Wheel arches deflating tyes

ERICS_MUM

There was a thread on this sometime ago but a search has failed to find so apologies for repeating the question.

One of the tyres on my 17 year old Toyota Avensis keeps losing pressure although several garages have been unable to find a puncture. One of them suggested that it might be some corrosion or other damage in the wheel arch that is pressing against the tyre wall and gradually deflating it.

Does this sound feasible and if so, what can I do about it ? At the mo I just re-inflate it every 2 weeks or so but don't know if this will affect the tyre or if it's legal to drive with it.

As the car is 17 years old I don't want major expense but in all other respects its still a good runner which I had from new and have kept well maintained.

Advice gratefully received, thanks as always

EM

Ebe_Scrooge

Sounds very odd. If there were something in the wheel arch, you'd be able to check this yourself very easily - just get a torch and have a good look / feel around.

I have heard of wheels going porous - the wheel itself lets air leech through it very gradually. Sound odd, I wouldn't have thought metal could be porous, but there you go.

I'm a bit surprised a garage hasn't been able to find the cause. If you're looking for a cheap fix, how about putting the spare on and using that ( assuming it's a proper full-sized spare ). Keep the dodgy tyre as a spare, and just keep a good old-fashioned foot pump in the boot, so that if you ever need the spare, and it's flat, you can pump it up.

chrisw

If it was the wheel arch pressing on it, there would be a long cut in the sidewall.
It could be the valve but as the garage can't find the leak it may be that it's not sealing properly at the beading where the tyre meets the rim. This could leak/ not leak as the tyre rotates and the cars weight is shifted round. Or it could just be that the alloy has become porous.

It's not really illegal as such, but it is unlikely that the tyre will ever be at the correct pressure other than briefly when it's pumped up. This could affect tyre wear and fuel consumption and potentially contribute to an accident if too far off the recommended pressure.

I would say it depends on use - I wouldn't want to travel too far or at high speed, but my wife's car had a similar problem tootling round town and I just pumped the tyre up every 2 weeks like you suggested for 3 years.

facade

They mean the wheel rim.

Alloy wheels often suffer from this, the slightest chip/ding/mark at the rim and corrosion gets under the paint, then the powdery corrosion lifts the tyre off the rim slightly, and allows the air out.

The cure is to have the wheels refurbished @ about £45 each, a shorterm cure is to get a tyre fitter to remove the tyre, wirebrush the corrosion off, then refit with some sealant.
A midterm cure is to get the tyre off, take the wheel home, remove all the corrosion with wet'n'dry paper, then spray 2 or 3 coats of lacquer over the inside of the rim, leave to dry for 24 hours and have the tyre refitted.

patman99

You would know if the bodywork was catching the wheel or tyre as it would actually cut the tyre.

Slowly_does_it..

Agree with facade, problems with the rubber not sealing on the rim is a common-ish cause, good remedial methods there.

I have had a tyre leak through the thick part of the tread all the way around. Tyre was only about 3 yrs old, and was still very much road legal. Pump up and pour some fairly strong water and dishwashing up soap to look for bubbles.

custardy

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

There was a thread on this sometime ago but a search has failed to find so apologies for repeating the question.

One of the tyres on my 17 year old Toyota Avensis keeps losing pressure although several garages have been unable to find a puncture. One of them suggested that it might be some corrosion or other damage in the wheel arch that is pressing against the tyre wall and gradually deflating it.

Does this sound feasible and if so, what can I do about it ? At the mo I just re-inflate it every 2 weeks or so but don't know if this will affect the tyre or if it's legal to drive with it.

As the car is 17 years old I don't want major expense but in all other respects its still a good runner which I had from new and have kept well maintained.

Advice gratefully received, thanks as always

EM

You sure they didnt say the wheel rim?
Which is what the tyre is fitted to

toffifee

I agree with facade, it sounds like the wheel rim. I had the same problem on my car. Don't leave it too long to get it sorted - by the time the penny dropped and I took it in to have the wheels refurbished (they were all starting to go) the one causing the problem was too far gone and I had to buy a new one, for considerably more than £45.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Fill something large enough to dunk at least 1/4 of the tyre/wheel at a time and find the leak exactly how we used to donkeys years ago on our bicycles.

Believe it or not lots of tyre fitting shops don't have and old Belfast sink or similar to find punctures any more, that would be too easy.

ERICS_MUM

thank you all for useful replies. Sounds like its the wheel rim problem. I will now sound like I know what I'm talking about when I take it into a workshop !

EM

Mankysteve

Alloys can go porous with age.

Also if you've got rust on the bead that can also cause problems and just needs a good clean.

Any rubbing by the arches would show as damage on the tire.