Leaking Tire Rims

[coppens1]

Dear Fellow Lexus Owners, I have 2 ES300s, a 98 and an 01.  Both are losing air from the tires incessantly.  I think the problem is corrosion of the alloy rims.  Has anyone else had this problem?

One solution is to replace the rims, very expensive.  Another solution is to break down all 4 tires, clean the rims, and remount the tires, which is kind of expensive. and will recur.

Has anyone injected tire sealant through the tire valve to fix this?  You have to drive the car right after, so that the sealant spreads to any leaks in the tire. 

JC  

[RX400h]

Jim, did you apply soapy water to the tire, its stem, and the tire to rim interface?
Checking the tire/rim bead should be free at a Discount Tire store, especially if you've purchased from them previously.

I would not recommend tire sealant. This made to be temporary, only.

[coppens1]

Thanks for your response, RX400H.  Actually there is at least one tire sealant product especially for this problem:  TireJect.  I have researched it, and it looks good.  But I would like to talk with some people who have tried automotive tire sealant products.  Jim

[RX400h]

Jim, I have read that many leaking wheel/tire interfaces can be fixed by a thorough cleaning. You may not need to do anything else. I would also call your local tire shop and ask how they feel about your choice of sealant. I would think that they've seen many wheels that were coated with tire sealant. In other words, what do the experts think?

[coppens1]

Thanks, RX400h. 

I have spoken to my tire repair guy about it.  He said that it may affect the balance of the tire, but agreed to help me test the theory.

As I have said, TireJect looks good.  But I would like to talk with some people who have actually used it.  

[coppens1]

I just found the following on the Cadillac forum.

https://www.cadillacforums.com/threads/tireject-automotive-tire-sealant.1077480/