Strange tyre deflation problem

[JP83]

A mate of mine down in Jo'burg has a weird problem with his Toyota Run-X (Corolla, basically).

Off-side front tyre will deflate to flat in about 2 weeks. He needed new tyres all round anyway, so got them put on and asked them to check that rim.
New valves, no dinks in the rim, new tyre seated properly. But just to be sure, they swapped it with the wheel on the rear offside corner.

However; that wheel, now on the front off-side, is now also deflating! It appears they're all ok, but it doesn't matter what wheel goes onto that front offside corner, the tyre will deflate!?!

It's only started recently, and we cannot fathom out why. He says he can hear a clicking sound when driving at about 35mph that sounds like a stone in the tyre, but he's checked all of them and there's none stuck in the treads.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[George182]

Cracked wheel?

 

[JP83]

Cracked wheel?

They've checked the original wheel, but the problem is there with any of the other wheels put on the offside front corner, so I don't think it's the wheels. Especially as they're then fine on another corner.

 

[kaz19880]

id say where he is parking is leaving that wheel with a slight seperation in the beed meaning its slowly deflating

 

[sprintcup]

id say where he is parking is leaving that wheel with a slight seperation in the beed meaning its slowly deflating

This^^^^^ or some one is having a joke and letting that side down slowly, try turning the car around the other way to confirm when parked.

Regards Russ.....

 

[JP83]

id say where he is parking is leaving that wheel with a slight seperation in the beed meaning its slowly deflating

But on every wheel, if it's put on that corner? That's a bit of a fluke.

Remember, it doesn't matter which wheel he puts on that 1 corner, they all do it.

However, when the wheels are on the other 3 corners, they're fine!

 

[Matt W]

id say where he is parking is leaving that wheel with a slight seperation in the beed meaning its slowly deflating

Bloke in my street had the same problem. Was parking with the steering towards the curb, and the tyre was resting at a funny angle which was seperating the bead on the tyre.

 

[JP83]

Car is parked on a flat concrete, painted floor, in his garage. No kerbs and wheels are pointing straight or near as dammit.

It won't be mates letting it down, as it's either at work, or in his home (which being in Jo'burg is in a gated community).

 

[George182]

Whip the wheel off and put it in some water to see if there any bubbles?

 

[sprintcup]

Car is parked on a flat concrete, painted floor, in his garage. No kerbs and wheels are pointing straight or near as dammit.

It won't be mates letting it down, as it's either at work, or in his home (which being in Jo'burg is in a gated community).

Strange one, the only thing I can think of is heat from a binding calliper but unlikely or possibly the way he's driving, still sounds like someone is having a joke at his expense to me, where does he park at work, has he tried taking the wheel off and looking for a leak in the inner/outer side wall when it's going down himself needs to be immersed in water.
So any good wheel he swaps onto near side front will go down slowly but will stay inflated on any other corner, still reckon that's a mate or work colleague.

Regards Russ

 

[JP83]

Whip the wheel off and put it in some water to see if there any bubbles?

The garage who changed the tyres checked that. As I said above though, it doesn't matter what wheel it is on the front offside corner, so I doubt he has a problem with all 4 wheels.

 

[JP83]

Strange one, the only thing I can think of is heat from a binding calliper but unlikely or possibly the way he's driving, still sounds like someone is having a joke at his expense to me, where does he park at work, has he tried taking the wheel off and looking for a leak in the inner/outer side wall when it's going down himself needs to be immersed in water.
So any good wheel he swaps onto near side front will go down slowly but will stay inflated on any other corner, still reckon that's a mate or work colleague.

Regards Russ

I don't know if you know your Geography Russ, but he's living in Johannesburg. This means that his car is ALWAYS in his garage when at home, which is in a secure gated community.

At work, it's parked in a secured and guarded car park (We're talking a guy operating an electric gate, who sits in direct view of the car park which at most has 10 cars in it).
I'll ask him about someone deflating them at work, but I'm highly doubtful of that theory.

 

[Matt W]

Perhaps a springbok is poking holes in the tyres with its horns.

 

[Jonnio]

Haunted garage?