I'm having problems with one tire going flat whenever there's a cold snap. I know the cold makes the air contract, etc., etc. but my question is this. Does this signify a rim problem with a possible bent lip or can it be a valve stem issue as well?

 

could be either and also hole in tire. cold makes the rubber stiff and could allow air to get out because the tire or valve is not flexable. next time it gets cold fill her up and run some soapy water over all the places and see if u get bubbles.

 

Yeah, I was thinking about finding a barrel/tub that is big enough to drop it in and see if any bubbles comes up. When I got new tires last time I didn't notice it till I got home but only one tire had a new valve stem and the one with the old one is the one going flat.

With the cold snap that's happened over the weekend the past few days it goes flat within 16hrs.

 

Do you have caps on the valve stems? If moisture gets into the stem, it will freeze and could pop the valve open a little. That or your valve stem is just shot. You can unscrew and replace the inner portion of the stem, that's the part that actually holds the air in. Unless your valve stem is cracked, but that would leak hot or cold.

 

Yeah, I have caps on them. I've thought about the valve not being tight in there also but I don't know if that would cause it to go flat faster during the cold snap. I meant to swing by the parts store at lunch and pick up a valve stem tool but forgot. I'll do it on my way home.

 

As long as you'll be farting around with it, you might as well pick up some inner valve stems, they're cheap. It's only a little spring loaded tapered rubber plunger seat that seals it, and it could be bad. (damn that's a long description)

 

Ha ha, I follow ya. I'll grab some while I'm there.

 

Installed a new valve stem core and we'll see if it's still holding air in the morning. I filled it up when I went to work this morning and when I got home it was already flat. I put a 6x6 underneath the frame rail so it wouldn't rest on the rim and when I got home it was sitting on it.

 

u know u can just put some spit on the end of the stem and see if air is coming out. makes a bubble.

 

Well I don't think that's it. Did the new cores and came out this morning and still flat. I'll pull it one day this week after work and see if I can find it. I'm just worried that with it taking so long to lose air I won't really see any bubbles or anything.