Tire Ballast Seepage Leak

[LHF2019]

Time for a new tube. It is good to hear of other that replace cores. I replace them every year to every other.

 

[nyone]

Time for a new tube. It is good to hear of other that replace cores. I replace them every year to every other.

Your valve core should be brass. Calcium has little effect on them.

 

[LHF2019]

Your valve core should be brass. Calcium has little effect on them.

You are correct on brass but Not sure where the rest of the information is from but they do corrode and start seeping over time and best preventative maintenance is to replace them periodically. Otherwise it is a full tube replacement not just a core.

 

[DarkBlack]

Valve cores need replacing occasionally because of hardening of their elastomer seal stretched over the metal support.

If metal corrosion is an issue, then your tube’s valve stem interior is just as likely or even more likely, to be corroding, as is, the valve core material. The core is only 1/2 the seal design

 

[LHF2019]

Valve cores need replacing occasionally because of hardening of their elastomer seal stretched over the metal support.

If metal corrosion is an issue, then your tube’s valve stem interior is just as likely or even more likely, to be corroding, as is, the valve core material. The core is only 1/2 the seal design

That rubber o ring seal does not last indefinitely and neither does the core in the core seals. Not uncommon to remove the valve cap on it is full of water. The core of the core is the most common failure point. On the main core I treat the o ring and just a bit of anti seize on threads when I swap them out. Because I change mine frequent there might be some green on the core. When I first started changing them had some the ends were missing they were so old.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Are you really replacing the valve stem every 6 months? I had my tires filled with CaCl 24 years ago when I bought the tractor (Rimguard was not available in my area at the time.) I had no tubes in the tires. I've replaced one of the valves once. It was finally time to replace my tires this year. I switched to Rimguard when they were replaced - one less thing to worry about.

I would be worried about the corrosion caused by leaking CaCl. It's highly corrosive, and can do a real number on your valve stem area fairly quickly. In addition, if a significant amount leaks out, it can start exposing your rim and cause problems there as well. I've seen the results of a rim that had untreated leaks of CaCl... not pretty. Some rims were damaged beyond repair.

So if I understand you correctly you had CaCl in your tubeless tires with only paint to protect the inside of your rims for some 24 years ? If so that makes me feel better about my 25 year old tubed tires with CaCl. Or am I missing something ?

gg

 

[nyone]

So if I understand you correctly you had CaCl in your tubeless tires with only paint to protect the inside of your rims for some 24 years ? If so that makes me feel better about my 25 year old tubed tires with CaCl. Or am I missing something ?

gg

As someone as worked on equipment in the rust belt I highly doubt rims survived 24yrs of calcium with no tube.

 

[John_Mc]

That’s correct. The tire guys I’ve spoke to about it say that tubes work better until they leak, at which point they are worse than tubeless, since the CaCl gets to the rims where air is available. Without tubes, if the tires are kept properly filled, the rim is not exposed to air.

I was worried when it finally became time to replace my tires that they would tell me the rims need to be replaced, or at least needed significant work. However, they said they were in fine shape

 

[Gordon Gould]

That’s correct. The tire guys I’ve spoke to about it say that tubes work better until they leak, at which point they are worse than tubeless, since the CaCl gets to the rims when is available. Without tubes, if the tires are kept properly filled, the rim is not exposed to air.

I was worried when it finally became time to replace my tires that they would tell me the rims need to be replaced, or at least needed significant work. However, they said they were in fine shape

I believe what you are saying but don't understand it. Your tubeless tire was partially filled with air wasn't it ??? Typically the ballast is to the top of the rim and the remainder is air. What is the difference between that and air that might get into a leaky tubed tire ??

gg

 

[John_Mc]

I believe what you are saying but don't understand it. Your tubeless tire was partially filled with air wasn't it ??? Typically the ballast is to the top of the rim and the remainder is air. What is the difference between that and air that might get into a leaky tubed tire ??

gg

Since it was filled to the top of the rim, the rim itself was not exposed to air. In a tire with a tube, that seepage gets between the tube and the rim, where there is also some air.