Leaking Alloy Wheel

[FOXY005]

I have 1 tire that has been loosing about 1 PSI of air per day for a couple of months now. I have the factory alloy wheels. I had the tire unmounted and the bead cleaned and remounted with the bead siliconed and a new valve stem. The tire continued to leak. Removed wheel from truck and sprayed wheel with leak solution and found that there is a small pinhole in the aluminum wheel on the rear of the wheel. Is there any way that these wheels can be fixed, as in resealed or something ?

I seem to remember a Ford alloy wheel recall many years ago where they resealed the wheels with something. Anyone know what they used or how it was done ? Hate to buy a new wheel if I don't have to.

 

[CharlesHoward]

You might want to determine if the Wheels have any kind of warranty or contact the manufacturer.
I got 4 new Alloy wheels FREE for my Trailer built in 2004 last summer from the Wheel Vendor after one cracked enough to lose air overnight.
Locally, Performance and Audio shops advertise Alloy wheel repairs as another approach to consider if no manufacturer redress is offered.

 

[RustyJC]

You may be able to find a source that can impregnate the wheel to seal the porosity. Here's a primer on casting impregnation.



Rusty

 

[FOXY005]

OK ... . Thanks Guys

I am sure the only warranty on the wheels would be the Dodge warranty which expired a long time ago.

These babies have 122,000 + on them.

I will do some searches on Alloy Wheel repair and casting impregnation to see if anything is available in my area, no one I talked to locally knew of any sources to repair the wheels.

 

[rbattelle]

You guys remember the recall? Do recalls expire?

Here's a link to the recall text (old thread doesn't work anymore).

-Ryan

 

[MBloch]

My 2001 alloy rim developed some cracks.

Lucky for me I'm a welder by trade and TIG welded it with good results.

 

[sag2]

My kid had a caliper bolt come loose and punched a tiny hole in a $200 wheel. JB weld has been holding for a couple of years now. The patch is on the inside, so pressure is acting on it and it isn't going to blow off.

 

[tkerrigan]

You should be able to use wicking loctite nut locker. Be sure it is dry and clean first. Just apply it to the inside of the wheel, and it should travel into the porosity and seal it.

 

[viper700]

I had some brand new reject ATV rims and tires from a local dealer. They all leaked and they did not want to mess with them. I determined that they were leaking between the rim halves where they were welded. I cleaned the paint off the weld area where the start and stop point was where the 2 rim pieces were welded together. They had stopped the weld an 1/8 to short and left a pin hole. I always have a tube of GOOP around and so I put a small dab at the leaking point. I let mine set up but I don't see why you not put pressure on it right away as the air presure would push it farther into the hole. I have fixed 3 tires this way so it could work on steel and Aluminum wheels.