# Tire leaks when mounted, not when unmounted **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 31, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096 "2018-08-31T21:04:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/1 "2018-08-31T21:04:17Z")
Tire was losing about a pound/day. I swapped in the spare. I cleaned the leaky tire, inflated it to 39 psi (max 35), squirted soapy water all over it. I couldn’t get a single bubble. I checked at the rim especially closely, and the valve (last tire failure was the valve - different tire). It isn’t losing any pressure sitting in the bed of my pickup. To my inexpert eye the rim looks okay. I haven’t had the kind of accident that would hurt the rim, or run it on low pressure (I check the tires before every drive.) The tire looks okay except for some cracking that all my tires have. I bought it in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/2 "2018-08-31T21:11:35Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > except for some cracking Not OK as we’ve tried to tell you again and again but you lack the capacity to understand this. The air is likely leaking through the many cracks in the tire. The tires is string and rubber. Only the rubber holds air. Cracks let the air out. The bubbles may be too small for you to see. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/3 "2018-08-31T21:17:33Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > The tire looks okay except for some cracking that all my tires have. I bought it in 2002. Well, clearly we need to rule-out the trifling factor of dried-out tires that are now 16 years old… 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/4 "2018-08-31T21:26:52Z")
I’m surprised your 16 year old tires are only losing 1lb a day. I sometimes think you are suicidal, and then you go and post something like this and confirm it. Driving on tires that are showing cracks is very dangerous to you and those around you. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/5 "2018-08-31T21:48:58Z")
A kid turns 16 and the kid is old enough to drive. A tire turns 16 and it’s old enough not to be driven on. When the tire is laying in the bed, there is no weight on the tire so it doesn’t lose air. When the tire is mounted on the truck, the weight of the truck is forcing the sir in the tire out of the cracks in the sidewall of the tire. I have had tires that lost pressure and nobody could find the leak. Even though the tires still had acceptable tread depth and didn’t have sidewall cracks, I replaced the tire. One thing you might do in the interest of science is to put some sealant in the tire. Mount the tire on the truck, leave it for a day, then remove the tire. You will probably find out where the tire is losing air by where the sealant is oozing out. Please note that this isn’t a repair. Don’t drive on this tire as it will be terribly out of balance. I did this with a basketball that was losing pressure. I found the leak, but the basketball then dribbled worse than a bowling ball. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/6 "2018-08-31T23:24:00Z")
I don’t mean this to be snarky, but instead of figuring out how to overcomplicate an oil change, how about figuring out where you want to buy a new set of tires? OK, maybe I mean it to be a little snarky, but c’mon man. You’re going to kill yourself, or someone else, driving around on that junk. Screwing around with thought experiments is one thing. Endangering everyone unfortunate enough to share the road with you is not OK. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/7 "2018-09-01T00:05:16Z")
As seen on TV! Take the tire off, unmount it, paint the inside with a flex Seal, remount it and drive on! Or get real about the danger you cause by continuing use of these tires and buy a set of new ones. Surely you can find a 4 for the price of 3 sale. Edit: Did you miss the accident west of Albuquerque on I-40? A tire blew on a semi truck, it crossed the median, and hit a bus head on. Lots of dead people. Notice the similarity? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/8 "2018-09-01T01:55:34Z")
I had a tire like that. Bubbles indicated no leaks when removed & laying flat on the ground. Only leaked when installed on the truck. I figured it out by painting soap bubbles to the rim area when it was mounted on the truck. I had to do that experiment several times, each time after parking the truck in a different tire orientation. I eventually saw where the leak was coming from, at the rim/tire interface. I removed the tire from the rim, cleaned & wire brushed the rim’s bead surface, and re-installed the tire using bead sealer. No leaks since. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 2:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/9 "2018-09-01T02:18:24Z")
I’m voting for a set of tubes just like in the old days. Then you can drive on with cracks in the tire until the tube starts to come through like a rupture (ouch). ---
**Author:** ![gdawgs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@gdawgs](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdawgs)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/10 "2018-09-01T19:48:04Z")
Ha ha. I did this to an old snowblower once. Worked like a charm. But my blower doesn’t go on highway speeds and is reserved for driveway only. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/11 "2018-09-01T20:19:22Z")
Gotta remember back in the 50s everyone had tube tires on their cars. Then a little later you had the choice of buying the tube tires or the new fangled tubless tires. Not that long ago actually. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/12 "2018-09-01T20:26:46Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > clearly we need to rule-out the trifling factor of dried-out tires that are now 16 years old > [@It\_s\_Me](#): > > I’m surprised your 16 year old tires are only losing 1lb a day. 4 are 16 years old; 1 is 20 years old. Only 1 leaks. > [@Triedaq](#): > > A kid turns 16 and the kid is old enough to drive. When they turn 18 they can vote! > [@Triedaq](#): > > When the tire is laying in the bed, there is no weight on the tire so it doesn’t lose air. When the tire is mounted on the truck, the weight of the truck is forcing the sir in the tire out of the cracks in the sidewall of the tire. An unmounted tire at 39 psi is at the same pressure as a mounted tire at 39 psi (probably with less air in it when mounted.) To the extent that pressure is what matters the cases are the same. Bearing the weight of the truck causes the part on the street to splay, which would exacerbate the leakiness of cracks there. > [@shadowfax](#): > > instead of figuring out how to overcomplicate an oil change I was trying to understand how cars work. > [@shadowfax](#): > > how about figuring out where you want to buy a new set of tires? Done. > [@shadowfax](#): > > Endangering everyone unfortunate enough to share the road with you is not OK. I don’t drive. > [@jtsanders](#): > > Surely you can find a 4 for the price of 3 sale. I’ll buy 5. Money is no object. > [@jtsanders](#): > > Did you miss the accident west of Albuquerque on I-40? A tire blew on a semi truck, it crossed the median, and hit a bus head on. Lots of dead people. Notice the similarity? I don’t drive on the Interstate. My pickup weighs 70 tons less. I’m likelier to grind to a halt, destroying rim, and get rear-ended. > [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > I had a tire like that… A useful response! Thanks Mr @George_San_Jose1 ! > [@bing](#): > > I’m voting for a set of tubes just like in the old days. Then you can drive on with cracks in the tire until the tube starts to come through like a rupture (ouch). I’ve done this on my bicycle. It’s pretty exciting when a tube at 115 psi gets out of the tire. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/16 "2018-09-02T04:11:26Z")
Mostly we got car tubes for use in the lake (no one had a pool, not even the city, but we had lots of lakes. A neighbor worked for an implement dealer though so once in a while we’d get a huge tractor tube. Good for about four or five kids at a time. Actually the car inner tubes were a lot better than air mattresses. You just sat in them and could paddle all over the place or lounge, whatever you wanted to do. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/17 "2018-09-04T01:40:30Z")
> [@bing](#): > > we got car tubes for use in the lake I heard a BBC story about African immigrants crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in inner tubes. [http://download.stream.publicradio.org/podcast/marketplace/segments/2018/09/03/mp\_20180903\_seg\_18\_64.mp3](http://download.stream.publicradio.org/podcast/marketplace/segments/2018/09/03/mp_20180903_seg_18_64.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![StewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StewL](https://community.cartalk.com/u/StewL)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/18 "2018-09-06T03:17:59Z")
I have to agree with everyone else. 16-year-old tires are dry-rotted and should never be used. Replace them before you kill yourself, and maybe others. ---
**Author:** ![cwatkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@cwatkin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cwatkin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/19 "2018-09-06T03:28:35Z")
I had a tire nearly come apart on me once and it was scary. It was about 6 years old which is when the suggest replacing them. The tread looked fine but the overall structure of the tire failed. It came on a used car and I didn’t think much of it. A guy at the gas station saw me on the spare as I drove it home and he asked what happened. I showed him the junk tire with steel showing and he was like "That is one of those Douglas tires from Wal-Mart, they all do that. I wasn’t real happy as there was another one on the car. It started to feel out of balance not too long after and I replaced it. The tire shop indicated that it was starting to come apart from the inside out. I guess “they all do that” as the guy at the gas station told me. In my business I find that those who try to be cheap often spend the most money. That applies to many things. You try to skimp and pay big time! ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/20 "2018-09-06T16:36:55Z")
> [@StewL](#): > > 16-year-old tires are dry-rotted and should never be used. Another correspondent posted a picture of dry-rotted tires. Mine look nothing like them. The cracks are in the furrows of the tread; the sidewalls look okay. > [@cwatkin](#): > > I had a tire nearly come apart on me once and it was scary. It was about 6 years old which is when the suggest replacing them. The tread looked fine but the overall structure of the tire failed. Like ply separation? I’ve seen that. > [@cwatkin](#): > > In my business I find that those who try to be cheap often spend the most money. I bought the highest-rated, most-expensive tires at Costco. They’ve lasted 16 years. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/21 "2018-09-06T21:15:38Z")
The 16 year old tires would have been fine during WW II. The national speed limit was set at 35 mph. This was done to save gasoline and save tires. In fact, part of the rationale for gasoline rationing was so that people wouldn’t drive as much, thus stretching the life of their tires. Rubber was scarce and needed for the war effort. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/22 "2018-09-06T21:27:39Z")
Quick poll… Is there ANYone here besides Random that doesn’t think he needs to replace these tires? Anyone? Hello, anyone? Bueller? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096/23 "2018-09-06T22:13:10Z")
If he could put the tires in a time machine and send them back to the 1942-1945 time period, these tires would be acceptable for the National speed limit of 35 mph. There were fewer cars on the road. For today’s time period, these tires are only acceptable for driving through a farm field. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-leaks-when-mounted-not-when-unmounted/124096.md?page=2)