Ahheck01

iTrader: (2)

I have factory 18's with the chrome corrosion air leak, which is a known issue with these. What have you guys done that has fixed them for you and stopped the leak? I've searched on this, but the threads have been either just agreeing that there's a problem or suggesting to completely refinish them, which seems a shame since the outward facing bits all look perfect.

daddykay24

Its not the outside that's the problem. Its the inside. Your tire needs to come off and the area needs sanded, cleaned, and then resealed. And then it still may leak.

fensterlip

How about the old idea of submerging the inflated tire in a large tub of water as you slowly rotate it so every area gets submerged 12 inches at a time? That has always worked for me. Use one of those large galvanized tub or even a kiddie pool if it's over 10 inches deep.
At one point you'll see the small steady stream of bubbles pointing the way to the leak.
If it's the stem or the Schrader valve inside - that's easy, just replace them.
If it's leaking from a bit of porosity in the body of the wheel itself, I would first try a piece of tape on it from the inside and see if that stops it. If it does, a wheel shop can fix it for you. They epoxy or weld the spot and you're done - a few hundred bucks worst case. In the California Bay Area Rite Way Wire and Wheel in the Walnut Creek area is recommended but there are good shops all over the country. That shouldn't be expensive.

If you have a tire warranty, many tire shops and Costco offer this, then bring it in there and explain that it's leaking. They'll do the tub rotation thing for you. Maybe for free as part of the service they provide.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

its a fairly easy fix, you will have to have the tires removed, and then use a combination of a wire wheel drill attachment and a grinding stone attachment and just go to town on the inner lips. .

finish off with some sandpaper and your leak should be gone.

RushNatU

If all else fails, you could try tire slime.

daddykay24

Tire slim has been known to cause the TPS sensor in the wheels to go bad. It can also cause balancing issues. I wouldn't use that stuff.

Randy B

The LS doesn't have TPMS in the wheels.

Randy B

Randy B

I've done this repair. On 3 out of 4 rims. The hardest problem you're going to have, is the corrosion usually goes deep on the inner bead well. Once you grind all that out with some type of media sander, you then have to get some etching primer to fill in the holes. Multiple coats of etching primer will build up the lip to get it back to a uniform level . That will help it make a seal on the bead.

All that being said, I only had success on 2 out of 3 rims. The hardest problem was that the corrosion pics were too deep and the etching primer just won't hold for a tire change. The other thing is, once you balance wheels again you will need to only use glue on weights as you can no longer use clamp-on weights or the same problem will occur either on the etching primer or in a new spot that wasn't primed.

Randy B

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

well if you want to really get into it you can run a bead of body filler with your finger along the inside of the lip after uve grinded, to make it perfectly even , then sand it spray it with a sealer or primer.

But if your just looking to get rid of the leak for a while till u get some new wheels just peeling and grinding out the inner lips works fine.

by the time the inside is peeling the outside is probably peeling too, which means u will need new wheels soon enough

Randy B

You are not understanding the issue based on your post. The inner bead is the issue not the outside of the inner wheel or the pretty front side of the rim. It has to do with water penetrating where the inside wheel weights are banged on with a hammer for balancing. The outside weights are glued on. The inside weights bite into the chrome finish and allow water and corrosion to occur. Over a period of time, they essentially look like cavities where they drill down into the rim on the bead area of the lip. The pretty side of the rim does not have this problem.

Randy B

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

oh I see , so the problem isn't the corrosion on the inside of the lip, causing the air to leak ? Gee what was I thinking

tell us more

losrx

I think everyones right for me I took mine to a tire shop and let them remove tire from rims, did the sand and prep clean everything off and when i took it back to the tire shop I let them put bead rim sealer on it. Also u may need to weld if theres hole from the corrosion that ate through the rim. Tire shop uses sticky tape weight on mine. Inside of rims.

Ahheck01

iTrader: (2)

Roughly how much did that service run you?

tjwashow

just get some 20's

Ahheck01

iTrader: (2)

I'm currently on 20's, and would like to move to the factory 18's. The 20's are too harsh on Iowa roads.