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Tubeless won't seal with Tannus Insert

7K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  SickEdit 
#1 ·
Is there a secret to getting sealant to the bead w/ a Tannus tubeless insert? My rim/tire hold air perfectly without the insert, but will only last a day tops when the insert is in. I have swapped back and forth to verify this. I have the hole lined up properly with the valve stem to allow sealant through to the tire itself and have done the usual tubeless shake/spin/wiggle after the install but it keeps leaking at the bead, even after a few rides. Even tried adding extra sealant for extra sloshing. The FAQ on their website was kinda useless. Kind of at a loss on the next steps.
 
#10 ·
I'm convinced this is just a weakness of the Tannus design. I've been using them as well and it always takes like 10 rides to fully seal. Typically it leaks from the valve stem for me, it helps to pour the sealant directly into the insert and not the tire. The design doesn't allow sealant to move that freely inside the insert.
 
#5 ·
I have this problem on 3 different 2.4 wheels with install a month ago, I was worried I messed up the tape somehow with my seating the insert. I may not use them, idk. Maybe I need to get the sealant between the insert and the tire and not in the insert and massage insert in a bit around the rim laying side to side once seated, but no pressure.
 
#6 ·
Is there a secret to getting sealant to the bead w/ a Tannus tubeless insert? My rim/tire hold air perfectly without the insert, but will only last a day tops when the insert is in. I have swapped back and forth to verify this. I have the hole lined up properly with the valve stem to allow sealant through to the tire itself and have done the usual tubeless shake/spin/wiggle after the install but it keeps leaking at the bead, even after a few rides. Even tried adding extra sealant for extra sloshing. The FAQ on their website was kinda useless. Kind of at a loss on the next steps.
Sometimes that's not enough. I've experienced this with road bike tires as well as MTB tires (with or without inserts). I have Tannus inserts and I think I may have had this problem once after swapping out tires, went for a ride and that sussed it out. If you haven't already, try taking it out for a short ride and see what happens.
 
#11 ·
Right. I was assuming the sealant on the outside of the insert could work it's way to the bead, but looking closer at the little diagram they show, maybe it's the other way around. I was only giving it 3-4 rides to seal, maybe I just need to give it longer, or let it sit on its side overnight, something like that.

1942929
 
#13 ·
Well after shattering a carbon rim earlier this year, I'm pretty set on running one in the rear.

I might take chronic valve clogging over airing up my tire from flat every damn ride. At least with a clogged valve you can usually just blow/push through it with the pump (or at least what I've experienced so far).
 
#19 ·
Went through a few more inflate/ride/reinflate cycles and appear to have finally got the tires to "set." I was wary of running them on 0 psi, so I ran them at about 12 last night and noticed that the rear tire held air until the next day and the front did not. Rode another 8 miles at 8 PSI today and it looks like the front is now going to hold. I agree that the tire probably has to flatten out enough for sealant to get past the sidewall edge of the Tannus insert.
 
#20 ·
What you're possibly noticing, is that pressure is directly related to volume. What you could be seeing is exactly the same rate of air leakage, but the significantly reduced air volume inside the carcase (due to the volume occupied by the insert) is making itself noticed as an apparent increase.
 
#21 ·
speedgz ... that may be true of the Tannus inserts for tubed tires, but not tubeless. It's quite evident when your tires are flat, and if you can't tell by looking, you can definitely tell by feeling. Happy to say that after following Croakies advices, my tires have held at 26 psi for more than a week.
 
#23 ·
I’m considering it. I wonder if cutting the foam will make it absorb sealant, maybe i can use a flame to seal off the cut portion again. It’s really annoying to constantly lose pressure but I might also try the rolling around the block with no pressure trick.
The insert has saved my rim many times and doesn’t make the tire feel weird so it’s worth trying imo..
 
#25 ·
How much sealant did it take to seal up your tannus? I'm at 150ml (5fl oz) and have a slow leak at the bead (tested it with dishwasher soap). However the sealant doesnt seem to get to the bead. I tried pinching the insert and rode around with low pressure, didnt help. Maybe the fluid level inside the tire has top be higher?
 
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