Porous/leaky alloy wheels

[JohnD]

One of my alloy wheels loses pressure slowly. A couple of times I've taken it into my local tyre shop, they polish up the edge of the rim and say it has corroded. As far as I understand it, once the lacquer has come off, the rim will keep corroding and losing pressure.

Anyone know a fix? It is a very late model Carina E so there are no newer wheels in the scrapyards, and it does not warrant the cost of having all the wheels polished and re-enamelled. The front tyres will need changing soon so that would be a good opportunity to have something done. I have another car I can use while it is being done.

 

[seco services]

I would say the inner rim is more likely damaged or the tyre lip.
You got to have some corrosion for the tyre not to seal.

Have a inner tube fitted.

 

[wotan]

I would say the inner rim is more likely damaged or the tyre lip.
You got to have some corrosion for the tyre not to seal.

Have a inner tube fitted.

If I am not mistaken, inner tubes are frowned upon, and very few tyre depos fit them now.

Wotan

 

[Burnerman]

If the corrosion - and hence the leak - is really bad, you can see the air escaping by laying the wheel down flat and running some water around the rim where the tyre meets the alloy.
No matter - with the tyre off, get some fine emery onto the bead lip inside the rim and polish the corrosion away. After that there's nothing to stop you applying some brushing primer and then a paint topcoat.
When the tyre goes back on the rim, tell the tyre fitter and he should apply some extra tyre soap around the rim just to help things along.
In desperate cases, a chemical mousse is added through the valve which coats the inside of the rim as the wheel revolves.
John

 

[Peter.N.]

Fill it with one of those puncture seal aerosols, it makes a mess inside the tyre but should stop it leaking.

Peter