# Hairline crack repair? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** repair, wheels\ **Created:** [October 25, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403 "2007-10-25T03:25:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![1Traveler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@1Traveler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/1Traveler)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/1 "2007-10-25T03:25:00Z")
Is there a product that can be applied to the inside of a wheel to seal a suspected hairline crack? My 2000 Chrysler 300M has one wheel that loses 3-4 psi weekly. New tires, valve stems, etc. did not cure the issue. I am replacing tires soon, and I hope there is something out there that will save me the expense of a replacement chrome wheel. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/2 "2007-10-25T04:07:10Z")
a PROFESSIONAL tire place will clean and seat your new tires on the rims. just curious; when did you notice the leaking tire? what happened? how much will a new set of tires cost? Versus a new rim?? ---
**Author:** ![1Traveler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@1Traveler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/1Traveler)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/3 "2007-10-25T04:21:06Z")
I bought the car off lease with just under 25,000 miles on it. Now, I have 170,000+. Noticed the issue in the first couple of months I had the car; I assumed it was a valve stem or seating issue with the OEM tires. Had the rims thoroughly cleaned when I replaced the OEM’s (yes, professional shop); new valve stems, etc. but the issue continued. I am to the point I believe there is a hairline flaw in the wheel itself. I have been adding a few psi every other week. Not just a steel wheel; this is the 17" spoked chrome wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/4 "2007-10-25T20:05:07Z")
With the wheel off the vehicle, over-inflate the tire and pour water around the tire bead on both sides. Or over-inflate, drive home and remove the wheel. A short trip won’t harm anything. If no leak there, put some (soapy, if you prefer) water in a spray bottle and spray all of the rim itself and check for air bubbles. An improperly made or installed counter-weight can cause the tire bead to leak. This chrome rim is NOT bent to any degree? Even a slightly bent rim will allow air to escape during the driving time as the tire flexes. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/5 "2007-10-25T21:05:17Z")
I would be very reluctant to try repair a hairline crack in a wheel. I assume this is a cast aluminum wheel. There are special welding shops that could probably do this, but the cost might be what the wheel is worth; then you still have a balancing problem in all likelihood. I would try to find a replacement wheel from a recycling yard first, before ordering a new one. ---
**Author:** ![1Traveler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@1Traveler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/1Traveler)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/hairline-crack-repair/6403/6 "2007-10-26T01:31:55Z")
Thanks for everyone’s help - looks like I’m headed to the salvage yard-