I have a slow leak around the bead of my front tire of my 02 sportsman 700. It wasn't there before I went offroading last Sunday. First question, do you know an easy fix for a leaking bead? Second question, if not, how do I get the wheel off? Is it the four nuts around the wheel, or the big one in the hub with the cotter pin? If it is the four around the wheel, they seem to spin from the back with no way to get a hold of the back. Anyway, thanks for any help.

 

I had a slow leak in my tire too. I am not sure where the leak was so I sprayed some fix a flat in there (yeah I know) and poof. No more leak.

Right before that on my other Quad, I had a tire with like a 2" gash in the sidewall. I had to change the wheel also. It's the four nuts around the wheel. Once you take that off, there will most likely be a square back there that the tire mounts on.

I just took my wheel to my local tire shop and had them slap on another tire. Came home and popped her on. I did have a heck of a time getting the tire shop to match the tread (I took in the old tire and they couldn't get it right). Make sure your treads match. That is important.

Also, this whole thing got me to buy a portable air compressor that plugs in to the 12v outlet on my Sportsman so I can fill up wherever I may be. It's pretty sweet and worth checking out. Only set me back about $30 if I recall.

 

4 NUTS, USE A 9/16THS SOCKET. iF THEY ARE SPINNING, YOU HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. Once off the atv, you need to "break down" the bead and remove any crap,mud,tree bark, or whatever it is. A local tire shop could break it down for you easily! Good luck, welcome to the forums! Someone beat me while I was typing, OH WELL!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Where is fits of rage? Haven't seen him around here for a while.

 

He is in SISSY land with all the pink predator riders!

 

What does it mean if they are spinning? One wouldn't tighten back up completely. I can feel behind the wheel and feel the round bolt turning as I turn the outside nut. There isn't a way to hold onto it.

 

Take off the BIG nut and try to work it that way, I hope this is not a front tire or the brake caliper will hold you up!

 

It is a front tire. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] What now?

 

i find it hard to beleave that all 4 of the nuts are stuck on the stud and the stud is spinning in the hub. if so, welcome to a cutting torch. like it was said, w/ the brake caliper you cant get it off w/ taking the hub nut out. either way the hub is going to be junk if the studs are spinning freely inside of the holes.

 

OK I think I fixed it. Only one of the nuts wasn't tightening up completely. It is good and snug, but still spins. I left the wheel on. Put in green slime...still didn't seem to fix it. So I took out the valve core again, pushed the tire away from the bead with my foot (didn't break it off the bead, though), and cleaned with toothbrush, sprayed with water, AND put some green slime on the outside between the tire and rim (don't know if that did any good). Anyway, after I aired it back up, and sprayed it with soapy water, no more bubbles. I'll have to see if it holds. I don't know if it was the toothbrush, the water spray, or the slime, but who cares. Thanks for the tips. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]