Nice little BS mishap today! Want to laugh?

[Indian MC]

I should have just left well enough alone and waited until Spring.
Yesterday, I worked with the B2601 for about four hours. ( 30 hrs on the ol-girl now ).
Afterwards, I gave her a good washing and Polish and put her in the garage to sleep until Spring.
Right next to my stored, polished and detailed Harley and Indian.
I'm looking her over, and decided to put her up on jack stands for storage. Last, check the tire pressure.
Front tires went well, until I started at the rear.
I proceed to unscrew the valve cap, and noticed it felt a little gummy coming off. It was turning fine and you can't usually cross thread while unscrewing.
All of a sudden I hear POP! The fluid loaded in the rear tire is gushing out of the tire for several feet across the garage. Of course I had the valve stem at the top of the rim which gave me the best shooting distance possible while drenching both bikes.
All afternoon to re wash and clean the bikes. Sweep the liquid out of the garage. Remove the wheel from the tractor.
Now a trip to the dealer in the morning.
Question?
What do dealers usually use to load the rear tires? It cleaned up well off the bikes. I just hope it isn't anything corrosive and both bikes melt this winter.
I dabbed some on my finger to taste it. Not salty or sweet, a little sticky. It looked somewhat clear.

 

[Henro]

Since you live where it gets cold, it is hopefully more than simply water...

Was there any color to it? Not salty seems to eliminate a water plus salt solution. Does beat juice taste sweet? Don't know but that would be my guess, maybe.

Mine are filled with windshield washer liquid. Never tasted it though...but cheap enough so maybe that is it.

I would call the dealer and ask what they use, then report back!

Bill

As an after though, Speaking of Indian motorcycles, I remember my long gone uncle telling me once about when he was working on his Indian motorcycle, the original one, and it fell over and pinned him to the ground. He could not lift it so he had to wait until someone came by to help him get out from under it...since you have an Indian...be careful...don't want that to be your next post!

 

[George2615]

The tires are probably filled with RimGuard which is non corrosive so the bikes should be fine. Rin Guard is a little sticky.

Rim Guard is nearly 30% heavier than water.
Rim Guard is non-corrosive.
Rim Guard is non-toxic and biodegradable.
Rim Guard is freeze-resistant down to -35ｰF.
Rim Guard is cost effective because inner tubes are not needed and tires are easier to repair.
Rim Guard is the one and only Beet Juice tire ballast!
Washer fluid is also used in tires and would be safe if cleaned off right away.
However, if they were filled with Calcium Chloride I'd be worried.

 

[Indian MC]

I guess I'll know for sure what they use in the morning. Do dealers have a tool that will tighten the guts inside the valve stem in? The whole insert attached to the cap removed right out of the valve stem.

 

[RoyJackson]

I guess I'll know for sure what they use in the morning. Do dealers have a tool that will tighten the guts inside the valve stem in? The whole insert attached to the cap removed right out of the valve stem.

I'm sure the dealer has a valve core tool since it's easier to fill the tires with it out (except for the last few gallons).
These tools are cheap and it's worth having one (plus a few spare valve cores...they do fail on occasion). Any car parts store will have them.

If you had those tires off the floor, I'm a bit surprised the fluid went as far as it did.

 

[Paul Thornton]

Buy a valve tool, they are very inexpensive and useful. If you had the valve at the top you might have had an overfilled tire. How much fluid did you loose?

 

[Indian MC]

I just went out to the garage and looked at the stem attached to the rim more closely.
The entire valve stem threads and seats into a nut that sits tight against the rim.
At the cap end, it is knurled below the cap threads where you should be able to tightenen with a pair of plyers. It couldn't have been very tight if the stem screwed out while only using my fingers removing the cap.
Maybe a rubber cap would be better here? Instead of a stainless steel cap threaded to metal threads.

 

[Indian MC]

Buy a valve tool, they are very inexpensive and useful. If you had the valve at the top you might have had an overfilled tire. How much fluid did you loose?

I'm not sure exactly how much fluid. It blew out at a good pressure for at least a minute or more. It Covered half the floor of a 28'x28' garage.

 

[Citydude]

The Rimguard is red in color and just a tad thinner than maple syrup in my tires.

 

[Indian MC]

Well this isn't very nice. I never had a chance to check the other rear tire. I was somewhat blaming the blowout on myself because I was in tight quarters and couldn't exactly see what I was doing while reaching around I had felt for the end of the cap, unscrewed and then she blew out. Maybe my fingers were around the valve stem and screwing the stem out as well?
Anyway, I just pulled down my drop light and lit up the area and put two fingers lightly around the cap to the other tire and began to unscrew. Here comes the entire valve stem screwing out of the rim on this wheel. I immediately stopped and turned the stem back in until she bottomed out. Held the stem while loosing the cap and the cap wasn't even very tight. Pretty much like any valve stem cap. I think maybe they should be using lock tight on the bottom of these valve stems. I put plyers on it and tried tightening it down further. She doesn't even seem to turn tighter. Basically the stem hits her bottom and just stops.