I bought a set of Work Rezax wheels for my FC, I mounted tires in them and now one of them is leaking around the bolts where the rim pieces bolt together. I assume the seal between the rim, lip and center section is shot and I'll have to take apart the rim to reseal it. I've never done this before and neither have any of the other members of our student autoshop here at college. Is this something I should even be attempting or should I take this rim elsewhere to get fixed? We were trying to come up with a plan of action down at the shop today but there are still alot of questions.

If I do try to take this apart what kind of socket/tool will I need to take the bolts out of the wheel... The heads on the bolts(exposed on the front... see picture) look like the bolts you see on all the multi-piece wheels.... is there a special tool for this type of bolt or will like a 12point socket work? If I can get those out then the wheel comes apart (may have to force the center out is what I've read) and then the wheels can be cleaned and resealed. Is there a special sealant for wheels or can I just pick up some clear silicone sealant or permatex right stuff?

When reassembling is there a special pattern to follow other than just doing opposite sides in a star pattern like when you tighten lugnuts? or should I check with work to see if they have a specific pattern to follow (Would they even have info on these rims? They are kinda old... mine were built in '95). And is there a general torque value for the bolts that hold the rim together for most wheels or is it really specific to the wheel/manufacturer?

So for those who dont want to read, cliffnotes:
1- Should I even try attempting to take the wheel apart and reseal it?
2- What tool to take off bolts that hold wheel together? (pic below)
3- What sealant to use ?
4- Any specific retightening sequence?
5- What torque?

If you can answer any of the questions or give me a place to contact that can help me, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Rob

 

Correct size 12-point socket should work.

Torque isn't that much, given the size of the fastener.
I wouldn't go above 20 lb-ft.

"Cross" pattern would be recommended upon assembly.

Good, quality RTV should be good enough to be used as a sealant on reassembly.
Make sure mating surfaces are clean!


-Ted

 

A metric 12 point socket fits loose on the fastener. You'll need a 5/16 12 point socket which fits better on the fastener. This was the case with my 2 piece Volks and my brothers 2 piece Watanabes.

 

I took them apart, cleaned them up, and resealed them with Permatex "right stuff" RTV. The wheel still leaks around a few of the 32 or so bolts on the wheel. I called Northeast Wheel Repair in RI and they said that I should use clear RTV or even windshield adhesive/sealant to reseal the wheel not "right stuff." Is there that much of a difference in RTV's that it could be leaking because I used the wrong RTV? I guess I'll call Work USA or 5zigen(they are listed as a contact on the work usa site) and see what they use/ recommend.

 

I've read that certain silicone sealants don't seal against aluminum too well.

 

where are you putting the sealant... you should be assembling the pieces without any sealant between them... once the wheel is completely assembled then apply a thick bead around the seam where the three pieces come together...


then using your finger wipe the bead smooth... let cure 24 hours, then mount tire and fill to desired psi

if the wheel is still leaking then you have a cracked or bent wheel

 

BTW... I used a high quality clear latex caulk from Home Depot to seal my wheels. It's been 3 years and not a single leak

 

Ok With that info it means we are just doing it all wrong... I put the sealant inbetween the pieces then assembled the wheels. I then put a nice thick bead around where the pieces came together and smoothed it out. I'm going to remount the tire and pray it works with my method since I'm sick of taking the wheels apart. But I'll try your method (which looks to be the right way... and now so obvious that thats how I should have been doing it all along... ) If it doesnt seal this time as my last effort before I send it somewhere and pay to have it fixed.

 

I had this same problem with my rims and was advised NOT to use a black or white or any colored sealant due to the fact that you can't see the air bubbles in the silicone as well, and if you have a large enough air bubble in your bead of silicone it is going to leak for sure. If you use a clear silicon you can see if any bubbles form and make sure to get rid of them for a good tight seal. You still need a high quality sealant though you can't just use everyday kitchen and bathroom silicone. Sorry for reviving an old dead thread but i have been looking for the right answer for this problem for over a month and couldn't find it anywhere so hopefully this will help someone.

 

Also another good idea is to assemble the rims but only half torque them (my rims call for 28-30 ft lbs of torque so i tighten them to 15lbs) and then put the bead of silicone on and fully torque it to get that little bit of silicone in the gap to ensure a good tight seal.