[prj71]

Tubeless sealant only dries when exposed to air.

Tubeless sealant stays in liquid format in the bottle as long as the cap is on the bottle...I have 2 bottles of sub-zero on the shelf that are 3+ years old still in liquid format. One is still full and the other is 1/4 full.

So why does it dry up in the tire over time? Shouldn't the initial sealant put in the tire seal up any pin holes in the tire and the tire to bead interface thus making it all air tight just like it is in the bottle and thus it should stay in liquid format?

 

[mikesee]

Does your tire leak down over a week? A month?

There's your answer.

 

[prj71]

If the sealant is suppose to seal leaks...why would they leak down over a week or month? Is the sealant not capable of sealing the smallest pin holes?

Just put new hubs on the fat bike wheels 2 months ago so had to reset and reseal the tubeless setup. Haven't had to add any air since I did that. Same goes for the one mountain bike I have set up tubeless...that one has been going for months without needing air. However...my other mountain bike and my road bike have tubes...those bikes seem to need air every 2-3 weeks.

If the tubeless set up is air tight it should be like moving the sealant from one bottle to another bottle.

 

[Rock]

Tubeless sealant only dries when exposed to air.

Tubeless sealant stays in liquid format in the bottle as long as the cap is on the bottle...I have 2 bottles of sub-zero on the shelf that are 3+ years old still in liquid format. One is still full and the other is 1/4 full.

So why does it dry up in the tire over time? Shouldn't the initial sealant put in the tire seal up any pin holes in the tire and the tire to bead interface thus making it all air tight just like it is in the bottle and thus it should stay in liquid format?

There is air inside the tire that the sealant is constantly exposed to.

 

[dir-T]

My guess is that it has to do with the amount/proportion of the sealant's surface area that is exposed to air. In the bottle, only the very top of the sealant at the neck of the bottle is in contact with a small amount of air. Once you dump that bottle into a tire and it spreads around, much more of the sealant is in direct contact with the air inside the tire.

The same principle is used in brewing and wine making. It's far better to fill a carbouy up to its neck than it is to fill it half full because you want as little of the horizontal surface of the beer/wine to be in contact with air as possible.

 

[Curveball]

I want to know how it is that I add sealant every couple of weeks and the tires keep taking it. Matter cannot be created or destroyed. So where is it all going?

 

[prj71]

I want to know how it is that I add sealant every couple of weeks and the tires keep taking it. Matter cannot be created or destroyed. So where is it all going?

It's still in there. In my experience...Stans balls up and rolls around inside the tire. The Orange Seal Sub-zero dries as thin layer on portions of the tire and rim.

 

[Curveball]

It's still in there. In my experience...Stans balls up and rolls around inside the tire. The Orange Seal Sub-zero dries as thin layer on portions of the tire and rim.

I would think that the tire would completely fill with sealant at some point. Are my tires getting heavier and heavier month by month?

 

[Jayem]

Tubeless sealant only dries when exposed to air.

Tubeless sealant stays in liquid format in the bottle as long as the cap is on the bottle...I have 2 bottles of sub-zero on the shelf that are 3+ years old still in liquid format. One is still full and the other is 1/4 full.

So why does it dry up in the tire over time? Shouldn't the initial sealant put in the tire seal up any pin holes in the tire and the tire to bead interface thus making it all air tight just like it is in the bottle and thus it should stay in liquid format?

Tires are not that air-tight, a plastic container is much more so? Density of tire rubber?

 

[trulede]

If the sealant is suppose to seal leaks...why would they leak down over a week or month? Is the sealant not capable of sealing the smallest pin holes?

When your bike is parked, where is the sealant? Bottom of the tire ... think about it a bit ...

 

[G-Choro]

Uh, your tire is full of...air.

 

[BansheeRune]

Fatbikers are notorious for letting air out and re-inflating on a ride, similar to ventilation. Tires will go down over time and get re-inflated too. It isn't perfect?

 

[Darth Lefty]

Latex is an emulsion that some plants make to fight being eaten by bugs. Rubber tree plants make a lot, especially when hit with a hatchet. From collection it can be dried out, or stabilized liquid for dipping. The latter is used in tubeless sealant.

Natural rubber - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In the tubeless home brew they use ammonia because it's easy. In some of the name brand recipes they use non-ammonia chemicals that don't smell so scary. The stabilizers become saturated in the air inside the tire (analogous to dew point and humidity). But when the liquid comes out of the tire it's coming into dry air. The chunks of stuff in the tubeless sealant keep it seeping out and not spraying to give it a few seconds to coagulate. Any air that leaks out of the tire is taking stabilizer with it, and when you add dry air to the tire it will deplete the stabilizer.

 

[CLDSDL43]

I just recently submerged my rear tire/wheel in water tub. It barely held pressure thru a ride. I was sure Ihad a leak at valve stem/eyelet or something. Both sidewalls looked like a carbonated drink air bubbles coming out. Dumped old stans sealant and added new. Only a slight improvement. Still leaks down.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

This thread is losing air.

 

[BansheeRune]

I just recently submerged my rear tire/wheel in water tub. It barely held pressure thru a ride. I was sure Ihad a leak at valve stem/eyelet or something. Both sidewalls looked like a carbonated drink air bubbles coming out. Dumped old stans sealant and added new. Only a slight improvement. Still leaks down.

Clean that stuff outta there and replace with Orange Seal Endurance or similar.

 

[CLDSDL43]

Clean that stuff outta there and replace with Orange Seal Endurance or similar.

That was my next move.
Will do. Thanks.

 

[prj71]

Uh, your tire is full of...air.

Understand. But didn't think there would be enough air in there to dry it out.

 

[prj71]

Fatbikers are notorious for letting air out and re-inflating on a ride, similar to ventilation. Tires will go down over time and get re-inflated too. It isn't perfect?

This I get. I do the same on my fat bike depending on conditions. Still waiting for some snow to materialize.

 

[prj71]

Anyone ever try this? Allegedly doesn't dry up.

New Finish Line Tubeless Tire Sealant will never dry out*

Tired of getting a flat only to realize your sealant dried up inside your tire months ago? Finish Line says those days are over thanks to their new tubeless tire sealant.

bikerumor.com