May not be worth it, but I had to have the rims on our mother's '09 Honda replaced with refurbished OE ones, back some years ago, which solved the problem. Some of the alloys really degrade when exposed to some of what they're spraying on the roads, these days. Honda Canada was of no help, naturally. I don't remember exactly how much it cost, but I'm sure it was north of $500, and less than $1,000, mounted and balanced. The service takes your wheels, and refurbs them, then resells them. Good work, if you can get it!

Once it starts going bad on the bead it comes back faster next time after each clean-up.

So move to California or put the alloys away every winter

We used to break them down clean them up with the wire brush on a drill

then oil them up with ATF 

found that to be better than bead sealer

just my experience working at a Toyota dealership years ago

 

It's not just good, old, Goderich-mined rock salt, any more. Now, they load it up with stuff like magnesium and calcium, which melt the snow faster, but interact with various metal alloys, like the aluminum our wheels are made of, and the steel that brake rotors and calipers are formed from. And the choice of alloy compounds renders some of the components more or less susceptible to different formulations.

The exciter rings that provide signals to our ABS/ASR computers are vulnerable, too.

You're not really supposed to do this as theoretically it could cause the tire to slip on the rim - and I suppose it would under performance applications, but over the years I experimented with applying a small film of silicone grease on the bead of the tire before installation and it seems to work.  I've had a set of winters on aluminum wheels for several years now, and no leaks.  The silicone grease is compatible with the rubber in the tire, so no degradation there either.

Yes, road salt accelerates corrosion, but not just aluminum wheels as I've had steel wheels rust at the tire bead as well.  I've also applied the silicone grease in steel winter wheel applications with good results.

I'm not telling anybody to do this, only that it has worked for me.  I hate corrosion and will go to great lengths to keep it at bay...

After dealing with slow leaks on the alloy wheels on my 2012 Charger for a couple of years I had them refinished. I dropped them off at Winnipeg Wheel and after a couple of days and shelling out $500-$600 I have a set of virtually new alloys on the car, no more leaks. I am really happy with the job they did. Highly recommend it.

Previously on our 2008 Malibu I scrapped the alloys and replaced them with steel wheels. If memory serves me correctly the cost to do that was the same or more than the refinishing.

MC wrote:

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You're not really supposed to do this as theoretically it could cause the tire to slip on the rim - and I suppose it would under performance applications, but over the years I experimented with applying a small film of silicone grease on the bead of the tire before installation and it seems to work.  I've had a set of winters on aluminum wheels for several years now, and no leaks.  The silicone grease is compatible with the rubber in the tire, so no degradation there either.

 

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 I worked 16 years for a tank trailer manufacturer. A local shop mounted all our tires and every alloy wheel was slathered (at the bead) with a lube of some sort. I don't know what they used specifically, but it had the colour and consistency of dielectric grease and they laid it on thick. I assume it served as both a mounting aid and corrosion barrier. It would definitely be an approved substance, because that business is highly regulated and CODES ARE KING, not to be interpreted or loosely followed! 

              

-- Edited by cranks38 on Monday 14th of December 2020 02:45:40 PM

Just stopped at the local tire shop for the repair Taunton Tire was a prime customer back in the day's of Green + Ross and I spent many a day at Tauntons kitchen table picking up cheques for the account. The report came back that the previous repair by another shop was faulty and a used matching Michelin would be $50.00. We approved the used tire When the car was done we were greeted by a few staff telling us that it would be no charge. Merry Christmas Another unexpected act of kindness