Tire Air Loss Mystery Solved

[DancinCampers]

In June 2007 I had all 6 tires replaced at Camping World, Albuquerque, NM. Beginning a year later I started losing air (like down to 15 lbs)in the drivers side outside dual while it was parked. This would happen about every 3 or 6 months. In between events all would be fine. The other day I found a small hole in the tread where a nail might be buried, so yesterday had it checked at a truck center in Las Vegas.

The tech removed the nail, but no air escaped while in water tank. I decided to have tire removed & checked inside.

Viola, C/W had put in Equal to balance tire, but did not put in proper core. Balancing was included in price, I assumed it was done with weights.

The service center manager said that C/W probrably could not get the tire to balance, so put in the equal.

Had it cleaned out & balanced. Haven't had problems with any other tires, so hopefully all is good.

I know where I am not going to have my next set of tires installed.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DancinCampers Viola, C/W had put in Equal to balance tire, but did not put in proper core. Balancing was included in price, I assumed it was done with weights.

DancinCampers, Not remarkable is that the very same thing happened to me at the Camping World on Highway 501 here in Myrtle Beach. No Equal valve stems installed. I went to a show in Tampa, came off my jacks and promptly had 2 flats. My rig was listing to Port and man what a fright I had.

You should have seen me out there with a spray bottle of soapy water checking for leaks in the tread - none found. Sprayed the valve stems (after the fact) and there they were "tiny bubbles." The fix by the way is too simple. Just simply inflate the tires. It blows the powder out of the Schrader valve.

When I went back to CW after evaluating my own situation, they paid to have all 6 of my tires broken down, clean out the Equal, replaced the valve stems and balanced using weights from a 3rd party dealership here in Conway. Funny thing is that they obtained my new Michelin Tires from the very same vendor that I chose to fix the bad valve stems.

The very last thing that happened to me is that I needed to have my CrossFires rebuilt because they were both leaking down from trace residual powder in the O rings.

All is well at the moment.

[wa8yxm]

That is one of the reasons (Just one) whey I don't like Equal powder

[Chuck 1935]

I had a very slow leak on one of my 22.5's. It turned out to be a split O ring under the valve stem nut.

[Petro]

Just for a different view point, I am on my second set of tires using Equal with the proper valve cores. I have never had a leak problem using Equal. I am a happy camper.

Don

[KIX]

And another different view.
I recently became acquainted with Dyna Beads from Innovative Balancing (Google it). They were originally used in motorcycles. It is an inert ceramic bead that can be added to an already mounted and balanced tire. They have a filtering valve core also. I use them in larger off-road tires with very good results. I'm planning on adding some to the coach tires in the next few weeks. If you're having balancing problems it
's a great product for RV use that you may not have heard of.

[HD4Mark]

Never having heard of "Equal" tire balance imagine my surprise thinking CW had put artificial sweetener in your tires.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIX And another different view. I recently became acquainted with Dyna Beads from Innovative Balancing (Google it)..

I clipped a bit.. Dyna beads, If I recall correctly, do not require special valve stems.

But the powder does, it gets on the valve seat of a standard valve and causes leaks.. Just like the O/P had.

Personally I think the best way to balance is the old fashion way.. Weights.