Stock Rims And Chrome. Slow Air Leak From Tires.

[decypher]

Greetings,

I've got stock rims on my baby. She's 14 years old by now so I think some of the chrome is starting to flake off. The flaking is only present in a few areas near the spokes. I've no reason to believe it's not flaking anywhere else though.

I've had the car for two years and certain tires cannot hold air for more than a month without needing to be pumped up again. Before filling one up the other day it was down to 15-20psi. My tire guy says I will be fighting this as long as I have the car. I assume he really means as long as I have the rims in their current condition. I've had new tires put on there(not to fix the problem but because it was time) and I even had the tire shop rebuff the rims. Didn't help.

Have any of you experienced this problem? Would the problem go away if I had the rims re-chromed? It obviously would go away if I got new rims, correct?

Thanks,

Decypher

1995 SC300 150,000 and purrs like a kitten. A really big, buff kitten.

[smooth1]

The chrome flaking has nothing to do with it's ability to hold air. You must have a crack somewhere, or the rims themselves don't have a very good bead seat for the tires to sit inside the rim lip which is letting out some air. Either way, yeah, you need new rims.

[grnsc40095]

decypher, Two possible fix for chrome rims leaking air.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_cen...ve/1272071.html

http://reviews.ebay.com/Guide-to-fixing-Ch...CAT:-1:SEARCH:3

[Dreamwalker]

Have you tried buying new valve stems for your wheels? Do you have any curb rash that is significant? I have a slow leak in one of my stock rims but thats because I hit the metal guard on a sewer drain near my house. Valve stems are cheaper than new rims and might fix the problem considering you already bought new tires.