stock cast wheels air leaking

I have had several sets of stock Kaw cast wheels on my KZs over the years. ALL have leaked air some at the bead. For instance, on my KZ1000E1 ST, I will lose about 5 lbs in 3 days. The wheels were BEAD BLASTED and powdercoated (not on the bead surface) so it isn't a matter of just clean up. I use some LTD cast wheels on one of my carb test bikes form a 79 and they leak as badly. Does anyone know of a trick to keep them from leaking? Should I install tubes the next time? I hate to because if I get a flat, nothing is quite as exciting a holed tube.

how about putting some of that black goo around inside of bead before you seat the tire on bead?

Post edited by: wireman, at: 2006/12/09 15:40

If you are running tubeless on stock tube type KZ cast wheels, then you run a serious risk of a sudden loss of air (aka blowout) when the bead of the tire pops loose

Pics of the differences between tubeless and tube type cast wheels are in this thread

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/12/09 16:09

arent some of them marked tube/tubeless?

wireman wrote:

arent some of them marked tube/tubeless?

None of the KZ wheels are marked tube/tubeless that I have ever seen, they either say nothing (which means they are tube type) or they say tubeless. I have never actually seen any KZ cast wheel prior to 1980 models that was marked tubeless. There may be some, I have just never seen any.

I have a Kawasaki rear wheel with the following markings on various spokes:

Kawaski
Made in Japan
J18XMT 2.5 ODOT
ENKEL-1
R1071
For Tubeless

This wheel is complete and appears to be in excellant condition. It is available.

The ST is tubeless, the LTD and MKII are not. I think the ST was the only KZ to ever run tubeless wheels prior to 1981. There's no mistaking a tubeless wheel when you change tires because if you can break the bead loose of the wheel by any manual means without the aid of a beadbreaker or c-clamp, the wheel is definately tube type. You'll never break the bead loose on a tubeless wheel without the aid of tools. As to why your ST leaks, can't help there, I've never had problem with a tubeless wheel.

RonKZ650 wrote:

...There's no mistaking a tubeless wheel when you change tires because if you can break the bead loose of the wheel by any manual means without the aid of a beadbreaker or c-clamp, the wheel is definately tube type. You'll never break the bead loose on a tubeless wheel without the aid of tools...

Amen brother, can I hear a Hallelujah!

...As to why your ST leaks, can't help there, I've never had problem with a tubeless wheel...

Wire brush the bead area until all the pits have been spread out enough for the rubber to seal. No more leaks. BTDT. Also do NOT use soapy water. Go get some of that waxy stuff.

Like I mentioned, the whole wheel was bead blasted and the seat area was very clean... I have tubeless tires with no tubes on my Barney bike and guess I will need to put some tubes on that one as the rims are from an LTD. Never saw that bead sealing stuff that wireman pictured. Will look out for some at an autoparts store.

I would run a tube in them, a friend had a flat on cast wheels and it went down real fast, when we got it fixed we went with tubes,
have you tried to over fill the tire and then dunk the wheel in to see where it may be leaking from, I would bet on the valve stem area