Ralph Werner Posted June 4, 2007 Posted June 4, 2007 OK I'm stumped. I have a wire wheel with a fairly new Dunlop tire and tube mounted (it's on a sidecar). Three days ago I found the tire totally without air - not even 5 lbs. I checked the valve stem plunger (which seemed fine) and refilled the tire. As of right now it still is holding the pressure from three days ago. I checked the wheel several times for a nail or other object and can't find anything suspicious. Since it's holding pressure, water immersion would seem to be of no help. The only thing I could come up with is that someone let the air out of this one tire and that is extremely unlikely - the bike is garaged. Anyone out there have a similar experience. I'm ready to take the wheel to my local shop and have them check everything, then replace the inner tube.
Guest ratchethack Posted June 4, 2007 Posted June 4, 2007 Ralph, please forgive if this seems obvious, silly or redundant. Recently, I've had slow leakage past valve cores in tubed tires. The dead give-away is bubbles coming thru soapy water dribbled into the stem of a fully-pressurized tube & tire. Fitting different-shaped valve cores -- seems they're mfg'd. in many different configurations -- has cured this 100% several times. Good luck.
Ralph Werner Posted June 4, 2007 Author Posted June 4, 2007 Thanks Ratchethack - I did try water on the valve stem but no bubbles appeared. I would expect this since the air pressure has remained the same for almost four days now.
badmotogoozer Posted June 4, 2007 Posted June 4, 2007 How long was it sitting? My trailer wheels will go flat or nearly flat over the course of a year. New tires/tubes/valves - just seems to be that way. Rj
Ralph Werner Posted June 4, 2007 Author Posted June 4, 2007 How long was it sitting? Two weeks - that's the odd part. It was ridden a few times a week prior to that with no problems.
Ralph Werner Posted June 5, 2007 Author Posted June 5, 2007 The wife might be a possibility - she was none too happy about Michele and me.
stormsedge Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 I'm not happy either, as Michelle told me she'd quit seeing you ...seriously, numerous times, I've encountered tubes on my bicycles that seem to either rot or stress the rubber around the valve stem...and the air only leaks out when you manipulate the valve stem at a certain angle...or when you are far from the garage...without pump...without patch kit...without cell phone...in the rain. I'd be very suspicious (as you probably already are) of that tube. k
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