Yes I have had an issue with a slow leak in the rear 12.4 x 24. I finally got around to taking it off and looked very closely and checked whole tire then tube with soapy water saw no leak. Blew the tube up pretty hard but reads no psi. and a day layer seems like it did not lose any air. I am baffled? But I finally got the tire off the rim after fighting it 2 days now got the other one to do then its new tires and tubes. I have too many flat tires around here between all the mowers, tractors , log splitter.
Strange thing with tire repair.
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Living in thorny country, the last thing that I want is a tubed tire. It is so much easier to find a leak and plug it on a tubeless. I have one tractor with tubes in the rear. The pain comes in removing the tire every time a leak occurs. It is probably an hour or more of work vs ten minutes to stick a plug in. Now, they have come out with plugs that screw in. I can't wait to find some and start using them.
There is a pretty good chance that your problem was the valve core not being seated. The rubber gets set, then doesn't reseat properly when air is added to the tire. Removing it, then replacing it is sometimes all the repair that is needed. Often overlooked, that little valve core can be a thorn in your side. I keep a packet of new ones on hand and replace the old ones whenever I repair a tire that has been running for several years between repairs.
There is a pretty good chance that your problem was the valve core not being seated. The rubber gets set, then doesn't reseat properly when air is added to the tire. Removing it, then replacing it is sometimes all the repair that is needed. Often overlooked, that little valve core can be a thorn in your side. I keep a packet of new ones on hand and replace the old ones whenever I repair a tire that has been running for several years between repairs.
Thanx for the reply Blehmann I think maybe that might be where my leak was. This job of removing the wheels and tires has been a nightmare so far but they are off now and now to clean up the rims as I found out the one somehow had a hole in it I guess thru corrosion from calcium I'm guessing. I might try to price the outer rim but would probably fall over when told it. Probably just wire brush them off good and straighten the dings out repaint and put 2 new tires and tubes on. I do not know if I would ever try this again as I am 66 yrs. old and this job was no picnic for 1 person. The 2nd tire I had to in the end get the grinder out to cut the steel belts to get it to finally get the second bead off. Yes sometimes tubeless is the way to go but I have loads of leaks with them also. Yes they do have the screw in plastic plugs I just installed 1 the other day on a 16" truck tire bought them at Menards will see if it holds up.
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That's a good point. My wife put a utility wagon and one of the tires went flat. Inflated it and it seemed fine. Next day; flat again. Inflate a second time and get out the hose and I find a small leak in the tread. At this point I want to add that it has been a pain to inflate because the valve on my compressor didn't seem to want to interact with the core (should have been a clue, but I overlooked it). Get out my repair kit and plug the hole. Can't get it to take air from the corded compressor. Try to inflate it with a cordless compressor that had an easier time with the tire. Got it to 17 lbs and all of a sudden the air leaks out from the bead. I am thinking at this point the cordless compressor just doesn't have the juice to set the bead. Out comes the corded compressor again and get it to inflate fully and immediately hear the dreaded hiss. Grab the hose and can't find a leak anywhere else until I happen to hold my hand over the core and can feel it leaking out through the valve stem.
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I watched my dad inflate a tire when I was a youngster, and he always put a wee bit of spit on the end of his finger and swiped it over the end of the valve stem when he was done inflating the tire. If it bubbled up, the valve was leaking and he fixed it. If it didn't leak, he'd screw the cap back on the valve and was good to go. I do it all the time! Saves being caught with a flat due to a slow leaking valve stem!
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