Tubeless valve leaks

davidof

I know, I know, I said road tubeless was the work of the devil and I would never go back but I have some Cero tubeless ready wheels and lots of tires hanging around so I was tempted.

Front wheel more or less flawless install.
Rear has been a right a PITA. Took quite a while to get the leaks round the bead sealed but it is still leaking around the valve - enough to go down to 2 bar over 4 hours. Not great for long rides.

The leak is between the hole and valve stem. This is what I've tried.

1. different valve stem
2. gaffa tape around the hole
3. double o rings
4. dipping valve stem in sealing fluid
5. pouring sealing fluid around the stem and rim
6. tightening valve stem to the max

I'm looking for some more good ideas.

The problem seems to be the elliptical shape of the Cero rims which means the o ring doesn't clamp down all the way around the valve hole and the valve hole is not a tight seal. I'm thinking of sourcing a fatter o ring.

Of course in theory the air shouldn't be leaking anyway as the stem has a rubber end which should seal from the inside.

mully79

I assume road rims are double wall like mtb rims ? if so the valve seals on the inner wall and any air leaks through the spoke holes or anywhere else for that matter show themselves at the valve stem as air passes between the two walls bypassing the valve stem seal.

lesfirth

As Mully says above.

thistle_

Are the front and rear rims the same?
If the they are then if the front seals, the rear should too. If not, what's different that might stop it sealing,?

davidof

Yes same rims

davidof

mully79 said:

I assume road rims are double wall like mtb rims ? if so the valve seals on the inner wall and any air leaks through the spoke holes or anywhere else for that matter show themselves at the valve stem as air passes between the two walls bypassing the valve stem seal.

so the answer is to re do the rim tape?

mikecassie

Hi, different valves? Some valves come with different rubber seals for a better interface between the valve and the rim.
I had the same, one wheel was a doddle. The other wheel refused to seal. After much questioning of parentage, I thought I found a the fault which was the way the valve sat in the valley of the rim.
Bought Muc-Off valves with a variety of sealing rubbers and first time with them it worked.

david37

What Mully said and faced with this issue I would remove the rim tape and re do it. Or if theres bags of room in there maybe just try a small section of gorilla tape over the valve hole.

joe_totale-2

I'd definitely redo the tape, TBH I often find the quality of taping from wheels I've bought to not be great.

I always wrap with 2 layers of rim tape, well three over the valve hole as you start just before it.
It might make it a bit tighter to get the tyre on but I find it makes it much easier to seat the tyre.

rj2013

I had the same on my front tyre recently, it would slowly go down and only at home when I wasn't using it weirdly. turns out the rim tape needed re-doing and its been fine ever since I did it. As the others say, there's no benefit to trying to seal it anywhere other than inside the rim, it wont work.

davidof

ok thanks guys, I'm going to bite the bullet and retape, it's going to be messy though.

lesfirth

davidof said:

ok thanks guys, I'm going to bite the bullet and retape, it's going to be messy though.

This is the down side, where any enthusiasm you have for tubeless disappears very quickly.

joe_totale-2

lesfirth said:

davidof said:

ok thanks guys, I'm going to bite the bullet and retape, it's going to be messy though.

This is the down side, where any enthusiasm you have for tubeless disappears very quickly.

However, the first time a tyre seals itself that enthusiasm rushes back.
The puncture that doesn't seal though, that's a different story...

reaperactual

Or in back to those separate rubber tube thingy's and when you get a puncture you can spend 10 minutes repairing it or replacing it with a new one, like we did in the olden days? 🤪😂

david37

reaperactual said:

Or in back to those separate rubber tube thingy's and when you get a puncture you can spend 10 minutes repairing it or replacing it with a new one, like we did in the olden days? 🤪😂

10 minutes??????? 3 and then youre on your own. Unless youre female then a little more time and possibly assistance will be given.

webboo

It takes me at least 3 minutes to fish my tyre levers out my jersey pocket.

reaperactual

Lol! 🤣😂 Maybe more like 20 minutes then. I have been told I look good in a dress if that helps? 💃👍

david37

reaperactual said:

Lol! 🤣😂 Maybe more like 20 minutes then. I have been told I look good in a dress if that helps? 💃👍

are you blond or brunette?

reaperactual

Ha, ha, 😂 Whichever you prefer david37? I could dye my beard too. 🧔🙈

Where I ride I'd get beat up rather than helped, also there's the chafing issue so only get dolled up at home! 💃🤕🙊😂

davidof

lesfirth said:

davidof said:

ok thanks guys, I'm going to bite the bullet and retape, it's going to be messy though.

This is the down side, where any enthusiasm you have for tubeless disappears very quickly.

retaping seems to be the solution but my retape blew at one of the spoke holes so now waiting to get some more rim tape.

It was moderately messy as there wasn't too much liquid in the tire. Not too bad.

denis992

After a year of trying to get half a dozen different makes of tubeless valve to seal on my DT Swiss wheels (and destroying several tyres in the process), I used the DT Swiss recommended solution to resolves.

When fitting the valve apply some "Shoe goo" to the base of the valve. Fit the valve, wait for the glue to set and then proceed as normal.

The issue is some DT Swiss wheel bed profiles are so convoluted that the valve will never seal 100%, no matter what you do. You might be suffering the same issue.

denis992

sophiaDjames691 said:

I have also tubeless valve but i didn't faced that.

I have three sets of tubeless wheels (2*DT Swiss, 1*Mavic"), just the one set of DT Swiss, which are a really odd shape inside, had the issue.

Tending to apply it to all valves now anyway, just in case.

davidof

denis992 said:

After a year of trying to get half a dozen different makes of tubeless valve to seal on my DT Swiss wheels (and destroying several tyres in the process), I used the DT Swiss recommended solution to resolves.

When fitting the valve apply some "Shoe goo" to the base of the valve. Fit the valve, wait for the glue to set and then proceed as normal.

The issue is some DT Swiss wheel bed profiles are so convoluted that the valve will never seal 100%, no matter what you do. You might be suffering the same issue.

Yes it might be that. I retaped the rim but still the same problem.
I wonder if you can get shoe goo in France?

These new fangled "inner tube" thingies sound like the ideal solution to tubeless valve woes plus you don't have all that messy sealant stuff sloshing around everywhere.

denis992

davidof said:

denis992 said:

After a year of trying to get half a dozen different makes of tubeless valve to seal on my DT Swiss wheels (and destroying several tyres in the process), I used the DT Swiss recommended solution to resolves.

When fitting the valve apply some "Shoe goo" to the base of the valve. Fit the valve, wait for the glue to set and then proceed as normal.

The issue is some DT Swiss wheel bed profiles are so convoluted that the valve will never seal 100%, no matter what you do. You might be suffering the same issue.

Yes it might be that. I retaped the rim but still the same problem.
I wonder if you can get shoe goo in France?

These new fangled "inner tube" thingies sound like the ideal solution to tubeless valve woes plus you don't have all that messy sealant stuff sloshing around everywhere.

You can get anything anywhere on eBay!

davidof

Given up after trying with uhu elastic shoe glue.
Difficult to tell what the issue really, I tend to agree with the comments above that it is leaking via inside of the rim but have cleaned everything up and reinspected and it is not clear where the air is coming from.

The Hutchinson Fusion 5 were good though - cheap (about 20 euros) and easy to fit with a track pump.

Have put a tube in now.

This is my 3rd road tubeless setup. My conclusion is that only the proper road tubless wheels are reliable (Shimano 6800 etc). The pressures are too high otherwise.

I'm no luddite, I converted my son's mtb to tubeless last weekend and that using non-tubeless rims. No major issues.

davidof

Ok I've come back to this problem and things finally seem to be cured:
1. bought a different valve stem but not sure this was the real issue
2. retaped but with some wider mountain bike tape
3. tried a lighter sealant (Jo's)

I think the lighter sealant was the key as a dry fit still showed a small leak (I couldnt't hear it but the tire deflated over a morning) but the wider tape also helped.

I now have to try to fix my son's leaking MTB wheel (started to leak after he dinged the rim on rocks) which has been "off road" for 2 weeks now.