RJ58 Front tires liquid filled?

[RJcollector 56]

The front rims of my RJ have brown liquid oozing out around the valve stems all over the rims. Somebody told me they were filled with a liquid ballast at the factory. Is this true? Am I better off draining it and cleaning it out and just putting a tube in or keep it original and let it leak?

[Rollerman 290]

Some were filled at the factory to offset the weight, since so much of it sat on the back end.

I'd dismount the tires, clean the rims, buy new tubes & mount everything up again with air.

Unless your planning on pulling a turn plow through the garden much.

If it has calcium chloride in them you need to get it out of there before it eats up the rims.

[AMC RULES 37,127]

If they were, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. :handgestures-fingerscrossed:

[Kelly 1,029]

I've had 2 sets that were rotted away from the Calcium in them one set fell apart.

[VinsRJ 721]

All is true. I've seen many rims destroyed by the ballast. I understand the reasoning behind the filling but 50+ years latert... I wish they wouldn't have done that........

Re-tube and fill with air.

[RJcollector 56]

Ok thanks everyone. Its probably calcium because theres already small rot holes around the valve stems and thats where its coming from. Ill clean them and put tubes in.

[WHEEL HORSE BILL 7]

Yeh for sure clean them up and put tubes. I would try to do somthing with the small holes were it leaks from so the tube stem don't rub and tear like jb weld . :handgestures-thumbup:

[AMC RULES 37,127]

It will be interesting to see after you break them down, if you are actually able to reuse them or not. I'm guessing after fifty years, there is probably a significant amount of rot already present in those rims. :dunno:

[Hodge71 664]

Just went through this same thing with the 8N out at my hunting club. Ended up buying 2 rims and new tires. Calcium is horrible on wheels. It ate little weep holes all throughout ant when they went to break the beads loose, well the whole damn rim broke along the little holes, not the beads. It was like perforated paper. We chose not to fill them this time since it has a Wagner loader on it so theres plenty of front weight, no need to add anymore....

[sorekiwi 761]

The front wheels on my RJ were loaded, and when I pulled them down they were well destroyed by the calcium. Worst part was around the valve stem,