In my experience, it just takes practice. My first tubeless attempt took me several hours of watching the video and trying to get everything just right, shaking the wheel, laying it on its side, etc... I can change a tire now in about 10-15 minutes with no problems, so its easy to go from a race tire to a trail tire the night before.
Stans kit with Conti RK tires
So, since the rear wheel was in the shop being built back up on a new rim, I went ahead and had them order my new RK 2.2 tires and a Stans kit. They got it all in and and the wheel built, tires mounted and started playing with the Stans kit. They put about a scoop and a half in the tire, put the tire on all the way, did the shake and rotate and then hit it with air. It held the air slightly so they did the shake/rotate again and had better results. But they continued to lose air. At one point they heard pssssst and saw a little the white goo right on the sidewall of the tire then it sealed.
Anyone have problems getting RK's to seal up? It seems to be taking a bit of time. Granted, this is the first time the shop has done one of these kits so I understand there is a learning curve there. But I trust the guy doing the work so that is not even a question in my mind. Anyone got any tips that I might be able to pass along to him?
Anyone have problems getting RK's to seal up? It seems to be taking a bit of time. Granted, this is the first time the shop has done one of these kits so I understand there is a learning curve there. But I trust the guy doing the work so that is not even a question in my mind. Anyone got any tips that I might be able to pass along to him?
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
Well that is good to know. Sounds like it is just the first time jitters at this point. I will check with them tomorrow to see if they have gotten it to work yet.
It depends on which RK model you're trying to set up. Supersonics, for example, are known for their porous sidewalls and difficulties in getting them sealed (it sometimes takes days to seal the tire well). There's a huge thread in the WW forum about them.
At the same time, from my personal experience, the Protection version seals pretty well. Can't say I installed them straight away, since I don't own an air compressor, but once I managed to pop the beads in place using all those tricks, sealing the tire had been a matter of minutes. There were just a few tiny holes.
At the same time, from my personal experience, the Protection version seals pretty well. Can't say I installed them straight away, since I don't own an air compressor, but once I managed to pop the beads in place using all those tricks, sealing the tire had been a matter of minutes. There were just a few tiny holes.
Use a bath or large container with water to check where the side wll leaks are. So So So much easy. Just check where it's leaking and give it a shake where it's leaking rather than wasting effort and time shaking away blind.
I do mine that way and can get away with only one scoop of sealant.
I do mine that way and can get away with only one scoop of sealant.
Well, if the guys don't have them done today, then I am just going to pick them up and finish it up myself. I have more time to dedicate to playing with them than they do. I want them back by Thur so I can ride my good wheels on my group ride.
Just heard back from the shop. apparently, the rear is holding air but the front is still giving them problems. He is going to give it another shot today and get back to me. Hopefully, they/we can get this taken care of. I am tired of riding my stock wheels (at least I can ride mind you) with the Nevegal tires on them. Man, those things are slow! It almost feels like I am riding with my brakes on when going across the flats! Also not a fan of them on really dry trails like we are experiencing out here right now. Definitely a fall/winter tire imo.
shapirus is right. the RQ/TK supersonic have porous sidewalls and can take days to seal up properly. it took me 4 days.
first, i had to make sure the bead was sealed by following the shake, rotate, let it sit method - i made sure there were no bubbles or hissing sound coming from the bead. i repeated the shake, rotate method (2 revolutions) each day until it held air. sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn't at all.
first, i had to make sure the bead was sealed by following the shake, rotate, let it sit method - i made sure there were no bubbles or hissing sound coming from the bead. i repeated the shake, rotate method (2 revolutions) each day until it held air. sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn't at all.
Well, my buddy has about 13 man hours into this set up. When he left the shop last night he finally had them holding air only to come in this morning and both of them flat again. This has been going on for over two weeks now. Unfortunately, it is a small shop that is simply slammed with labor to bang out and it is hard for them to constantly keep dealing with the tires. I completely understand his situation.
The bottom line is that since he built me a nice set of wheels, he would hook me up with a ultra light set of tires to compensate for the Stans sealant. Unfortunately, neither of us really knew at the time that the sidewalls were this porus and we should have just done the standard version of the tire for this application. At this point for the sake of OUR sanity I told him to just clean out the tires and slap some tubes in them for me. He offered to get me another set of tires and repeat the process but he is already out the $50 for the sealant and would then be out another $50 for the other tires. I told him not to worry about it. Things would probably be a little different if Travis and I weren't friends and what not. I am supporting my local shop and a friend at the same time. The last thing I want is for him to get caught up dealing with this as neither of us really have the time right now. But in light of it all, it was an experience. The process is not difficult, just time consuming in this case. I will probably just go at it again over the winter but with a standard set of RK tires instead or do the kit on my stock wheels and tires that came with the bike (Speed Disc rims w/ Nevegals on them). I am sure we will have faster and better results with that set up.
I'm just sorry my buddy Travis has put this much time into only to get zero results and 100% frustration! I think I owe him a beer or several for that matter.
The bottom line is that since he built me a nice set of wheels, he would hook me up with a ultra light set of tires to compensate for the Stans sealant. Unfortunately, neither of us really knew at the time that the sidewalls were this porus and we should have just done the standard version of the tire for this application. At this point for the sake of OUR sanity I told him to just clean out the tires and slap some tubes in them for me. He offered to get me another set of tires and repeat the process but he is already out the $50 for the sealant and would then be out another $50 for the other tires. I told him not to worry about it. Things would probably be a little different if Travis and I weren't friends and what not. I am supporting my local shop and a friend at the same time. The last thing I want is for him to get caught up dealing with this as neither of us really have the time right now. But in light of it all, it was an experience. The process is not difficult, just time consuming in this case. I will probably just go at it again over the winter but with a standard set of RK tires instead or do the kit on my stock wheels and tires that came with the bike (Speed Disc rims w/ Nevegals on them). I am sure we will have faster and better results with that set up.
I'm just sorry my buddy Travis has put this much time into only to get zero results and 100% frustration! I think I owe him a beer or several for that matter.
If they will hold air overnight, try taking them for a regular ride or two. A few hours of spinning may help better coat the tires and let the stans work into the side walls. My front would air down over night, but sealed up after a few rides.
According to Trav, the wheels maybe held air for 2 hours. Now, if I was doing this myself on a weekend or something, I would simply air them up and go ride around a little bit on them while they were holding air and just continue to repeat the process. But since they are a shop they simply can't dedicate that sort of time to them. Looks like this will simply need to be something that I play around with over the winter. I am sure it can be done but it will take a little time.
your buddy Trav definitely went the extra mile; i'd buy him a 6 pack at least.
don't give up on the RQ/TK with stan's. it's a great light tire. despite the porous sidewalls that may lead many to believe it's paper thin...so far it's held up on rocky singletracks.
don't give up on the RQ/TK with stan's. it's a great light tire. despite the porous sidewalls that may lead many to believe it's paper thin...so far it's held up on rocky singletracks.
I just did the Stans conversion using Conti MK's and pretty much ran into the same issues.
After doing the shake and sit for a couple of hours they seemed to be holding air but then were flat by morning....aired them up again, did the shake and sit, rode around, held air for a couple of days but then one morning the rear was flat....aired it up rode around and held air for awhile but then one morning the front was flat....I've added extra sealant and repeated the shake and sit procedure a few times but I still have to add some air almost every time I ride.....plus I can't air down as much as I did with tubes b/c the sidewalls are so thin they start giving way in corners and turns.....
I love the MK's but I'm thinking of switching to a different tire with a stiffer side wall if I want to run Stans or just going back to tubes with the MK's
After doing the shake and sit for a couple of hours they seemed to be holding air but then were flat by morning....aired them up again, did the shake and sit, rode around, held air for a couple of days but then one morning the rear was flat....aired it up rode around and held air for awhile but then one morning the front was flat....I've added extra sealant and repeated the shake and sit procedure a few times but I still have to add some air almost every time I ride.....plus I can't air down as much as I did with tubes b/c the sidewalls are so thin they start giving way in corners and turns.....
I love the MK's but I'm thinking of switching to a different tire with a stiffer side wall if I want to run Stans or just going back to tubes with the MK's
Your all wasting your time without a bath or big container of water to check where sidewalls are leaking. Once you shake sealant over those areas that are leaking they seal instantly.
Pop edge of tire back in the container and keep rotating wheel and repeating process untill all the sidewalls stop leaking.You don't need to lay them on there side etc as per stans instructions. Once they pass the bubble test they will seal overnight. they may open up again after aride though as the sidewall flex's.
The other way is to put as much as 10 scoops of stans in to seal up the sidewall. Do your shake thing and get them to seal . Take them for a ride up the road with lowish pressure to get the sidewalls flexing. When they have settled and sealed overnight. Pop one of the beads and pour out excess stans and replace it with 1/2 to one scoop and reinflate and shake to seal that bead.
The bead is easy to seal.
The alternative is you can shake away blindly with a couple of scoops of sealant for days on end.
Easy choice really.
Pop edge of tire back in the container and keep rotating wheel and repeating process untill all the sidewalls stop leaking.You don't need to lay them on there side etc as per stans instructions. Once they pass the bubble test they will seal overnight. they may open up again after aride though as the sidewall flex's.
The other way is to put as much as 10 scoops of stans in to seal up the sidewall. Do your shake thing and get them to seal . Take them for a ride up the road with lowish pressure to get the sidewalls flexing. When they have settled and sealed overnight. Pop one of the beads and pour out excess stans and replace it with 1/2 to one scoop and reinflate and shake to seal that bead.
The bead is easy to seal.
The alternative is you can shake away blindly with a couple of scoops of sealant for days on end.
Easy choice really.
take them for a ride, it helps to seal.... sidewalls will be covered at some point so check in a bathtub for leaks around the valve!
not sure about RKs cuz i never had some, but i just mounted up my Mountain King Supersonic 2.4s
- washed the new tires with soap and water, especially the inside and bead
- pulled off my old stan'd tires
- wiped down the outside edge (didnt touch the inside of the rim, left the stan's there)
- put the tire on the rim, soap and water'ed the bead/rim
- seated them instantly with the air compressor (40psi)
- lots of pinholes in the side walls
- deflated the tires, put in 2oz of stan's using the injector
- reinflated (55psi), did the shake, all the pinholes filled with the first shake cycle
this was true with both my front and rear tires
this was ages easier to seal than my kendas that took a few shake cycles and 2 days before they would seal and hold air.
- washed the new tires with soap and water, especially the inside and bead
- pulled off my old stan'd tires
- wiped down the outside edge (didnt touch the inside of the rim, left the stan's there)
- put the tire on the rim, soap and water'ed the bead/rim
- seated them instantly with the air compressor (40psi)
- lots of pinholes in the side walls
- deflated the tires, put in 2oz of stan's using the injector
- reinflated (55psi), did the shake, all the pinholes filled with the first shake cycle
this was true with both my front and rear tires
this was ages easier to seal than my kendas that took a few shake cycles and 2 days before they would seal and hold air.
Well, I am going to pick up the wheels today. They will have tubes in them. I will do my group ride with them in this configuration today and then tear them apart and try to do the stans kit myself at home. This way I have a tub to put them in, my own air compressor (not that Travis doesn't have one), and can ride them after mounting them. I will be able to dedicate a little more time to them than Travis can and probably have alot more advice going for me from all of you guys than he did. I will keep you all posted.
Right now, I am just excited about getting out for a ride on my nice wheels and new/faster tires. I can't wait to hear the angry bees humming thru the trails again from the WI Trials freewheel! Quite stoked for the moment.
Right now, I am just excited about getting out for a ride on my nice wheels and new/faster tires. I can't wait to hear the angry bees humming thru the trails again from the WI Trials freewheel! Quite stoked for the moment.
Mount them and ride them, they will seal up easily. Off road is way better than on road as well.
Never had any problems with mine but for sure if I mount them they will constantly go down over night if they have not ben ridden to seal them...
Its riding them, not faffing around with them that gets them to seal.
I have even mounted up a fresh tyre and raced on it straight away and there was no air loss whatsoever.
Awesome tyres as well.
Never had any problems with mine but for sure if I mount them they will constantly go down over night if they have not ben ridden to seal them...
Its riding them, not faffing around with them that gets them to seal.
I have even mounted up a fresh tyre and raced on it straight away and there was no air loss whatsoever.
Awesome tyres as well.
I will give it a shot. I am determined to go tubeless at this point!
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Top Contributors this Month
View All
ilmfat
775 Replies
DIRTJUNKIE
470 Replies
Sparticus
399 Replies
Recommended Communities
