[Closed] Tubeless - again - what have I done wrong here?

Would REALLY like to go for a ride tomorrow!

Ooo yeh, forgot about that

even if it was a problem with the taping, air almost always comes out of the valve hole as it's the biggest gap. It could be the valve but needn't be.

If it is the valve, a little dab of mastic works for me !

Like bath sealant?

I had this.

I just put some more stans in via the valve (with core removed obvs), then shook the buggery out of it with the valve at the lowest point.

problem solved.

Maybe I'll check it in the morning, clean the thread/nut on the valve, AND put more sealant in. Hedge my bets like.

Like bath sealant?

try tightening the ring on the valve to seal it better 99% of the time in the shop thats the issue the other 1% its the tape at the valve

The valve doesn't need to be insanely tight, although over tightening it will usually solve the problem. Until you need to remove it In the field. Problem with the tape - air escapes into rim cavity and out of the valve hole as scaredypants said.

I chuffed about with all that stuff then went "ghetto tubeless" and had none of the pain for a fraction of the price. No punctures in 2.5 years now.

I had a similar problem with one wheel, kept on tightening the valve(by hand) and managed to pull it right through the rim. I retaped the wheel, paying close attention to cutting the valve hole correctly, fitted a new valve and all was fine.

Do you have the small rubber ring around the valve on outside rim, it could of perished or come off when unscrewing the valve ring? Are you getting any inflation?

No rubber ring on the nut if that's what you mean. I take it there should be one? I wonder if a wrap of PFTE tape will do the job?

johni - Member
I chuffed about with all that stuff then went "ghetto tubeless" and had none of the pain for a fraction of the price.

I found that an oblong DT Swiss valve wasn't wide enough to cover the hole left by a round Stan's valve, so maybe the rubber on your valve is a bit deformed? A little rubber washer should do the trick

Basically take the tyre off and have a look if you've not done already, anything else is just guesswork. Scaredy is right, air coming out of the valve hole doesn't mean the problem is at the valve hole. Though everyone else is also right, those are all things that it might be.

Some valves are better than others- the superstar/WTB ones are the best I've used though, big conical "bung" which just seems like obviously the best way to do it.

Slight hijack - sorry!

Can someone give me an idea of the volume of the scoop used to put in Stans Fluid.
All the instructions I see online give the amount of fluid needed in scoops and I don't have a scoop!
Also, how many scoops do people put in a 26 x 2.4 tyre?

Cheers in advance.

Si

You don't need the rubber ring on the outside. You can't seal at that point, the sealing is at the line of the rimtape.

I would take it all off and inspect the tubeless tape. Maybe you lifted it, or nicked it slightly when putting the tyre on. If so, I would redo it with new tape, or carefully redo that area with lots of tape overlap. Given how cheap tape is, eg superstar, I would be inclined to do the lot again starting from a perfectly cleaned and dried rim for good adhesion.

Valve needs to be hand tight only. Don't get pliers on it as you'll only be causing problems later if you slash a tyre and need to get a tube in.

Stans scoop is 2 oz/ 60g. 26x2.4 - I would go 1.5 cups 3oz/90g

PTFE tape made no difference. I'll take it all apart tomorrow and start again. For today it has a tube in! Thanks for all the suggestions.

So, help out a dunce here - the specs for my rims are 23mm internal width, so which width tape do
I want - 19, 21 or 25mm?

They also do alloy and brass valves. Does it matter?

Prob 25mm. 21mm is for rims under 23 external, so about 21ish internal. You are 2mm over that so go for 25mm. Valves - I've got both and both are fine. Because you are mostly inflating with a track pump at home with tubeless, the extra strength of brass may not be necessary.

edit- I've got 21mm tape on pacenti cl25s. These are about 21-22mm internal width and 25mm external. Wouldn't go for a bigger rim with the same tape.

Thanks Yak - much appreciated.

Si

which rims are they? some rims like my old Arches have holes in the rim surface that need to be sealed by the yellow tape or the air/sealant leaks out and comes out the valve. Really need to make sure they are well covered.

Hope Tech Enduro

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/10554325/

For a picture

I've never got my tyres to seal on the rim before putting the fluid in. I know you're suppost to get the tyre to seal on it's own before putting the fluid in, but it never worked for me.

As soon as I put the fluid in, the tyre will seal after a few seconds of going at it with the track pump (a crap argos plastic one). A quick ride gets the bead to seat properly, and sloshes the fluid around enough to seal any holes.

Just rang Hope, they use 25mm, so that was easy!

thegreatape - Member

They also do alloy and brass valves. Does it matter?

They work just the same, the alu ones aren't going to be as strong mind but they're entire grams lighter and come in purty colours so I used those.

Only alloy in stock, so that'll have to do. Red is still fastest right?

Thegreatape , I had the same problem first time I tried tubeless.

Solution for me was to put a tube in & pump up as hard as I dare & leave for 24hrs. This will make sure the tape is pushed good & proper against the rim.

Then remove tube , add valve & sealant & hopefully inflate.

If any air is still escaping , hold the wheel , so that the valve is at 6 o'clock & allow the sealant to pool at the bottom , then quickly flip it so the valve is at the top.

Usually works for me.

thegreatape - Member

Red is still fastest right?

Mine are Murdered Out.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. The first wheels came all set up tubelss, it was only after they were replaced and I needed to swap the tyres over that I've had a problem, although they taped the new ones for me as well. That said, I've managed the front one fine, but must have done something wrong on the back one!

What's the best way of making the hole for the valve? I made a tiny split then just shoved the valve through 🙂 so perhaps that was a bit rough?

Surely red is the most murderous colour?

I periodically had this problem with an old valve.

The cure it, I cleaned the area around the valve, cleaned the valve itself and then smeared it with Stans before re-installing. Job done.

well...for 6 months or so, and it started happening again. I'd used a hand pump to inflate and wonder if I'd wiggled it a little bit out of position, breaking the stans seal.

Anyway - I gave up with that valve and stuck a cheap Superstar one in. Been fine ever since. Obviously a very slight tolerance issue between valve and rim on the last effort.

The valves and tape in just now are caffelatex ones, where the valves have a rectangular rubber block and the tape is very crinkly, almost like cellophane. I've got some Superstar tape and valves ordered so maybe that will work better.

What is it you can do with electrical tape? Wrap it round before the tubeless tape?

Red valves ftw!

No need for electrical tape under. Superstar tape straight onto the rim, make a tidy small hole, not a split!, valve in and off you go.

Here's what Stans recommend

using a small knife or razor blade, carefully cut open the valve hole with a small “x.” Then use a small round file with a downward stroke to remove the small pieces of tape in the valve hole.

http://www.notubes.com/ZTR_tubeless.aspx

Sounds a bit neater than my method

Yeah - used to do that, but recently have been just pushing a small screwdriver through - less faff and no splits.

I always scalpel mine- poke a wee slit then work it round the edge, gives a very good cut. you just have to be a wee bit careful as a good sharp blade can trim off bits of the metal too.

So you actually remove a circle of the tape, rather than just let it poke through the hole?

What sealant ? If you are not using a latex based one like Stans you are likely to have trouble as they don't work very well at all IME .

Caffelatex

Well there's your answer then .

Is it shite then?

Front wheel has Stans. Presume I've answered my own question again!