Flat tire, fix a flat?

SeanRN · 04-22-2016, 06:59 AM

Good Morning,

Trading my 40 foot park model on a Cruiser 5th wheel. Staying on my seasonal site this year. The campground owner pulled my existing trailer out without any problems so I can prep the pad for the 5th wheel, however 3 days later there is a flat.

I checked all 4 tires last weekend, all fully inflated, didn't need to add any air. The tires have been covered since it was parked and they are up on wood, not in the dirt. No visible dry rot or problems noted.

Didn't get much more information on the flat and it's 90 minutes away, so won't know until I get there tomorrow if it's a hole in the sidewall or something like that. When they pulled the trailer from the site, there was a lot of back and forth, had to use planks, not an easy in and out site. I'm guessing it's probably the rim seal?

Now to the question, anyone ever used fix-a-flat? I'm thinking if there is no visible damage or puncture I'm going to use my house jack to take the pressure off the tire, use some dish soap and water around the rim and reinflate it, then lower it while I do other things on the site, see if it holds. If not, I was thinking of using fix-a-flat. I normally don't like that stuff, but I'm trading it and it's going to go to the dealer and probably another camp ground somewhere. Thoughts?

Russb · 04-22-2016, 07:09 AM

I would bring a tire plug kit as well to fix a nail puncture etc.

**Lloyd** · 04-22-2016, 07:38 AM

Could even be a rotten valve stem.

SeanRN · 04-22-2016, 08:31 AM

I didn't think of the valve stem. My wife said the same thing. I'm going to just plan to take the tire off and bring it to a repair shop. Thanks folks.

hondavalk · 04-22-2016, 08:37 AM

FixAFlat uses R134A, the same thing your car’s air-conditioner uses, as a propellant. Fix-A-Flat is water based. When R134A and water mix, they become corrosive. The result is quite capable of eating away at paint, aluminum, and rubber.
I had to replace an aluminum rim on a motorcycle because it pitted the bead seal, so if your wheels are aluminum get the sealant cleaned out as soon as you can.

SeanRN · 04-22-2016, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondavalk

FixAFlat uses R134A, the same thing your car’s air-conditioner uses, as a propellant. Fix-A-Flat is water based. When R134A and water mix, they become corrosive. The result is quite capable of eating away at paint, aluminum, and rubber.
I had to replace an aluminum rim on a motorcycle because it pitted the bead seal, so if your wheels are aluminum get the sealant cleaned out as soon as you can.

The trailer has steel wheels. I'm trading the unit, but I don't want to cause problems for the next owner. I'm just time limited and afraid getting the tire off is going to be a beast. I do have Good Sam though........

breams · 04-22-2016, 09:08 AM

Couple of notes that might help you.
I also had problems with the rim seal to the rubber tire on a motorcycle with alum. rims. Made no difference how many times the rim was buffed or polished. Tire would be flat two days later. finally put half a bottle of green slime in it and rode ten miles to make sure it was dispersed evenly. Tire has been holding pressure for over a year now.
2nd comment, you mentioned you thought the tire may have lost seal to rim. If a tire has completely collapsed away from the rim the best way to get it to seal is to use starter fluid, brake cleaner or contact cleaner. Squirk some inside the tire with tire laying flat on ground. spray a trail from tire approx. 3 feet away from tire, more if you want. Strike a match or lighter to end of trail and 'POP' the tire will be sealed to the rim and ready to be aired up. Remember Safety first.

travelin texans · 04-22-2016, 10:47 AM

After the last post, I think you would be much safer taking it to a tire store. Green Slime & Fix a Flat are great for bicycles, but wouldn't use them on anything else, plus if you have used them you need to be sure to inform anyone that will be removing that tire. Some tire stores will not repair a tire that has had that stuff in it.

SeanRN · 04-22-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breams

If a tire has completely collapsed away from the rim the best way to get it to seal is to use starter fluid, brake cleaner or contact cleaner. Squirk some inside the tire with tire laying flat on ground. spray a trail from tire approx. 3 feet away from tire, more if you want. Strike a match or lighter to end of trail and 'POP' the tire will be sealed to the rim and ready to be aired up. Remember Safety first.

Yikes!

SeanRN · 04-22-2016, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

After the last post, I think you would be much safer taking it to a tire store. Green Slime & Fix a Flat are great for bicycles, but wouldn't use them on anything else, plus if you have used them you need to be sure to inform anyone that will be removing that tire. Some tire stores will not repair a tire that has had that stuff in it.

The dealers are used to pulling park models that have sat for more years than mine. If the campground owner hadn't pulled the unit from the site it would have made it the dealer 20 miles away. It took 3 days to go flat. I'm glad they pulled the unit, gives me a chance to rake the pad, blow leaves out from under the deck and level the area and place new boards for the new unit to sit on. If the delivery guy pulled it, I wouldn't have time to do all that other maintenence and would be rushing to get it done while he/she dropped the TT and reconnected the 5th wheel.

dedmiston · 04-22-2016, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanRN

The dealers are used to pulling park models that have sat for more years than mine. If the campground owner hadn't pulled the unit from the site it would have made it the dealer 20 miles away. It took 3 days to go flat. I'm glad they pulled the unit, gives me a chance to rake the pad, blow leaves out from under the deck and level the area and place new boards for the new unit to sit on. If the delivery guy pulled it, I wouldn't have time to do all that other maintenence and would be rushing to get it done while he/she dropped the TT and reconnected the 5th wheel.

This too shall pass. Hang in there.

r2millers · 04-25-2016, 11:10 AM

If it was the bead, it probably happened from the tire pressure being too low. Something you might check the next time before you move.
You can buy a product called bead seal that's made just for that purpose. Many chromed rims will deteriate over time, preventing a good bead seal and needing this product. It's a black gooey stuff that works great, but you really need to remove the tire first.

If not, use Sean's method or dynamite. Either would probably work!

SeanRN · 04-25-2016, 11:30 AM

Oh woe is me.... Saturday I got to the trailer and the tire is sitting on the rim. I put my floor jack under frame and jacked up the tire as much as I could but not high enough to get the tire off. The trailer weighs 14,000 pounds. So I added air to the tire and to my surprise and excitement the tire took air and I was able to pump it up to the recommended 80 PSI. I let the jack down and went about cleaning up leaves and other tasks. Two hours later and the tire is down to 50 PSI. So I filled it again without the jack, it went up to the 80 PSI. I covered the tire and rim with soapy water but found no obvious leaks, nothing in the treads or damage to the side walls. I checked again two hours later and the tire was down to 50 PSI again. I can't get the tire off, I don't have a jack that will lift it high enough to get the tire off or a vehicle to pull it up onto boards so the problem tire is off the ground. So I left the jack under the trailer to keep some weight off the tire from going flat and sitting on the rim. I'm going to add fix-a-flat and pump the tire up before the delivery guy comes to swap the park model for my 5th wheel. I talked with a friend of mine who does transport and he said they deal with this stuff all the time. He said the delivery guys carry fix-a-flat in their trucks.

**mark5w** · 04-25-2016, 02:40 PM

Place some boards under the jack and then raise it up. You should then be able to get the tire off.

cowboy_71 · 04-25-2016, 04:27 PM

Did you try soap on and around the valve stem?

r2millers · 04-29-2016, 04:29 PM

I'm not sure I'd stand too close to a tire that's old, sat in one place for a long time, developed a flat, however it happened. I do know I wouldn't want to be near a tire pumped to 80 psi.
I know of tractor tire that blew when filling and killed someone years ago.

SeanRN · 05-03-2016, 04:55 AM

The tire said 80 psi. Didn't have any problems.

I ended up replacing the tire with a slow leak. It had small tear in the side wall. I suspect the campground owner hit the deck with the tire when taking the trailer off site. The deck was moved when I got there after the old trailer off the site.

I wish they had just told me they hit the deck, I would have looked closer for a tear. It's not like I would be upset, they did me a favor and I could have moved the deck if I had to.

Oh well, the new Cruiser is in and the old park model is at the dealer.

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