Can't Find Tire Leak

[CWatters]

I have a Toro ride on mower and when new I had a lot of slow and not so slow punctures due to thorns from hedge cuttings. Nightmare. Then I put Goop in the tyres and it totally solved the problem. Not had a puncture now for 15+ years.

 

[emp1953]

Hey Everyone,

I am embarrased to ask this. I have a slow Leak in a Rear JD D130 Tire. It takes 2 days to go completly flat. I've taken it off the mower. I can't see anything in it and I have gone over it multple times w/ soapy water and I still can't find the Leak. I also soaped up the valve stem and bead but nothing. Tire is in great shape. If I find the leak y thought was to use a plug.

Any other ideas? All the lawn shops around here won't repair will only replace the tire. I thought about filling the bathtub up w/ water and checking it that way, pretty sure the wife wouldn't like it but I'm losing ideas.

My last resort, which I don't want to do is add slime. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

MIchael

I had a Cub Cadet that had tires continuously going flat. Many times I could not find a leak and just replaced the tire. This got expensive. I took it to a tire specialty shop dealing in commercial and agricultural tires. I had it "no-flatted". They fill the tire with Tyrfil which is a foam which hardens to a sponge like consistency inside the tire preventing it from EVER going flat again. It makes the mower heavier than it was and any smoother ride provided by the previously air filled tires is gone. But, you will never have another flat tire on that mower.

 

[Air4Dave]

With a leak that slow slime won't have much effect. Best option is while you have the tire off the mower. Just soap a small section say 1/4 of the tire and just keep an eye on that area to look for a small patch of bubbles. Then move to the next section. Really slow leaks can be hard to detect and tend to make really small bubbles. Doesn't hurt to also check the side walls really well at the same time. I have had times were I would soap a section and then walk away for a few minutes and come back and recheck. Good luck

 

[Air4Dave]

With a leak that slow slime won't have much effect. Best option is while you have the tire off the mower. Just soap a small section say 1/4 of the tire and just keep an eye on that area to look for a small patch of bubbles. Then move to the next section. Really slow leaks can be hard to detect and tend to make really small bubbles. Doesn't hurt to also check the side walls really well at the same time. I have had times were I would soap a section and then walk away for a few minutes and come back and recheck. Good luck.

I agree. These are usually very small cracks in the tire. How old is the tire! Is it stored/parked outside?
I would over inflate the tire, maybe to 25+ psi and spray some soapy water on it. If this doesn’t expose it then put it in a small tub where the entire wheel will be covered.
It’s possible, too, that it could be a bad Schrader valve or the bead.

 

[epare]

Hey Everyone,

I am embarrased to ask this. I have a slow Leak in a Rear JD D130 Tire. It takes 2 days to go completly flat. I've taken it off the mower. I can't see anything in it and I have gone over it multple times w/ soapy water and I still can't find the Leak. I also soaped up the valve stem and bead but nothing. Tire is in great shape. If I find the leak y thought was to use a plug.

Any other ideas? All the lawn shops around here won't repair will only replace the tire. I thought about filling the bathtub up w/ water and checking it that way, pretty sure the wife wouldn't like it but I'm losing ideas.

My last resort, which I don't want to do is add slime. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

MIchael

The bath tub is the way to go. Fill the tub with enough water to completely immerse the tire and rim. Check the treads very carefully for a nail. Inflate the tire to 15-20 pounds more than the max pounds; put it flat in the tub and weight it down until it's completely immersed. Let it set until the water settles and you can really visually scan it. Take your time checking along the treads. If you don't see anything, flip it and scan it again. This is the way I've always done it since I was a kid; and, I've always been able to find leaks. My mom grew up on a large dairy farm, so using the bath tub in this manner was no big deal to her as long as we cleaned the tub afterward. Get yourself some Bon Ami and a hand sponge (a good supermarket will have both of these) and clean the tub until it's at least as clean as before you used it.

 

[StarTech]

Even a common paper staple can cause leaks.

 

[Ozcub]

I have not read all your replies but what about this, this rim is leaking not the tyre , is it old rusty etc , if so that is where the air is slowly escaping
Oz

 

[davis2]

Just put a tube in it. Problem solved.

How about tightening or replacing the valve core? I've had that problem.

 

[Lmalino]

Toughest leak I had was intermittent. Might leak a little in a day or a lot on a few hours but not when stationary. Never showed bubbles in water or soaped on sidewall. I put some water inside the tire and saw where it tracked leaking out. I was a rim leak from a bad spot on the bead.