Bead sealers are only temporary fixes...double check with your tire shop to make that the bead isnt ripped. You can go to any discount tire for a free tire repair/or inspection. They will tell you if its chrome-peel, corrosion, or a bent rim. Just be careful, on where you go and who you talk to.

 

what causes the chrome from the wheels to flakes?

 

Rake dust, harsh chemicals/cleaners, bends, cracks, curbing all of these can cause the chrome on a wheel to chip/flake off.

 

my tires was leaking today, brought it to the shop, found out my valve stem was loose

 

a chrome wheel is only chrome dipped. there is a thin layer of chrome over the wheel. the wheel itself is most likely aluminum. due to weather, chemicals, physical structural movement of the wheel, may cause the surface to be uneven and stressed causing the chrome to flake off. this can cause a gapping where air can escape.

 

this happens far too often. cheaper more generic valve stems are rubber with a chrome sleeve to make them look nice. the rubber, due to heat, dirt, weathering can shrink, crack, break and thus wear down and leak.

specialty valve stems use basically a rubber o ring. they usually are screwed into place and thus pressed up against the inside of the wheel. same deal, the rubber doesnt last forever.

rarely have i ever seen the inside actual little valve within the stem actually fail.

 

if the valve stem is damaged, can it be replaced? or need to buy the whole wheel again?

 

Valve stems can be replaced on most wheels.

I've had slow leaks on the last few sets of 19s with stretched tires. Its pretty easy for it to happen if there is any dirt/grime etc around the flange when the tire is mounted. I keep a close eye on my tire pressure.

 

lol.. they just remove the tire from the rim, remove the old valve stem, install the new valve stem, re-install the tire

 

if its just the regular rubber one, then just cut it off and replace. they are cheap enough to not worry about fixing a damaged one.

if its one of the more expensive ones, like the ones that come with work, rays, higher end wheels, then just inspect, replace the rubber o rings. if its really bad then just order a new one.

the parts themselves are fairly inexpensive, but the labour is where ur money goes. at work we use the corghi machine, makes mounting and stretching tires a lot easier even on extreme low profile, pretty much garantee zero damage to wheels. makes changing the valve stem easy too. some wheels these days come with 2 valve stem holes, one is meant for the tpms sensor while other is meant for the valve stem.

 

let me see some pics of your ride with the wheels on.

 

prolly the way the tire is made.

 

^ What he said!

Now, calling this setup stretched, is like Trump calling his left side combover a new hairdo.

Revisit the shop that installed your tires/rims, and inform them that they should look into offering some sort of goodwill, if the tire they installed was new, and it's leaking it's on them.

But first, look at your rim, and if you see a bend, dent, or heavy rash that would alter the integrity of your lip, then it's your fault. Your previous tire would have already sealed with the damaged rim, and that is why you wouldn't have had much of a leak with the old tire.

Now that you've ripped off the scab(old tire), it can't heal properly(the bead won't seal), and you're bleeding(loss of inflation). Find a doctor quick!(A friend who won't rip you off).