1980 XS 1100 G-- Slow leak from front wheel valve stem?

[jerro]

Hi all, i have a slow leak from the front wheel valve stem which i found out when i poured some soapy water over the valve after taking her out for a round the block spin and finding that the front tire was only 5psi!, the bubbles come out from the base of the stem where it goes into the alloy rim hole. What i wanted to ask was--what is the effect of using a tin of puncture sealing aerosol on a tubeless tire please. I`m thinking to just put in a tin of this to seal the valve stem. I don`t want to give it to the `shop` and get charged $60 for a new stem fitting!!--Any thoughts welcome.--Cheers.

[haywardguy929]

How about a little "Stop Leak" I know lots of people don't like it but if your going to replace the tire in the near future it could be an option. I don't think it should effect the balance seeing as how you run the bike like directed.
I'm talking about a quick shot of it not a big blast of it. Just throwing it out there as a cheap option.

[natemoen]

You could break the bead on the tire by the valve stem, pull the valve stem out clean and polish up the area around the valve stem and then put the valve stem back in with new rubber washers.

It will be hard to get the tire sealer to the valve stem since it is on the wrong side of where the sealer is going to be.

[DAVINCI]

If your life is not worth more than $60, run with it. Otherwise, get it fixed right.

[crazy steve]

You don't need to remove the tire to change the valve stem (although it's usually easier to do so), you can just break the bead near the stem and change it out that way...

[MaximPhil]

Have you tried tightening the nut?
Just a thought ,and no it did not fix mine either
Over time the area that the washer seals against on the inside corrodes and the rubber ages too.
Phil

[trbig]

Don't they just have a regular rubber valve stem like a car tire? Probably just corrosion around the plug. As Nate said, break the bead and clean it up. It might be a pain, but it might be possible to do while still on the bike. And NO... that Fix-a-Flat stuff only works on the outer circumference (Tread pattern) of the tire, not the rim. Most of it is only for temporary fixes anyway and very corrosive.

[fredintoon]

Hi all, i have a slow leak from the front wheel valve stem which i found out when i poured some soapy water over the valve after taking her out for a round the block spin and finding that the front tire was only 5psi!, the bubbles come out from the base of the stem where it goes into the alloy rim hole. What i wanted to ask was--what is the effect of using a tin of puncture sealing aerosol on a tubeless tire please. I`m thinking to just put in a tin of this to seal the valve stem. I don`t want to give it to the `shop` and get charged $60 for a new stem fitting!!--Any thoughts welcome.--Cheers.

Hi Jerro,
I carry a can of fix-a-flat in the sidecar but it's only to get the rig off the highway to the nearest place the tire can be fixed in safety.
That stuff is really not meant for long term use.
Try slacking off the nut that holds the stem in, shoving the valve inwards, squirting RTV compound around the stem then re-tightening the nut.
If the tire pressure stays constant over time, the fix worked.
But $60 to change a valve stem?
Is that a quote or a guess?