Tire Sealant...slime and the like

Hey all,

I've got a couple of tires with good tread that are leaking around the rim/bead. Eventually, I'll want to put some different tires on these wheels and clean them up nice while the tires are off (long term). If I put a sealant in now, how much of a mess does it make on the wheel for me to have to clean up later? Is it a pain, or is it a non-issue?

Or should I just drive on the tires until they hold air?

I'm trying to take the easy way out...and I have a feeling it will make it the hard way later on...

Thanks, Clem

dont put that slime crap in there, tire techs worst nightmare. It sounds like there is corrosion around the bead of the wheel. You have to take the tire off, get a wire wheel air tool and go around the inner lip of the wheel to get all the crap off, then get some tire cement that they use on patches and go around the lip, then put the tire back on...

I don't really care what the tire tech feels about it (I've been a tire tech...before slime...but fix-a-flat isn't that bad), I'm more worried about what the wheel restorer is going to think of it (and that's ME).

I fully realize the RIGHT way to do it involves removing the tires and cleaning it up properly (and I don't necessarily agree that rubber cement is appropriate at the bead).

I do need a swift reality check sometimes, though, and that seems to be why I post. Something along the lines of, "I was getting ready to do something that I think is a bad idea and hope you all won't talk me out of it but I also hope you do."

Clem

When I worked at a gas station years ago.. doing the overnight shift I would often read through the towing trade magazines for something to do. One of them talked about how explosive the tire sealants could be and how more than one tech had had a tyre and rim explode while putting in a plug when the cords sparked on the ream and ignited the explosive gas from the sealant/inflater.

The moral of the story was to always release all air pressure and then refill with regular air before reaming out a hole to be plugged

Slime won't seal the bead anyway its a liquid designed to flow into a puncture and dry up. The rim is up too high.

Rad_Capz wrote: Slime won't seal the bead anyway its a liquid designed to flow into a puncture and dry up. The rim is up too high.

i did this the other day.

i deflated the tire, broke the bead and cleaned out the rustiness, shot slime around the bead area and remounted. it sealed it all up nice - but you're right just pouring that crap in the valve won't seal bead leaks.

I had thought of this and planned to do it with the tire off the vehicle and lay it on it's side and agitate it a bit. I don't think I'll probably do it though...I don't know how much slime costs, but it's probably less than a mount/dismount at the tire shop...

I don't know...always trying to talk myself into and out of the wrong way of doing things

Clem

I've had bad luck with slime's sealing ability and it makes a huge drippy nasty mess that semi hardens and is a pain to get off the rim.

I'd vote against if its possible to avoid it.

For about $30 you can get a hand -tire machine from HF, and fix all the rim leaks you'll ever have. I just mounted a set of tires(and dismounted the old ones) so it's already paid for itself. I did have to drill four holes in the garage floor to sink some anchors to mount it, but when I'm done, I unbolt it and store it in the corner until I need it again. Just keep some short bolts in the anchors to keep crap from filling them up.

^ Do you have pics or a link of it?

SVreX has one for sale in the classifieds. Even has a picture of it. They work well, but are a bit "labor intensive".

minimac wrote: SVreX has one for sale in the classifieds. Even has a picture of it. They work well, but are a bit "labor intensive".

I've dismounted and mounted tires without any special tools. It is about as much as a PITA that you could ever imagine. Lots of dish soap helps, but the best thing is the right tool for the job. And it doesn't have to be a $1000 machine, either.

In reply to ClemSparks:

I will send you some free TIRETYTE tire sealant to help solve your problem. It's been around for over 30 years and it will not make a big mess, cause rust or corrosion. It will remain fluid for the life of the tire ( Slime starts to dry out from day one and won't last that long ). Check out the Tiretyte tire sealant web site at: www.tiretyte.com, or www.tiresealant.com Send me an email ( tiretyte@aol.com ) with your address and we will send the free sealant. Good luck. Bill Martin

Tiretyte wrote: In reply to ClemSparks: I will send you some free TIRETYTE tire sealant to help solve your problem. It's been around for over 30 years and it will not make a big mess, cause rust or corrosion. It will remain fluid for the life of the tire ( Slime starts to dry out from day one and won't last that long ). Check out the Tiretyte tire sealant web site at: www.tiretyte.com, or www.tiresealant.com Send me an email ( tiretyte@aol.com ) with your address and we will send the free sealant. Good luck. Bill Martin

And if that doesn't work you can always take a nice relaxing canoe trip to forget about your troubles.

Attention Kmart shoppers, we are having a special on canoes in aisle 12.

Tippecanoe and Tiretyte too!

My new tag line:

"ClemSparks canoebaiterdork"