Dirt between tire bead and rim?

[R_Lefebvre]

After my last trip, I found I was losing air in my tires on the right side overnight. I took the wheel off, but couldn't find a puncture. I used some soap and water, and discovered the bubbles forming between the tire bead and rim in several places. I let all the air out by removing the valve, and pushed back the bead as far as I could using a tire iron. Blew compressed air and tried to brush the dirt out, though I really can't see very much. I reinflated, rechecked, recleaned a few times. I got it 95% better, but there's still one spot with a really small leak.

What is the proper way to do this? Take it to a shop and have them take it right off? Any other tricks?

 

[FishPOET]

When I want to pop a bead I remove the valve stem, lay the tire flat and run over the tire with another vehicle. Works every time.

 

[ntsqd]

Practice your de-beading and re-beading techniques at home?

I built this to use in my dune buggy. Actually, that is a re-creation of the first one which suffered a chemical attack and became a mere fragment of it's former self, and this one was just as quickly built. Uses a Snap-On 24" breaker bar, but the one that I built for a friend uses his Hi-Lift handle for the lever.

 

[Scott Brady]

You have done everything possible for a field repair without breaking down the tire. Usually, the steps you completed accomplishes the job.

I would just take it to the tire shop you bought the tires from and have them break it down.

 

[Martyn]

If the rims are steel you may be looking at a rust problem.

I presume there is no damage to the bead of the tire.

 

[HenryJ]

What make model and size of tire is it?

I had a problem with Cooper cases and a porous bead. While the size I had was not part of the nation wide campaign, they did have the same problem and were replaced with a different tire. No cost to me.

I went through seven tires trying to find a set that would hold air. Each had the same issue leaking air at the bead where the case seam lies. Cooper confirmed this was the same issue covered under the campagin for a different size. I never did hear what came of it.

Cooper Tires Recall Update

[Feb. 15, 2006] Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced a Cooper Tire recall of about 288,000 replacement tires used on passenger cars and light trucks because of concerns about slow leaks and cracking in the tires. The Findlay, Ohio-based tiremaker said there have been no reported crashes or injuries linked to this Cooper tire recall. The recall represents a small portion of the 40 million tires it produces each year, the company said. "We have a very vigorous inspection for tires, and we never take any chances," said Pat Brown, a Cooper Tire spokeswoman. The company will replace the recalled Cooper tires for free. Owners of these recalled Cooper tire are being warned to avoid driving at highway speeds until the tires have been inspected and replaced. At highway speeds the Cooper tires could develop tread separation or detreading of the outside tire causing the tire to deflate at highway speeds and possibly leading to a rollover accident or collision.This is not the first Cooper tire recall to affect the company.

Earlier Cooper Tire Recall

About 183,000 of the Cooper tires manufactured between February 2004 and Jan. 21, 2005 were recalled because of a slow leak that may have been caused by a contaminant in the upper sidewall. In this Cooper tire recall the models, used on pickups and sport utility vehicles, include the Cooper Discoverer S/T, Dean Mud Terrain Radial SXT, Durango Radial XTR, Cooper Mastercraft Courser C/T, Cooper's ******** Cepek Radial F-C II, Mesa C/T, Pro Comp Xtreme A/T and Cooper's Tempra Trailcutter Radial RT. Cooper Tire said an additional 101,000 tires used on passenger cars were recalled because of cracking during testing. The tires of this tire recall were made from November 2004 to July 2005 and include the Dean Alpha 365 A/S, Mastercraft A/S, Starfire Flite-line IV and Trendsetter SE. Cooper Tire was also recalling more than 3,000 models of the Cooper Zeon 2XS and Mastercraft Avenger ZHP because of cracking in the sidewall.

Cooper Tire Recall Includes:

Cooper Discoverer S/T Tire Recall
Dean Mud Terrain Radial SXT Tire Recall,
Durango Radial XTR Tire Recall,
Cooper Mastercraft Courser C/T Tire Recall,
Cooper's ******** Cepek Radial F-C II Tire Recall,
Mesa C/T Tire Recall ,
Pro Comp Xtreme A/T Tire Recall
Cooper's Tempra Trailcutter Radial RT Tire Recall.

The Cooper Tyre @ Rubber company in America has issued a voluntary recall for a small number of Discoverer S/T tyres after routine testing identified a possible problem with slow leaks and cracking. The recall affects Cooper Discoverer S/T LT285/75R16 tyres with serial numbers 3DYUC680904 through to 3DYUC680306. Not all tyres within th identification number range are affected. nevertheless, due to the difficulty in identifying the individually affected tyres, Cooper is recalling all tyres in this number range.

The problem tires I had were the Discoverer ST 235/85-16. I replaced them with a set of Discoverer STT and had no more problems.

Just thought I'd add it to your ideas. I too thought I had a bead seating , dirty or rough rim problem too. We even tried some bead sealer before finding out the real problem.

Something more to think about...
abc NEWS - Aged tires: A driving hazard?

Wiki- Tire codes

The DOT Code is an alphanumeric character sequence molded into the sidewall of the tire for purposes of tire identification. The DOT Code is mandated by the US Department of Transportation. The DOT Code is useful in identifying tires in a product recall.

The DOT Code begins with the letters "DOT" followed by a two numbers or letters plant code that identifies where it was manufactured. The last four numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. A three-digit code was used for tires manufactured before the year 2000. For example, 178 means it was manufactured in the 17th week of 8th year of the decade. In this case it means 1988. For tires manufactured in the 1990s, the same code holds true, but there is a little triangle (&#916 after the DOT code. Thus, a tire manufactured in the 17th week of 1998 would have the code 178Δ. After 2000, the code was switched to a 4-digit code. Same rules apply, so for example, 3003 means the tire was manufactured in the 30th week of 2003.

Other numbers are marketing codes used at the manufacturer's discretion.

 

[KevinNY]

Happens to any truck tire that gets wheeled hard while aired down.
You need to break the beads and polish them up with a cookie on a die grinder. I like a good glop of bead sealer before the tire gets reseated.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I built this to use in my dune buggy. Actually, that is a re-creation of the first one which suffered a chemical attack and became a mere fragment of it's former self, and this one was just as quickly built. Uses a Snap-On 24" breaker bar, but the one that I built for a friend uses his Hi-Lift handle for the lever.

Interesting. I may just do that. Lots of scrap metal and a welder lying around.

You have done everything possible for a field repair without breaking down the tire. Usually, the steps you completed accomplishes the job.

I would just take it to the tire shop you bought the tires from and have them break it down.

That's what I was thinking. Grrr... Hate paying shops.

If the rims are steel you may be looking at a rust problem.

I presume there is no damage to the bead of the tire.

Nope, they're almuminum. But, they're getting pretty scarred from rock damage. The disadvantage of running pizza cutters, is there's no rim protection. I've been dreading taking these rims to a tire shop for fear that they'll tell me they won't touch them because they're too damaged. Either liability, or it'll hurt there machine. They're not *that* bad yet, but, you know how people are.

No damage to the bead itself that I can tell.

What make model and size of tire is it?

245/75/16 Cooper ST. I don't think it's the tire recall, as I've had these for a year with no problems. Everything was fine until the last time I took the truck out and then the next morning, both on the right side were flat. Left side is still fine. I think I even know when exactly it happened.

But I'll keep it in consideration, thanks.

Thanks guys, just have to decide between continued DIY attempts, or take it to a shop. If this is "normal" I should probably figure out how to do it myself.

 

[HenryJ]

245/75/16 Cooper ST. I don't think it's the tire recall, as I've had these for a year with no problems. Everything was fine until the last time I took the truck out and then the next morning, both on the right side were flat.

Interesting. If you get the chance, I would be curious as to the age of the tires. The build date. I didn't catch on to the problem I had for a month or so. One was really bad. We would air it back up once a week or so. That had be watching air pressures closely That is how I found the other three were losing a little air. I was going to rule it out as temperature change. Watching closely though we found the loss continued. Finding the very tiny leak was hard. Once we located it we checked the case seams and found they all had a tiny bubble that would form from the tire near the bead.
I didn't know how to read the DOT tire codes at that time. Wish I did so that I could have known the build date.
Just curious. I realize your problem may be more debris related. Still it is good to keep an open mind and look at all the possibilities.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Ok, I'll try to get that for you. In this case, I've never noticed an issue with these tires before, and this was sudden and... well we're talking flat overnight. I had to air them up every morning. But, despite cleaning one of them 3-4 times, it still has one micro-leak.

NTSQD, I'm looking at your tool there, and trying to see how to make it better. One thing, it appears it can only be used in 5 places? (where the lug holes are). Think it could be made to work on the center bore instead? Or is 5 places enough?

I've seen a bead tool that is mounted to a stand, but obviously that's not portable. I think using the hilift handle is a better way to go. And would continue the tradition of using the hilift for everything other than lifting the truck.

 

[ntsqd]

When I built that tool the concept was to de-bead the tire while still mounted on the vehicle. Why take it off if you don't need to? So anchoring to the lugs was the sure way for it to work on any rim. It is hard to see in that pic, but that is a VW 14mm lug bolt that the chain is attached to. I carry the tool with a nut on the lug just in case de-beading needs to happen off the vehicle.

If it will never be used on a vehicle with lug bolts I would instead make a plate that a lug nut can capture, and attach the chain to that.

FWIW the idea is not my own, but I don't recall where I got the concept from so I've no idea who to give the credit to.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Not sure if I'm understanding what you're getting at, but there's no way a plate could be inserted between the lug nut and wheel, while it's on the truck, with my wheels. The studs don't stick out at all, the nut reaches into the bore.

That being said... all of this wheel talk is reminding me how I want to switch to steel wheels anyway. I don't think steel wheels would be nearly as vulnerable to rocks as these aluminum ones are. Yikes.

 

[ntsqd]

I was forgetting the alloy wheels factor. For that the chain would probably need to attach directly to a lug nut.

 

[HenryJ]

Ok, I'll try to get that for you. In this case, I've never noticed an issue with these tires before, and this was sudden and... well we're talking flat overnight. I had to air them up every morning. But, despite cleaning one of them 3-4 times, it still has one micro-leak.

Don't go out of your way. It is just my curiosity. I think you are on the right track with the bead sealing or cleaning.

 

[michaelgroves]

When I built that tool the concept was to de-bead the tire while still mounted on the vehicle. Why take it off if you don't need to? So anchoring to the lugs was the sure way for it to work on any rim. It is hard to see in that pic, but that is a VW 14mm lug bolt that the chain is attached to. I carry the tool with a nut on the lug just in case de-beading needs to happen off the vehicle.

If it will never be used on a vehicle with lug bolts I would instead make a plate that a lug nut can capture, and attach the chain to that.

FWIW the idea is not my own, but I don't recall where I got the concept from so I've no idea who to give the credit to.

I like the idea of using it while the wheel is still on the truck! It gets around the problem of having to stand precariously on the wheel as you apply leverage, to stop it moving .