Another Tire-Related Development

I’m amazed when all four tires read the same!

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My question for Chris is before the car (and tires) went into storage, how often and at what did rate did each tire lose air?

I think this may not be a new development with the tires but just normal use and maintenance.

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I think you misunderstood the test the company made. The leaks were very slow and wouldn’t be detectable with a spray bottle. That was the whole point of the test. Where was the long term leakage?

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They say in the proverb, “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” So now they know the tire leaks, do they bust the tire and wheel down, do they rotate the tire 90° and reset it, do they replace the valve stem or just the core, do they replace whole wheel or tire? So many “What to do’s…” :yawning_face:

Sure seemed like much to do about nothing… :unamused_face:

I wonder how many young executives received bonuses for determining what the permeation rate was on that tire… And then afterwards the tank became the companies new executive Hot Tub… :rofl:

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Context please.

I didn’t have the tire/s checked. But after googling my issue, I learned to at least check the stem cores.

They all turned freely in both directions, but what alarming was that barely a quarter turn counter-clockwise and each one hissed air.

I turned them all a half-turn clockwise, or, until they started to feel tight enough.

And another misunderstanding of the test. The point was if a tire doesn’t have any obvious leaks, we know it will lose air, but is it all through the sidewall or is it elsewhere - and it turns out that the places where the tire is supposed to seal leak worse than the sidewall.

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I had a tire like that and drove me nuts. It would lose a little over several weeks. Soaped it up and nothing. I finally took the tire off and submerged it. Didn’t see anything but then a little bubble about every 30 seconds. Replaced the valve core.

If you look at the sealing surface on a core, there is very little actually there, an$ develop# a set in the plastic.

No, it was really a misunderstanding of the principle where the Labor to fix the problem costs more than the initial problem (adding air as needed…) this is similar to folks who buy an used car for $500, and then a single major mechanical failure (like a transmission) can instantly costs them more than the entire car is worth, yet they spend the money…

Just a guess here, but there was a time when General Motors required (or considered requiring) the spares to only lose a certain amount of pressure over a prescribed length of time. A test like that would have pointed to where the source of the problem was and what might be done about it. The only thing I am aware of that might be an outcome was a triangular rubber shape on the bead toe to help seal the wheel/tire interface. I do not know if there is a connection or not.

Yup!
This is somewhat similar to a situation where a car owner decides to overhaul his engine because it needs a qt of oil once a month.

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OK, you might not remember that I am a retired tire engineer that worked for one of the major tire manufacturers. The test I was talking about would be a research project.

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Remembering a car talk episode. Tires on dragsters were going flat. Ended up the rotational speed was enough to make the schrader valves fail to hold pressure.
" As front tires on dragsters spun at extremely high speeds (around 200 mph), centrifugal force would act on the internal pin of the Schrader valve, forcing the valve open against the pressure of its internal spring."

Or the ones that get an oil change if they see the flashes of the low oil pressure light….

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That reminds me of the joke…

What do you call the medical Student who graduates first in their class?

Valedictorian…

What do you call the medical Student who graduates last in their class?

Doctor…

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As a follow-up to the issue of Experts and Engineers… I would not trust a NASA Engineer to check the Valve Stem on my tires…

You heard that Artemis had problems with it’s on-board toilet?

It was Mission Specialist Christina Koch who fixed the problem, She tore up the “User Manual” and is using the pages in lieu of the missing toilet paper… :joy:

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As I understand it the Artemis toilet does not require toilet paper. The crew uses special bags and wipes. The main problem has been with the unit’s fan. What’s the source of this pic?

Did you perform that search on the tire or on the internet?

Is this how Artificial Intelligence will replace the working class? A tire with a potential leak; ask Google why it leaks.

You won’t find a slow leak using a spray bottle. The first step is to inspect for metal debris/punctures in the tread.

Sounds like you have no interest in product improvement. Improving the tire design and compounds to reduce natural air loss would improve safety. Very few people add air each month as recommended.

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I always put the rubber cap back on the valve stem. I assume it might help hold pressure a little or at least keep dirt out. A former friend had a tire shop and told me to do a quick puff on the valve in the winter when adding air to blow out any ice that may hav3 formed on the core.

Performing the most basic tasks (checking pressure, capping the valves) seem to elude many drivers and operators of motor vehicles.

If I were to walk throught the parking lot of a typical Walmart or supermarket, note pad in hand, two columns: “Has all valve caps” | “Missing at least one”

Guess which column would have more tick marks in it…!

Most average Joe/Jane drivers are just too busy working to provide for themselves or for family to care.

When I left the tire place and went out to my car in 2023 after having new tires installed, I dutifully went around to inspect the works. I reached down and attempted to turn the valve caps:

Two of them were only half way on the valves. I tightened them.