Flat tire reality check

[Atrevido]

Last November I purchased new wheels and tires (Aodhan AFF7 19x9.5 +35 with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS 255\35 ZR19). Last Tuesday morning I received a low tire
pressure warning and found the right rear was down about 5 PSI. I carry a portable air pump so I gave it some air. Last Friday the same thing happened again, and I accepted the fact I had a slow leak.
I pulled the wheel off and took it to Mavis Discount Tire. The guy behind the counter takes a look at it, sees it's an aftermarket wheel, and as much as he’d like to help is very concerned
his shop would damage it. Apparently the rim bead is too wide (or tall, or something to that effect) and his shop doesn’t have the proper equipment. He recommends a specialty wheel and tire shop.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? My wheel and tire combo is nothing extreme, by any means. Is this normal and to be expected with aftermarket wheels,
or should your everyday major tire repair shop be able to handle them?

[Nillious]

Just remove it and spray it down with a mixture of dawn and water. Let it sit a few minutes and look for leaks.

- - - Updated - - -

This will let you know if you need to remove the tire or if it’s a valve stem

[ccssid]

Fwiw...I would never let a "discount" tire establishment of any sort touch my wheels. Mavis is correct in his assessment. Find an independent shop that works on sports cars.

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[JRYtheS4]

Last November I purchased new wheels and tires (Aodhan AFF7 19x9.5 +35 with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS 255\35 ZR19). Last Tuesday morning I received a low tire
pressure warning and found the right rear was down about 5 PSI. I carry a portable air pump so I gave it some air. Last Friday the same thing happened again, and I accepted the fact I had a slow leak.
I pulled the wheel off and took it to Mavis Discount Tire. The guy behind the counter takes a look at it, sees it's an aftermarket wheel, and as much as he’d like to help is very concerned
his shop would damage it. Apparently the rim bead is too wide (or tall, or something to that effect) and his shop doesn’t have the proper equipment. He recommends a specialty wheel and tire shop.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? My wheel and tire combo is nothing extreme, by any means. Is this normal and to be expected with aftermarket wheels,
or should your everyday major tire repair shop be able to handle them?

Yes, common, and yes, go to someone with the correct machine/experience. Be glad Mavis guy didn't just go for it and ruin your wheel, good on them for being honest.

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[Atrevido]

The guy from Mavis was sincerely concerned about the wheel, and clearly did not want to damage it. He earned extra bonus points not just for that,
but also recommending another tire shop that specializes in aftermarket wheels. How often do you hear about one business recommending another business?

In the end the tire was fixed; I probably should've lead with that. It had a nail in the middle of the tread, and gratefully it wasn't anywhere near the sidewall.

I was just curious if others have had this experience, or if it's just common knowledge.

[SForePlayin']

right rear was down about 5 PSI.

Interesting that your TPMS activated at about a 5 psi differential. I had mine go off a couple of weeks ago, and when it did, I just happened to be near where I could get air. I went right over and discovered that the right rear tire was 18 pounds lower than the other three. A few days later, I had the tire repaired, and it too had a nail, which has since been removed and plugged. I also have the same tire size.

[BrokeBichB8]

I have a good buddy of mine who runs a race shop. This dude came in with some nice oem 19's on his g37, looking for new trackday tires. This race shop EFFED his wheels up with a lack of knowledge. So yeah, the shop makes all the difference with nice wheels.

[Neil F]

The first this is, do not ever ACCEPT a leak. You can pull the tire yourself al look for obvious things such as the nail. It is VERY easy to plug a tire. I have been using the sticky cord plugs for decades and 1000's of mile. They are very reliable and still one of the best plug methods.

[Izzyz28]

I have a plug kit in every car. No need to pull the wheel or jack the car up, you can install a plug on the ground right where the car sits. I can't imagine having to go to a tire shop every time I pick up a piece of debris in a tire.

[Atrevido]

Thanks for the advice on the tire plug kit; definitely going to look into getting one for the trunk.

Since we're on the topic, what's everyone's opinion of liquid sealants, like Slime or Fix A Flat? We don't have internal TPMS sensors
to worry about, but the tire repair shops in my area are not big fans of them at all. Thoughts?

[Izzyz28]

Thanks for the advice on the tire plug kit; definitely going to look into getting one for the trunk.

Since we're on the topic, what's everyone's opinion of liquid sealants, like Slime or Fix A Flat? We don't have internal TPMS sensors
to worry about, but the tire repair shops in my area are not big fans of them at all. Thoughts?

Carry a big can in the trunk. What's worse; getting stranded, or potentially pissing off some 22 year-old working at Discount Tire? Get a 12V compressor as well and you'll be set for anything, puncture or blowout(assuming you still have a spare).