In the last few days since it's gotten very cold out, I seem to have developed a leak in my left front tire. The tire is the BFG Rugged Trail T/A (275/65-18) on the 2004 (new style) F-150 Lariat wheels. It seems to be leaking about 10-15 lbs a day. I jacked it up yesterday and spun the tire around, looking for a nail or anything else obivous but found nothing. I bought a can of fix-a-flat hoping if there was a tiny puncture that it would seal it. Immediately after putting that in, I drove around for about 5 miles or so at 55 MPH to spread out the sealant. That was yesterday evening. This morning when I got up it had leaked out about 8 lbs again.

I know metal contracts when it gets cold, so I'm wondering if maybe my valve stem could be leaking? I rubbed some spit over the valve core and it didn't bubble, so I know it's not the valve core leaking. I didn't put any liquid around the valve stem to check that though.

I need new tires anyway so I'll be getting some soon (these have 51,000 miles on them but they still look fairly descent...but definitely look ready to be replaced too.

Anyone ever have a strange leak like this when it got super cold out? Like sinlge digit temps (F) up to about 20.

 

We haven't seen 0 for a few days now, when it gets cold, let us know

While the likelyhood of a happening when it gets colder is higher than normal temps, not that big a leak. I would check to make sure the base of the valve stem isn't cracked and check for bead leaks. If fix a flat didn't cure it, it is almost for sure one of those areas.

 

Get a bottle of bubbles ( the ones kids play with ) pour them into a spray bottle and spray it on the wheel and tire. It will bubble were the leak is.

Ps.. I would get the fix a flat out of your tire or it will throw your wheel out of balance, and you will have a vibration.

 

The bubble idea is a good idea. I went out with a cup of water not long ago and poured it around the valve stem with the stem being near the bottom so the water would stay around the stem. I didn't see any bubbles so that appears to be ok.

Hopefully we'll do well on our taxes this Friday. If that works out well for us, I'll go ahead and get new tires ASAP. They're ready to be replaced anyway.

The odd thing is, these tires have always lost a lot more air than any other car I've had. They'll lose 5 lbs over the course of maybe a month or so even during the summer. No other car I've had did that. I'll be glad to get new tires, valve stems, nitrogen, etc. I'm anxious to get new tires. Hopefully the new set will hold the pressure much better. I'm not talking about the current real leak I have. I'm talking about in general, how my tires seem to bleed out air over time...and not a long time either.

 

WHen you use the soap, the best way to check a bead leak is off the truck, lay the tire down and pour some soap along the bead... if no bubbles on one side, flip it over. If these tires lose that much air, there is something not normal going on.