Why are tubeless tires deflated?

Why are tubeless tires deflated? Common reasons why tires go flat

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Reasons why tubeless tires are deflated

Perhaps for some it will be a revelation that a puncture is not the only reason why tires go flat. Moreover, a punctured tire is by no means the first place in the ranking of the culprits of flat tires. In fact, there are quite a few reasons and the first, in my opinion, the most popular reason for flat tires is the deformation of the wheel rim. As you know, for a tubeless wheel, a smooth rim is the key to success, or at least the absence of the problem of flat tires. If the disc has seen a lot in its lifetime, and has been in a hole more than once or “caught” bumps, then a flat tire is more likely to be the norm for it, rather than something out of the ordinary. Due to the loose fit of the tire to the rim, air leakage occurs, which manifests itself in the form of a flat or low tire. How to understand that the problem is in the disk? As a rule, a bent disk immediately makes itself felt; after an impact, which I think you will remember, the wheel will slowly deflate, so the reason in this case will be clear to you. If the impact is strong and the rim is seriously deformed, the tire will go flat very quickly. By the way, if the disk looks smooth and intact on the outside, this does not mean that it is the same on the inside. Very often the rim is bent from the inside (invisible) side. The solution in this situation is to remove the wheel and give it for rolling, but if you have “stamping” and the impact is not strong, then you can use a hammer to correct the deformed rim.

In second place, of course, is the nipple. If something gets into the nipple or it is faulty, the wheel will deflate, but how quickly depends on many factors (load, speed, ambient temperature, etc.). Also, often at tire shops, a mechanic throws the nipple from your wheel into a common box, and then, when assembling your wheel, he takes the first one he comes across from this box, which is not always new and in good working order. As a result, after you change your shoes, one or more wheels of your car may gradually begin to deflate. The old-fashioned way of checking the serviceability of the nipple is familiar to everyone: spit on your finger, lubricate the nipple with your finger and observe whether there are any air bubbles. You can also apply a soap solution or put the wheel in water, where if there is an air leak, you will see air bubbles.

A separate point should be made in the case when the nipple as a device is quite serviceable, but it is he who is to blame for the fact that the wheels go flat . It often poisons at the junction of the nipple with the disk, so to speak, it poisons from under the nipple. Small cracks in the nipple seal can cause tires to constantly deflate; the solution to this problem is to replace the nipple.

Tire puncture or cut. Everything is very simple here, if the wheel has punctures or cuts, the tires will leak air. Unlike the two previous reasons, a leak in the form of a puncture or cut cannot be detected by eye; you will have to remove the wheel and lower it completely into water. If the cut is sideways and large enough, you will see it with the naked eye and without water. If a puncture or cut occurs in the tread area, it will be very difficult to notice; this will require dismantling the wheel and checking it in water or using a special tool.

Rust, sand, etc. Old rusty wheels are not only unsightly and aesthetically pleasing, they are also a constant headache in the form of flat tires. The presence of rust on the wheel rim in the rim area makes the rubber fit loose, which is why the wheel begins to flatten in this place(s). The same thing can happen if at the junction of the rim and rubber there are grains of sand or other obstacles that prevent the normal adhesion of the rubber to the rim, the tires are deflated , although not as quickly as in the case of a puncture or cut. This misunderstanding is treated as follows: remove the wheel, take off the rubber and clean the rim (or better yet, paint it), after which the joint is coated with a special lubricant (something like silicone) and the rubber is put on. After such an event, 100% of the tires will not be flat, provided, of course, that there are no other reasons why the tires are flat.

With the onset of cold weather, the tubeless can also begin to deflate. This is due to the fact that even winter tires designed for sub-zero temperatures are subject to such a common condition for rubber as “tanning or dulling”. Due to low temperatures, rubber loses its elasticity, as a result even minor unevenness of the rim can lead to this. that the tires will start to go flat. Also in winter, tire pressure can change due to changes in ambient temperature, so don't be surprised if your tire pressure is one in the morning, but different at the end of the day or after the weather warms up. By the way, while driving, the tires become seriously hot and the tire pressure increases.

Keep an eye on the condition of your tires, as well as their pressure, this will extend the life of both you and your rubber. I have everything, I think the above will be quite enough to find the reason why the tires are flat . Sorry if I missed anything, maybe you know other reasons why tires go flat, I’ll be glad to hear them. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on this matter. Peace to everyone and see you again at AutoPulsar. Bye!

Why does a tire periodically go flat and what to do?

It has probably happened to everyone that they parked their car in the garage for three days and came back and one of the tires was completely deflated. You drive at 100 and check for a puncture, but there is none, but the whole point is that the wheel is flat between the disk and the tire. There is a solution to this common problem and we will look at it in this post.

The wheel is running flat on the rim, what should I do?

This type of problem is relevant for tubeless tires and in places where the tire cord does not fit tightly to the car wheel, air escapes. For tubed wheels this problem is not relevant; they only deflate when punctured.

Some may wonder why everyone switched to tubeless tires, but they simply have more advantages over all other types

Holds pressure longer
They heat up less during long driving, since there is no friction between the tube and the tire.
Without the use of a tube, the wheel is much lighter
The puncture can be repaired right on the spot using a repair harness, or you can screw a self-tapping screw into the puncture site and drive to the nearest service station, which cannot be done on a tube tire.
A puncture in a tubeless tire can be repaired many times faster than on a tube tire, since there is no need to put a patch on it, smear it with glue or wait for a long time to vulcanize at high temperatures.
And in general, they are simply more reliable

Reasons why a tubeless tire goes flat

The main reason for the loose fit of the tire cord to the iron of the disk is either due to deformation of the disk itself - for example, it fell into a hole and bent the car disk, or due to the appearance of natural corrosion on the rim. Corrosion eats away small areas of the disk through which air subsequently manages to escape.

And as a result of this phenomenon, we are faced with the question of why the tire on the car went flat. This phenomenon also occurs over time due to natural wear and deformation of the tire.

My car has a flat tire, what should I do?

In order to overcome this disease, do the following:

Bleed all the air from your car tire
When bending the place where the cord meets the disk, lubricate this place with thick soapy water from laundry soap, not even water, but like a soap slurry, it should be so thick
The second option is to lubricate it with paraffin candles, on average 3-4 candles will be needed for one tire, bend the cord and, pressing well on the candle, apply it along the entire diameter of the cord; paraffin should be poured generously onto the rim. When driving, the wax will begin to melt due to friction and will drown out the places where the air has been poisoned.
You can also purchase special lubricants and sprays in the store to eliminate flat tires.

Well, if it’s drained and there’s no pump, then the only way out is to install a spare wheel or ask for help from passing cars, alternatively call a tow truck or call a friend. If you are completely stuck in the middle of nowhere where only one person a year passes by, then you can try to ride on the rim, yes, the tires will be ruined, but you will return, so to speak, to crowded places, where you can already solve this problem.

How to find out where a tire is flat

To do this, immerse the inflated wheel in water and see where the air bubbles appear.
You can also make a soap solution and coat the wheel with it or apply it with a sprayer - where the bubbling soap foam appears there and poisons the air.
Before these procedures, you should carefully inspect the entire tire yourself. you, where the nail sticks out and then the search for the broken place ends very quickly.
Don’t forget to check the nipple or spool - often they can also be the culprits of a constant and systematic loss of pressure in the tires

Lowers the nipple from under the nipple at the point of attachment to the disc

It all just requires replacing the nipple with a new one, either we carry out this tire repair operation ourselves, or we go to a tire repair shop.

But below is a useful video on how to replace a nipple without disassembling a wheel on the road, which can be very helpful in an emergency.

Why does tire pressure drop?

As you read above, the reasons for this phenomenon are clear. But there are also cases like mine, for example, I installed new tires before winter and everything was ok, but after leaving the car in the garage for a couple of weeks and returning, I noticed that the rear right wheel was empty. I pumped it up, went to a friend’s service station, checked for a puncture, there was no puncture, it turned out that the car’s disk had slight corrosion and when it froze, the rubber contracted and hardened, and this small compression was enough to form a micro crack from which air came out at a rate of a bubble per minute , and in two weeks it all came out, as a result I have a flat tire.

The tire goes flat on the side - solving the problem

What to do, a friend took the tire apart, sanded the rim in the place of contact with sandpaper, lubricated it with some kind of German sealing grease for beading tires and put the tire back on - the result is that the tire hasn’t flattened for two months now. What follows from this is that a special sealant for tire rims provides the necessary sealing of the wheel rim with the tire, and also that in cold weather the rubber is subject to compression and additional deformation.

It follows that if a tire goes flat without a puncture, the reason for this may be the physical properties of tires and wheels described above.

To top it off, I can only add that on the road, take with you an electric compressor for inflating tires and a set of repair harnesses, which can be very helpful; I have personally tested this more than once. Tell other car owners your methods of combating air leakage from under the tire cord.

Why a tire goes flat: Reasons, what to do, is it possible to drive?

Car owners often encounter force majeure on the road and ask the following questions: why the tire goes flat, how to act in such a situation, and whether it is possible to continue driving.

Why does the tire go flat?

Some reasons, such as damage to the rubber or problems with the spool, lie on the surface. But what if the tire is intact, but the tire is still “on the rims”.

Let's look at this issue, talk about possible actions of the car owner and the risks of driving on flat tires.

A little theory

Modern cars are equipped with so-called “tubeless” cameras. Tires are placed on the rims, into which air is pumped under high pressure.

The latter is held inside due to the tight fit of the rubber to the metal surface. The popularity of tubeless tires is due to their reliability in comparison with conventional analogues.

• ability to hold pressure longer;

• ease of repair and balancing;

• the ability to continue moving if a nail or other sharp object gets inside.

If the tire is damaged (if not all the air has escaped), you can drive on a flat tire. This is acceptable as long as a certain tire pressure is maintained. We'll talk about this in more detail below.

Why a tubeless tire goes flat: reasons

Unpleasant situations associated with flat tires are conventionally divided into two groups - mechanical damage or other causes. Let's consider each of the options in more detail.

A common reason for a flat tire on a car is actual damage.

The following options are possible here:

Side cut. In case of a serious defect, restoration becomes difficult.

Today, there are a number of technologies that make it possible to repair this type of damage, but they are not always effective. In the event of repair, the tire structure is still not restored, so the wheel can only be used for a short time.

The most difficult situation is when the integrity of the wheel cord is damaged. In this case, recovery is not possible. After repair, the rubber may burst.

If this happens while driving, the consequences can be catastrophic. Some “experts” recommend putting a camera inside and continuing to drive. You can't do that.

Thinner rubber may come out of the damage and tear.

In addition, friction appears between the inside of the wheel and the tire, so the latter overheats faster.

Repair of a side cut is only possible by vulcanization and provided that there is no severe damage.

Puncture. When a tubeless tire goes flat, the cause may be a through puncture of the tread.

This type of problem can be easily fixed using a regular set of tools. You don’t even need to go to a service station for this.

The malfunction can be fixed with your own hands in the workshop. To solve the problem, you need to remove the wheel from the disk, and then fill the hole with a special activator glue.

At the final stage, install a rubber mushroom that prevents air from escaping.

If after inspection you understand why the tire is flat, and the reason is a nail inside the tire, do not rush to get it out.

This is explained as follows:

Firstly, the tire will immediately deflate to zero;

Secondly, it will be more difficult to find the puncture site.

Why does a tire go flat without a puncture?

In the case of damage to the sidewall or tread, everything is clear. The situation is more complicated if there are no visible violations. The question arises why the tire goes flat without a puncture.

What to do if a tire goes flat while driving?

Modern cars are equipped with wheels with pneumatic tubeless tires.
Such wheels provide stable traction, reduce vibrations and loads on the load-bearing part and transmission elements. but this is subject to one condition - filling the tire with air at a certain pressure. Tubeless tires are relatively puncture-resistant; wheels with such rubber can withstand up to 7 punctures simultaneously without bleeding air.

Reasons for a flat tire

But no matter how good and reliable a wheel with a tubeless tire is, it can also go flat. Reasons why a tire goes flat:

puncture;
a cut;
peeling of the tire from the disk;
bleeding through the spool or nipple;

Tire puncture

It is stated above that a tubeless wheel is capable of not flattening even with several punctures, but this is only possible if the element that punctured the tire remains in it. The inner surface of the tubeless is coated with a special viscous compound that sticks to the nail, screw, wire and prevents air from leaking out. But if the pierced object is pulled out, the viscous composition will not be able to close the hole and the air will come out.

Therefore, if a foreign object is found in the tire, do not rush to pull it out. It is better to leave it in place and continue to operate the car, and once you have reached the service station, remove the protruding element and seal the puncture site.

But it happens that after a puncture the object does not remain in the wheel and such a tire will go flat.
The rate of air release depends on the size of the damage. In some cases, tire deflation occurs so slowly that the loss of half the air pressure occurs over several days. With such a puncture, you just need to periodically pump up the tire and continue driving the car, and contact a service station as soon as possible. But slow descent does not always happen. If a large hole is formed (for example, when hitting reinforcement), the wheel will deflate in a matter of minutes.

Tire cuts are less common than punctures. And such damage appears on the sidewalls, since it is difficult to cut through the working surface of the tire. The most common cause of a cut is sharp objects and protrusions catching on the side. A cut means serious damage to the wheel. For minor cuts, you can still try to restore the wheel (at a service station), but if the size of the cut is long and through, then the tire must be replaced. Note that some service station workers offer to restore a wheel with a severe cut, but it is better to refuse this service. When cut, the cord is damaged and its integrity cannot be restored. Even if the tire does not go flat, it can “shoot” at any moment while driving, and this phenomenon is very dangerous.

Peeling

Peeling of the tire from the disk occurs when strong impact loads on the wheel lead to deformation of the disk. This happens when you fall into a hole at speed. A strong blow causes the impact energy to reach the disk and the metal bends. As a result, the tire no longer fits tightly to the rim and air escapes through the resulting gap. This problem did not exist in tubed tires, and flexing of the rim did not cause the wheel to go flat (provided the tube remained intact upon impact).

Disk deformation and bleeding through the spool

Valve device for tubeless tires

Disc deformation is a problem that cannot be eliminated under road conditions.
The geometry of the part can be restored only on special rolling machines available at service stations. Wheel flattening through the spool occurs quite often.
The defective element is unable to hold air. Here it is enough to replace the spool and pump in air again. But if air etching occurs at the place where the nipple is installed, then a visit to a tire shop cannot be avoided, since it is necessary to glue the nipple, and for this the wheel will be disassembled.

Something else useful for you:

What to do if a tire goes flat?

Video: The tire goes flat on the rim - the old-fashioned way to fix it

The solution to the problem with a deflated ramp on the road depends on the equipment of the car.
So, while driving, loud “squelching” sounds appeared. These are clear signals that the tire is flat. If the air has escaped from the front wheel, then the car's handling will also deteriorate greatly - the car will begin to pull strongly to the side. In this case, you should immediately stop moving smoothly and carefully. The simplest solution is to use a spare tire.
But for this, the car must have a spare wheel, a wheel wrench and a jack. This is a minimum set; it is also advisable to keep a warning triangle, wheel chocks, a pump or a compressor in the car. And then everything is simple:

We tear off the wheel bolts.
We install the wheel chocks, engage the gearbox and apply the handbrake.
We jack up the wheel (while making sure that the jack does not warp during lifting, and that the car does not move to the side).
We install a spare tire instead of the damaged one.
Screw the wheel bolts until they stop (but do not tighten them).
We remove the car from the jack.
Tighten the wheel bolts.

Before starting work, be sure to check what kind of spare tire is available. The fact is that dokatki should not be installed on the steered axle. Therefore, if you have a re-roller, if the front slope is broken, you will have to tinker - remove the full-size wheel from the rear axle and put a re-roller in its place, and replace the broken one with a normal one. At the same time, while driving, you should maintain a speed limit of no more than 60 km/h.

Another solution to the problem is to use a “first aid kit” to repair tubeless tires.
But you need to buy it in advance and carry it in the car. This first aid kit includes tools and means to eliminate punctures and cuts.
But when using a first aid kit, it is important to follow the technology for sealing a puncture. If there is no spare tire or first aid kit, but there is a pump or compressor, then inflate the tire and set the deflation speed. If the air poisoning is not strong, then on such a wheel you can get to the nearest tire shop, periodically stopping and pumping up the wheel.

It’s worse if there are no tools or equipment, and the ramp descends very quickly. In this case, you will have to continue driving on such a wheel. But at the same time, you should move at the minimum possible speed, with the emergency lights on, and preferably on the side of the road.

Video: How to extend the life of a tubeless release camera

You can drive on a flat tire to the repair site, but after such a trip the tire will no longer be able to be repaired. In addition, traveling under such conditions will create serious stress on the transmission elements, which will shorten their service life.

Therefore, it is still better to carry a set of tools, a “first aid kit” for tires and a spare tire in your car. With such equipment, a breakdown will not take you by surprise.