Slow Leak

SteveF

New member

Equipment
BX25
May 15, 2013
307
0
0
Huntingdon, PA
Our BX25 has about 35 hours on it. Purchased new about a month ago. When doing routine check a couple weeks ago I thought right front tire looked low and it was. In monitoring, it seems to loose about 4 lbs/day. I took wheel off axle to see if I could find the leak and I thought it was just around the bead somewhere.

I couldn't find any punctures or any leaks around the bead (used dish washing solution) but when I was hosing off the tire I noticed that it was blowing bubbles in the center circle. Seems it is a split rim assembly of some sort. I'm old enough to have repaired many split rim steel ring wheels but this is a different beast. I am hopeful that it will be a warrantable fix but I am curious if anyone has experience with the wheel assembly. Since the wheel is tubeless how does the rim seal enough to prevent (or in my case not) leaking.

Thanks
 

Bulldog

Well-known member

Equipment
M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
5,440
78
48
Rocky Face, Georgia
Seems like there has been several members with tire trouble on their BX tractors. Maybe it was the wheels instead of tires on the others.

You can probably get you a jug of slime and stop the leak that way if you want to go that rout. Slime is wonderful stuff.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,225
1,011
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
Just dont go welding with the tire on the rim. If you dont know of the danger go to you tube and do a little searching and you will learn a lot about starting a run-a-way chemical reaction in the rubber tire which will lead to a big explosion.
Dave M7040
 

Russell King

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
5,293
1,349
113
Austin, Texas
I know very little about the rims and tires that you have but on bicycles they are also switching over to tubeless tires also.

There you have a bunch of holes at the ID of the rim for the spokes to go through. They install a rim strip (liner) over them - kind of like a big rubber band stretched over the rim. This seals the rim so the air does not escape through the spoke holes. They then put in some sealant (like slime).

I would assume that if the rim is split then there would be some type of liner inside the tire also.

I would return it (the wheel) to the dealer and let them evaluate it, repair or replace it (assuming it is under warranty).
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,525
3,264
113
SW Pa
Murph I had the same problem and when I brought it up to them they gave me a gallon of slime,, it seems for what ever reason these tires wheels will leak along the rim and the slime was the answer I slimed both fronts and never had a problem since
 

SteveF

New member

Equipment
BX25
May 15, 2013
307
0
0
Huntingdon, PA
Nice surprise today. Called my dealer about the leak. He said bring it up. He replaced it under warrenty. Sweet. I thought the rim was a split rim but apparently it is not and it is welded together on the inside where the two pieces come together. I guess the weld leaked. Anyway, a good day. Thanks for your insight all!
 

armylifer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
2,027
763
113
Thurston County, WA
I had a similar problem with one of my front tires. I was hauling some rocks over some rocky ground in the FEL and I noticed when I got back from the dump site that my RF tire went completely flat. I put 45 pounds of air in it, and the LF tire too. I checked both of the tires with a gauge for the next several days they were both holding pressure. I am almost sure that I had to have a rim leak that was fixed by over pressurizing the tires. About two weeks later I released the pressure to 30 pounds in each tire and I have not had any problems since.
 

6acres

New member

Equipment
BX 2200D, 4' bush hog, 4' box blade, HF backhoe?
Oct 5, 2011
29
0
0
tangipahoa,la.
I’m also having problems with slow leaks, which I tracked down to the rim beads. I purchased the BX2200 used, and I suspect it was run with low pressure in the tires which allowed dirt to work its way into the bead, from there it was all downhill.
I had times where the pressure was too low carrying a load in the dirt, so more dirt got in. it looks like the trick is once it is corrected, never operate it without the correct pressure in the tires.
I have a couple of questions that I hope can be answered here. Is 45 PSI safe? I was told once never to use slime in tires if you ever plan to use a tube, I may have that reversed…? Is bead sealer any good?
I plan to clean the beads really good, use bead sealer, maintain correct pressure, and may slime them after I finish the cleaning and reassembly.
 

Bulldog

Well-known member

Equipment
M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
5,440
78
48
Rocky Face, Georgia
45 psi sounds high, it should have the working pressure on the sidewall of the tire in question.

Slime, I think it's worth it's weight in gold. I have used in in both tube and tubeless tires with great success. Bead sealer, I can't say good or bad but slime is all you need. If you put it in the tire it will seal all the small leaks up without any problem.
 

6acres

New member

Equipment
BX 2200D, 4' bush hog, 4' box blade, HF backhoe?
Oct 5, 2011
29
0
0
tangipahoa,la.
I got some of the bead sealer, it worked great. The instructions say you can put it on the outside the tire also. I broke the bead open and coated all the mating services with it, no more leaks. I am going to do the other 3 tires next chance. This stuff is messy, and it disolves rubber and plastics, use only a thin coat. Shop around, I paid $10 a can, NAPA wanted $20.