Tire went flat while driving on tour today and no hole in the tire or tube

[desoto1939]

Here is an issue that I can not figure out why my 6:00 16 Bia Ply goodyear tire that is 1 year old that has a new tube installed went flat onme today while driving.

 

We were on our way home from our tour today noticed that the car was getting very squirrely when driving and I could not get it on the road.

 

I pulled into a parking lot discovered that the right rear tire was going flat. We pull the rim and tire off the car we could not find any nail holes or splits sidewalls. Like I said these tire are brand new a year old.

 

Got home ok after putting on the spare.

 

Fired up my compressor and was able to add 30LBS of air back into the tire via the tube in the tire. Also note these are new tubes. I did not get any escaping air out of the tube and the tire was put back to 30LBS of pressure.  I did this at approx 4 PM today.  It is now 8PM my time and the tire is still holding at 30LBS and is not leaking any air.

 

I had four other antique car owners with me in two their cars look at the tire.  We are all stumped as to what happened. Also odd is that it felt like the tube lost air and the tire came off the bead. When i put air back into the tire it reseated it self.  We had been driving all day over country roads some gravel and some with some major issues. Againthis happened at the end of the day on my way home after traveling 50+ miles on the tour.

 

I currently have the tire and rim off the car and testing the air pressure every hour and it is holding what happened is any ones guess.  These were tubed tires and not tubeless tires. onmy 39 Desoto.   We had been driving the car since 8:30 this morning.  the air temp was in the mid 60's today.

 

Any Ideas.

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Mark D]

Mark Aubuchon... didn't this happen to you?

[T120]

I've experienced that problem, replaced the schrader valve core...

Edited June 1, 2021 by T120

[allbizz49]

If you checked the pressure or aired up the tires before your trip, I bet a shrader valve got hung up. I've had it happen to me.

[Tom Skinner]

Schrader Valve most likely

[Plymouthy Adams]

you parked in some little ole lady's space and she has sent a message....

 

if as stated you aired up the tires...maybe a bit of trash blew in and fouled the seal on the Schrader as everyone else is saying...only logical as you have no hole in tube or tire...

[Dan Hiebert]

Ditto, same thing happened to our D24 last month.  (Except for the little old lady thing.)  Just fine first half of the cruise, at some point on the return trip the left rear got mushy.  Took it to a tire shop where they found right away it was the valve.  Tubeless tires on ours, but that affliction will have the same result with tubes.

[greg g]

Do you have full wheel covers on your car?  Have seen them walk around the rim bending the inlet which puts a split in the filler to tube seam. Removing the wheel cover eases the pressure and slows the leak.  Same with tubeless where the valve gets pushed away from complete contact with the rim.  Again removing, then repositioning the wheel cover eases the stress on the valve, lessening the volume of the leak.

 

Have also seen where mylar inventory bar code sticker placed on the inside of the tire sidewall have chafed and put very small holes in the sides of the inner tubes wear caused by sidewall flex causing the edge of the sticker abrading the tube.

Edited June 1, 2021 by greg g

[James_Douglas]

Most likely the Schrader Valve for wheel cover causing and issue. After that it could be that the tube is leaking and the tire seal on the rim is not consistent or a rivet is weeping under motion.

 

The tube needs to come out and be checked in a water tank. I suspect you will find and issue with it.

 

James

[desoto1939]

I would like to than every one for their input. This morning I checked the tire and it was down about 6 lbs.  I read every ones suggestion and then took my vale stem tool and found that the valve was a little loose in the rubber stem.  I then put the tire back to 30lbs and now will monitor it to see if there is any more leaking. 

 

Since the car was in the garage I decided to check all the other tires and guess what, yes, the other 4 valve inner cores were loose..  I tighten all of them up and added air to each tire.  

 

These 5 tires were mounted on the rims about 1 1/2 years ago. Never really had a pbm with air issues. Did lose air over the winter time from sitting.

 

So as a word of caution to all antique car owner go out and check the valve cores on all of your tires, even your modern cars and or trucks.  These are the little things that we all take for granted and this might have gust been the issue.

 

I will keep the group posted as to if this solved the issue of the unknown flat tire.  I do not have full cover hubcaps only the 10 inch dog dish sytle on the car, the original and correct hubcaps or a correctly know as wheel covers.  The hub cap is really the small cap that is on the end of the spindle on each front wheel that         keeps the grease and the outer bearing from getting dirt into the spindle and bearings, just a mood point.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

Edited June 1, 2021 by desoto1939

[Plymouthy Adams]

this phenomenon is not just in the old car industry...it is everywhere the Schrader is used....and temperature is number one cause and effect on these devices with possible infusion of trash when airing running next in failure...tube stem is as Greg points out majorly affected by slipping hub caps that will stressed these leading to cuts and fatigue cracks...

 

 

[Doug&Deb]

Walking wheel covers are the reason I run baby moon caps on my Coronet. I’ve been able to minimize the movement of the full covers but not eliminate it. Since mine is a driver and a 20 footer I don’t worry much about it.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Today's import tubes are extremely low quality....and are of super thin  material..half as thick as original rubber tubes.

To prevent abrasion failure leakage remove all labels on the inside of tire casings.

[desoto1939]

I laid down some water along the rim edge to see if any bubbles would appear. I then poured some water around the area where the tube valve stem come through the rim. I then moved the rubber stem and found that the stem was leaking and the mist of water was being sent  into the air. Took the entire wheel and a spare tube to get it entire tube removed, install a new tube and rebalance the rim.  I also asked them to look in the area where the valve stem is to make sure there are no sharp areas.

 

So now just waiting for the tire to be fixed.  Sounds as id the tube flexed in the hole and cut the stem. Will know when I get the old tube when I pickup the tire.

 

Rich Hartung

[greg g]

When we used to use tubes in our tires for ice racing, we would put a bunch of talc or baby powder inside the tire and on the tube to minimize direct contact chaffing between tube and rim and tire with tube.  Made the shop smell nice when the bead popped home...

[Plymouthy Adams]

to the honest, am a bit confused in the thread title.....went flat no leaks in tire or tube....but it was not until the next day you even check to see if the valve stem was tight or apply any water for to find a apparent air leak.....you run here first and do  your checks later.....very poor use of the forum....

[Sniper]

Soapy water in a spray bottle will show the leak, even in a schrader valve.

 

As for walking wheel covers, I replaced my rubber tire stems with bolt in metal ones then put some short pieces of fuel hose around the metal stem. 

[desoto1939]

2 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

to the honest, am a bit confused in the thread title.....went flat no leaks in tire or tube....but it was not until the next day you even check to see if the valve stem was tight or apply any water for to find a apparent air leak.....you run here first and do  your checks later.....very poor use of the forum....

Plymouthy:

 

When i got home there was still air in the tube. So i decided to put air in the tube to see what happened and the tire was holding air. In the morning I went back out to check the tire and did an air pressure check and the tire had lost a couple of pounds.  By this time some of the members suggested that maybe the value stem was not tight. I did tighten the one on this wheel added more air.  Then I took some water and laid it along the bead and rim of the tire and metal wheel to see if any bubbles.  Then pored water over the valve stem and notice that this is where the leak was. When I moved the stem the leaking air and water was in a greater amount.  So when I had applied new air to the tire it was holding air so went to th enext step inthe process after getting advise from some of the members.

 

I was on a very smooth road when this all happened so I did not know what might have caused the issue but by trial and more Error I found where the tube was leaking.

 

 

Rich Hartung

[desoto1939]

Got the tire fixed today. They took the tire off the rim, took the tube out and there was a small cut in the tube.  On the stem it is stamped radial. So the tube must have moved or some how got a cut in it. They did not find anything inthe tire and even checked the rim.

 

Go figure.  The tube is still holding some air so I do not know what happened.

 

I will keep checking the tire to make sure it hold air.

 

Rich Hartung

[kencombs]

I think you mentioned that the tire was no longer seated on the rim.   That collapse could well be the cause of the tube damage and possibly after the valve core leaked enough to cause it.   

 

I don't know what era wheels you have, but very early wheels did not have a retaining bead formed into the rim just inside the bead seating area.  

If yours don't you, it would be worthwhile in my mind to upgrade. 

[desoto1939]

49 minutes ago, kencombs said:

I think you mentioned that the tire was no longer seated on the rim.   That collapse could well be the cause of the tube damage and possibly after the valve core leaked enough to cause it.   

 

I don't know what era wheels you have, but very early wheels did not have a retaining bead formed into the rim just inside the bead seating area.  

If yours don't you, it would be worthwhile in my mind to upgrade. 

Ken:  These were the original steel rims 16 in that were delivered with the car. I have been running these rims for 34 years and since the car is a 39  the rims are approx 83 years old.  This is the first time that I have had an issue with a tire and or rim.  I am going to watch this rim a tire real close but I just think it was a wierd issue and might have been casue by some of the very rough roads we travel on that day there were some rocky roads that were not good at all.

 

Thanks for the advise on the upgrade on the rims.  That would have been around 1941 the rims had the safety bead.

 

Rich Hartung