Sealing "tubeless" valves in "standard" rims

rafletcher
rafletcher Posts: 1,235
edited January 2015 in Workshop
What, if anything, do you do/use to ensure an airtight seal at the valve seat when fitting them to converted (taped) non-tubeless rims? Tried my first conversion today, on a Mavic Askium One rim, and the only issue I have is slow leakage from where the valve seats to the rim tape. The rims had a good plastic Mavic tape on already, and I added a couple more layers of packing tape. Needed a CO2 cartridge to get the bead seated first time, but otherwise all good - except of course the leak! I've added around 30ml of sealant and given it a good shake. And tightened the valve stem nut pretty well. Maybe letting it bed in for a couple of days may solve the problem.

Comments

  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    I'd imagine that the valve is not seating well enough into the valve hole on the standard rim tape. What type of rim tape did they come with already installed? Regardless of what it was, I would bin it and use two layers of Stans Yellow Tape instead. I would also stick with Stans valves too. When inflating for the first time, make sure the wheel is off the ground, as that helps sometimes.
    N
    N+1
  • rafletcher
    rafletcher Posts: 1,235
    I used two layers of packing tape (I tried Stans but it's got a habit of splitting when I use it). The valves are Stans also. I agree it's a seating problem, the rims aren't meant for tubeless, and of course the valves are "seating" onto the installed tape. Maybe I just need to tighten the valve stem nut more!
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    are you sure it's the valve that is leaking?

    I use stans valves, and tighten them down tight, with a little superglue, and they are fine (done maybe 10 sets now). The conical shape of the stans valve usually means it jams in the valve hole pretty tight.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • JoostG
    JoostG Posts: 189
    maddog 2 wrote:
    are you sure it's the valve that is leaking?

    I use stans valves, and tighten them down tight, with a little superglue, and they are fine (done maybe 10 sets now). The conical shape of the stans valve usually means it jams in the valve hole pretty tight.

    Good question. It is more than likely that spoke hole(s) are leaking and you will notice this best at the valve.

    Do you have an old inner tube laying around? You can try the use that valve, or you could cut out a peace of rubber and put that over the end of the valve, so you'll have more material to seal all.
  • rafletcher
    rafletcher Posts: 1,235
    maddog 2 wrote:
    are you sure it's the valve that is leaking?

    I use stans valves, and tighten them down tight, with a little superglue, and they are fine (done maybe 10 sets now). The conical shape of the stans valve usually means it jams in the valve hole pretty tight.

    Given the soapy bubbles, yes pretty sure. Maybe my mistake was not clearing the tape away from the valve hole to allow the rubber cone to seat to the metal of the rim..

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