Bead Leaks

[nU7OuxIx]

I am intrigued by this. I’m not an expert and everyone’s terrain is different.

Although you have removed air to get to 20psi, a lot of people here wouldn’t consider that aired down. Non bead locks being run at 10, 12 or 15 on the high end is common. Has this happened to every one of your wheels at different times? Are you getting stuck and just spinning trying to get out and that’s what is forcing debris between the tire and wheel? Do the leaks happen on the inner and outer edges of the wheels? I believe you, just trying to understand.

On my 2021, I know for sure it happened to the passenger front and the drivers rear, at different times. It's been so long, I can't remember other times, but I know I've been to that tire shop more than twice. For the passenger side front, I know I that I hit a pretty large pothole pretty hard on my way to the parking lot from the offroad park. I honestly can't remember the other ones.

On my 2025, it just happened on my driver side rear, but I've only wheeled once with it. I'm pretty sure I wasn't spinning my tires....if I did it wasn't noticeable or on purpose. I know there was a tank trap in one section where most people got stuck, but I made it through fine. I know there were also some large bumps on the trail.

Every leak that I've encountered has happened on the outer edge of the wheel. I've never had a leak on the inside. It's kind of why I feel like I smack something, which lodges dirt in it and the headache begins.

Thanks for the troubleshooting as well. I really need to air down more because there's areas of sugar sand where I get stuck in, but I am afraid to air down more just because of my experiences plus I'm in the middle of nowhere.

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[nU7OuxIx]

It's a simple tool. There are videos. You still need a couple tire spoons/irons, but it's easy work as long as it's not 100F outside. I'm old and can do it with 37s.

As for re-setting the bead. No compressor has enough flow in some cases. If you play at low pressures, eventually you'll push a bead off. I recommend you learn to use starter fluid to re-set the bead. Unfortunately all the TV show hype has these idiots using about 3 or 4 times as much fluid as needed and making a scary looking spectacle...all for the show, of course. This video is me using a modest amount of fluid to seat the bead. No big fireball or loud boom. Just pop and its done. You can do it without jacking, but it takes a lot more fluid.

That is a fabulous video, thank you. Many of the ones I've seen have showed the wheel go flying in the air. I'm glad to see that this can be done without causing a massive fireball.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

Mike, is it possible you are airing-down too far? We deal with about the same thing here in FL - sand, mud, and tree roots. I never air down below 25, and many times I am running my normal street pressure of 30 - and I don’t get stuck, nor have I ever developed a similar leak.

Thank you. Possibly? I always thought 15 was low for non-beadlocks. Maybe I should just go down to 25? Honestly, when this happens, I would say I'm around 20psi.

The only reason why I think about airing down more is because getting to the campsite, I need to drive through this really deep and fine sand. Last year I got stuck going out there, and this year, I got stuck leaving. We have some sand dunes up here (Silver Lake) and people recommend dropping it down to 15psi.

I have yet to get stuck at Silver Lake at 15psi, but I don't want to go that far for the campsite. The campsite is in an extremely remote area and there's no tire shops in the vicinity for hours.

 

[AlgUSF]

That is a fabulous video, thank you. Many of the ones I've seen have showed the wheel go flying in the air. I'm glad to see that this can be done without causing a massive fireball.

I like the ones where the dude is smoking a cigarette while spraying the ether into the tire.

 

[Terrymo]

On my 2021, I know for sure it happened to the passenger front and the drivers rear, at different times. It's been so long, I can't remember other times, but I know I've been to that tire shop more than twice. For the passenger side front, I know I that I hit a pretty large pothole pretty hard on my way to the parking lot from the offroad park. I honestly can't remember the other ones.

On my 2025, it just happened on my driver side rear, but I've only wheeled once with it. I'm pretty sure I wasn't spinning my tires....if I did it wasn't noticeable or on purpose. I know there was a tank trap in one section where most people got stuck, but I made it through fine. I know there were also some large bumps on the trail.

Every leak that I've encountered has happened on the outer edge of the wheel. I've never had a leak on the inside. It's kind of why I feel like I smack something, which lodges dirt in it and the headache begins.

Thanks for the troubleshooting as well. I really need to air down more because there's areas of sugar sand where I get stuck in, but I am afraid to air down more just because of my experiences plus I'm in the middle of nowhere.

Yeah I get it. You don’t want to temp fate and get stuck. I have the 23 XR wheels and I’ve not been kind to them. Other than scraping them up and puncturing two sidewalls I’ve never had a leak from debris. I wonder if there is something different about the later style wheel. Anyway it doesn’t matter. If you don’t have confidence in the wheel that’s not a good feeling,

 

[Wabujitsu]

See now this is why this topic is so interesting to me. My frame of reference is just local. Do you feel going from 30 to 25 is noticeably beneficial? I think I’m lazy enough for only 5psi I wouldn’t bother.

Frankly, no. I didn’t notice a difference the one time I aired down to 25.

 

[Ratbert]

Frankly, no. I didn’t notice a difference the one time I aired down to 25.

I'm not sure why someone would spend the time to "air down", but not go down to at least 15-ish. I drop to 12 when it's going to be relatively challenging. 10 for the more insane stuff.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Can you explain what you’re doing at the end with the pry bar (tire spoon?) and why?
Thanks

I'm damaging that wheel. I was trying to hit the tire, but my nearsited old ass couldn't hit the tire on the first swing.

The reason I was trying to hit the tire was to push the sidewall/bead down for the flame to ignite the vapor in the tire cavity. Second hit, it finally did it. You can just see the bead pop on. No big explosion. Just pop. And another dent in the wheel from the first strike

 

[Terrymo]

I'm damaging that wheel. I was trying to hit the tire, but my nearsited old ass couldn't hit the tire on the first swing.

The reason I was trying to hit the tire was to push the sidewall/bead down for the flame to ignite the vapor in the tire cavity. Second hit, it finally did it. You can just see the bead pop on. No big explosion. Just pop. And another dent in the wheel from the first strike

Ok I get it now thanks

 

[Wabujitsu]

I'm not sure why someone would spend the time to "air down", but not go down to at least 15-ish. I drop to 12 when it's going to be relatively challenging. 10 for the more insane stuff.

John, great points!

I’m an amateur off-road driver, compared to most of all y’all. I don’t get much opportunity for rock crawling, and when I do, it is mild. I get PLENTY of opportunities for deep sugar sand, deep mud, short but extreme-angle climbs and descents, and tree roots/logs. On the rare occasions I get stuck, it’s because I high-center my rig; I don’t lose forward momentum and then tire-dig myself down to the frame. Under these Florida wheeling conditions street pressures work just fine for me. Heck, street pressure worked fine for me in AZ too, albeit it took more time and a careful approach to get through some areas without airing down. I’m sure airing-down would help even more with my traction, but why make it easier? That’s not fun!

While serving in the Army, the HMMWV’s I drove endured some pretty gnarly conditions, without airing down; it wasn’t a “thing.” Getting stuck in training could get you a severe ass-chewing; getting stuck downrange could get you killed. I learned quickly how to improve my off-road skills.

 

[roaniecowpony]

That is a fabulous video, thank you. Many of the ones I've seen have showed the wheel go flying in the air. I'm glad to see that this can be done without causing a massive fireball.

Yeah, those idiots are why everyone is scared to death of using this relatively safe technique that could save your ass, or at the very least, could save you a lot of time.

I used this technique to reset the bead on all 5 tires after installing some Apex Rapid Deflator valves. I tried everything I had at home. Nothing worked until I tried this.

 

[Rogersocal]

Method Bead Grip 701 or 703 would be great i think

 

[Three92]

I have a problem where I'll air down to about 20 psi, hit something that will squish the tire in, have dirt and sand get stuck between the tire and wheel, and cause a small leak. That causes me to have to take the tire in, get it dismounted, cleaned, and remounted. Only once did I get grit in it where I actually had to change the tire on the trail. Most of the time, I'll be able to get back home and then take it in.

I'm trying to prevent this from happening. I *think* beadlocks would help, but I don't want the hassle and legality of using them. I've seen the Method 709-HD's with the bead grip technology that I'm thinking about.

Would the bead grip technology resolve this issue, or am I going to still have it because the grips only prevent the tire from coming off? For reference, I have the xtreme 35 tire package.

Our OEM BFG tires are fairly lightweight. Airing down to 20PSI might be a little too much for what you’re doing. I air down to 18, but you might be driving faster or crawling over more extreme rocks than I am. If I plan on driving over 25, I air up more.

Higher pressure would definitely help, but there’s always a compromise. If you can tolerate higher pressures, I’d start there. And truly ask yourself, are higher pressures truly preventing me from doing what I want to do?

Bead grip is on both sides and would certainly help. I would not describe bead grips as keeping the tire from coming off. I’d describe them as preventing the bead from unseating, which is exactly what you need.

Bead locks help, but this can happen on the inside bead as well. I know you don’t want bead locks, and especially double bead locks

Thicker sidewalls would also help. Mud terrain or some of the new RUGGED TERRAIN tires like Toyo Open Country RT PRO. That’s what I’ll install when my tires wear out.

 

[Ratbert]

John, great points!

I’m an amateur off-road driver, compared to most of all y’all. I don’t get much opportunity for rock crawling, and when I do, it is mild. I get PLENTY of opportunities for deep sugar sand, deep mud, short but extreme-angle climbs and descents, and tree roots/logs. On the rare occasions I get stuck, it’s because I high-center my rig; I don’t lose forward momentum and then tire-dig myself down to the frame. Under these Florida wheeling conditions street pressures work just fine for me. Heck, street pressure worked fine for me in AZ too, albeit it took more time and a careful approach to get through some areas without airing down. I’m sure airing-down would help even more with my traction, but why make it easier? That’s not fun!

While serving in the Army, the HMMWV’s I drove endured some pretty gnarly conditions, without airing down; it wasn’t a “thing.” Getting stuck in training could get you a severe ass-chewing; getting stuck downrange could get you killed. I learned quickly how to improve my off-road skills.

I'm pretty sure your HMMWVs aired up / down automatically for you when you selected the terrain you were on. It's such a massive benefit that they automated it.

 

[D00KEY]

Has been my experience having run double beadlocks for awhile that you'll never get it to go away. Even with internal inserts pushing on the bead crap still gets stuck in there. It's much less of a problem with doubles but the tire still pushing over the inserts allowing the gap to get filled up.

You just lessen your ability to have it become a problem.

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