How to Fix Leaking Chrome Rims
Chrome and alloy wheels have long been a source of problems for slow leaks and bead leaks on cars and trucks. While they look nice and add to the overall appearance of the vehicle, they are prone to corrosion problems that can cause the tire to not seal properly. This can result in slow leaks around the bead and soft tires. Air can find the smallest hole to escape from and when corrosion occurs, a gap can appear under the bead.
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Things You'll Need
- Bead sealer
- Tire irons or tire machine
- Wire brush
- Buffing wheel
- Buffer
- Air hose
- New valve stem
- Valve stem puller
- Valve stem installation tool
- Large water tank
Instructions
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1
Determine where the air is leaking from. The easiest way to do this is to inflate the tire and submerge it in a water bath watching for air bubbles coming from part of the tire or wheel.
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Air leaking from the bead will require the bead to broken down. Break the tire down with a set of tire irons of tire machine if you have access to one.
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Remove the tire completely from the wheel and inspect the inner and outer bead sealing surfaces for corrosion or damage. If no damage or corrosion is present, then check the tire for damage around the beads.
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4
Using a wire brush or buffing wheel, buff the entire bead sealing surface of the wheel until no corrosion or rust is visible. Even if you have noted one spot where the air is leaking, buff the entire surface while you have the wheel and tire broken down.
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Lightly brush the tire bead with a wire brush to remove any loose rust or debris that might be on it. Light contact is the key here--you do not want to damage the bead of the tire.
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Replace the valve stem with a new one using a valve stem tool while you have the wheel apart to head off any potential leaks around it. Reassemble the tire and wheel and inflate the tire, watching the beads to see that they seat properly.
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Place the tire and wheel back into the water tank to verify that the bead is now sealed and no air is leaking from it. If the bead is still leaking, sealer will need to be applied to the bead.
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To seal the bead with sealer, you need to break down the beads. Do not remove the tire from the wheel. Using the brush that comes with the can, apply liberal paint sealer on the bead sealing surface of the wheel all the way around the circumference.
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Reassemble the tire and wheel and inflate it, seating the beads. Allow the sealer to dry for 5 to 10 minutes. With the tire inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure, verify that the leak is gone by submerging the tire one more time into the water tank.
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Tips & Warnings
Tires are very difficult to mount and dismount with tire irons, though not impossible. If you are not able to do it this way or do not have access to a tire machine for mounting and dismounting tires, you may want to take the tire to your local tire shop and have them repair the leak.
Be careful when seating the beads on the tire. The high air pressure will cause injury if you have a finger or other body part in the bead when it pops onto the sealing surface of the well.
