done.

 

[default]

I've seen people use black RTV on beaters, seems to work.

 

[Kestas]

I've done long term fixes. It involves grit blasting the corrosion off the bead seal area. Keep in mind I have access to a grit blaster and a tire changer.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Oldyellr
I would agree with painting the inside of the rim with some kind of paint to seal it. Tire and wheel shops would kow what to do.

As for Slime, stay away from it. When I went to a tire shop to have a flat fixed after I'd used Slime, they wouldn't touch the tire, but sold me a used one. Don't do it to any tire you value.

And using a tube, you probably won't find a tire shop that would do that anymore because the heat from having a tube would derate the tire. I only do that with lawnmowers anymore.
"The heat fron the tube".....maybe in NASCAR.
My motorbike moves right along, and uses tubed tires because the "snowflake" wheels aren't designed for tubeless tires.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: dparm
They were able to buff them a bit to clean it up but warned him this will just come back.


It may not come back for a very long while. Unless the rims are pitted to the point where they won't seal, he should be good for a long while.

Did you see with your own eyes how bad it was/is?

Originally Posted By: MBS500
Yes, it happens pretty often. Fixed lots of those back in the time when I worked in Tire shop.
Clean, buff, apply glue like sealant-done.


This. I worked in a tire shop in college and this was a common practice. Many times, the sealant wasn't even needed. We would dismount the tire, buff off the corrosion with a wire wheel and remount the tire.