Tubeless conversion mystery...

[pauloc]

Hi Guys,

 

So I'm a bit stumped about a recent episode I had converting my wife's entry-level WTB wheels to tubeless. I did the usual Stan's conversion where you strip the wheels to the rims, give them a good clean and then install the yellow tape. Worked a charm on the front wheel but the back wheel had a slow leak that just wouldn't seem to seal. After a few days re-pumping the tyre, covering it in soap and shaking it around vigorously it was still the same result - the next morning the tyre would be almost flat.

 

So after doing what any grown man would do (cracking open a few colds ones and assuming my best thinking pose), I decided to dip the wheel into the pool to see where the holes were. No surprises I saw air leaking from around the valve, from some of the spoke nipples and in some places even from the rim. I put the tyre away for the night thinking that I'd have to start the process from scratch, but the next morning the tyre was still pumped up. Thought it was odd, so I've given it a few days since then, but it's still holding the air.

 

This has got me seriously confused, so if anyone has any idea what happened here, please can you enlighten me. My thinking is that by immersing the wheel in water it somehow created a higher pressure situation which somehow made the sealant more effective in closing the slow leaks.

 

Cheers,

Paulo

[Cruz Addict]

that is odd, what pressure did you pump the tire to initially?, i have a problem with my wheels where i cannot get them to seat unless i put 6 bar in, a slow roll round the garage( as its the only pump that will get that high) and then release to 2 bar, after that all good.

 

i have in the past use normal electrical insulation tape first the the yellow rim tape, makes sure the spoke nipples are separated from the yellow tape good and proper.

[DJR]

Put a fence around your magic pool and charge cyclists beers to come and dip (christen) their tubeless conversions in it. The whole thing is somewhat of a black art anyway and you'll find lots of takers.

Edited October 8, 2012 by DJR

[Woolf]

Had the same issue a few days ago. Solved it by adding some more sealant and spinning the wheel like crazy.

[pauloc]

that is odd, what pressure did you pump the tire to initially?, i have a problem with my wheels where i cannot get them to seat unless i put 6 bar in, a slow roll round the garage( as its the only pump that will get that high) and then release to 2 bar, after that all good.

 

i have in the past use normal electrical insulation tape first the the yellow rim tape, makes sure the spoke nipples are separated from the yellow tape good and proper.

 

Tried taking it up to 4 bar (had to to get it seat the tyre properly) but the last time when I put it in the pool was only around 3 bar.

[Johan Bornman]

What happened?

 

There was a leak between the rim tape and the rim itself. Air and sealant leaked into the rim cavity and came out at the nipples. Bear in mind the nipples don't make an airtight seal at the rim.

 

After a while the sealant sealed the leak between the tape and the rim and the air stopped escaping.

 

It had nothing to do with the swimming pool or the lurking creepy crawley in there.

 

What you will find soon is that the wheel will start to leak and sealant will come out the spoke holes. This is because the sealant lifts the adhesive-backed tape and it looses contact with the rim. The process fills the rim cavity with sealant and causes an unholy mess.

 

What is important is that you cracked a cold one and thought about it and your sins. That gave the sealant time to do its thing, albeit at the wrong "puncture".

 

You must now decide whether to do it all over or just let is simmer in its own juices and damn the consequences. If you have aluminium nipples, it is best you fix it properly, it will cause problems with the crappy nipples.

 

If you can't decide, crack a few more frosties and watch some reruns of The A-team. That will take your mind off the mess inside.

[pauloc]

Thanks for explanation JB. What still doesn't make sense is why the leaks weren't plugged until I dipped the wheel into the pool - I re-pumped the tyres every day for about a week and did the vigorous shaking / rotating with no luck. Then a few seconds in the pool and everything magically seals. Hawu....

 

Could just be pure fluke that the leaks sealed on this particular go, or it could be some voodoo black magic.

[dracs]

Thanks for explanation JB. What still doesn't make sense is why the leaks weren't plugged until I dipped the wheel into the pool - I re-pumped the tyres every day for about a week and did the vigorous shaking / rotating with no luck. Then a few seconds in the pool and everything magically seals. Hawu....

 

Could just be pure fluke that the leaks sealed on this particular go, or it could be some voodoo black magic.

did the bubbles stop while you had it submerged? Reading your first post it seems not - so more likely it sealed up over-night...

[pauloc]

did the bubbles stop while you had it submerged? Reading your first post it seems not - so more likely it sealed up over-night...

Nope - the bubbles kept coming. Didn't re-check the wheel again at the time, so the sealing happened sometime after the initial submersion.

[Vetseun]

Entry level wheels take well to ghetto tubeless setup.

You Tube it.

 

Good luck

[Jaco L]

Pauloc, put some of that water in a container. When u get a puncture out on the track, it might come in handy....

[SURFER]

Thanks for explanation JB. What still doesn't make sense is why the leaks weren't plugged until I dipped the wheel into the pool - I re-pumped the tyres every day for about a week and did the vigorous shaking / rotating with no luck. Then a few seconds in the pool and everything magically seals. Hawu....

 

Could just be pure fluke that the leaks sealed on this particular go, or it could be some voodoo black magic.

 

Do you only use the yellow rim tape? What about the rubber band over the rim tape before fitting the tyre?

[pauloc]

Do you only use the yellow rim tape? What about the rubber band over the rim tape before fitting the tyre?

Only the yellow rim tape. In the past I've found that the other stuff only gets in the way and causes issues.

[patches]

that is odd, what pressure did you pump the tire to initially?, i have a problem with my wheels where i cannot get them to seat unless i put 6 bar in, a slow roll round the garage( as its the only pump that will get that high) and then release to 2 bar, after that all good.

 

i have in the past use normal electrical insulation tape first the the yellow rim tape, makes sure the spoke nipples are separated from the yellow tape good and proper.

 

Please call me to come video next time you seat tyres! I see a potential youtube classic in the making

[martinsnyman]

Hi Guys,

 

So I'm a bit stumped about a recent episode I had converting my wife's entry-level WTB wheels to tubeless. I did the usual Stan's conversion where you strip the wheels to the rims, give them a good clean and then install the yellow tape. Worked a charm on the front wheel but the back wheel had a slow leak that just wouldn't seem to seal. After a few days re-pumping the tyre, covering it in soap and shaking it around vigorously it was still the same result - the next morning the tyre would be almost flat.

 

So after doing what any grown man would do (cracking open a few colds ones and assuming my best thinking pose), I decided to dip the wheel into the pool to see where the holes were. No surprises I saw air leaking from around the valve, from some of the spoke nipples and in some places even from the rim. I put the tyre away for the night thinking that I'd have to start the process from scratch, but the next morning the tyre was still pumped up. Thought it was odd, so I've given it a few days since then, but it's still holding the air.

 

This has got me seriously confused, so if anyone has any idea what happened here, please can you enlighten me. My thinking is that by immersing the wheel in water it somehow created a higher pressure situation which somehow made the sealant more effective in closing the slow leaks.

 

Cheers,

Paulo

 

Hi Paulo,

 

I have a slight hearing problem and crooked nose - can I please come have a dip in your pool???

[Cassie]

Entry level wheels take well to ghetto tubeless setup.

You Tube it.

 

Good luck

 

Gotto agree with you on this one...

 

Guys, Why did you not go the Ghetto route inthe first place??? It immediately tkes care of any possible leaks at valve, rim nipples etc.

Only place left over for the sealant to seal is the actual tyre itsself!!

 

Simple as that...