Dremel rotary tool for removing tire sealant
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Dremel rotary tool for removing tire sealant
Has anyone tried using a Dremel rotary sander to remove the hardened sealant from the edges of the tubeless tires. It takes forever to pry the junk off with needle nose pliers. But I'm thinking it might just sand off some rubber as well if you get too heavy handed.
#2
You need a Trail Chicken™
Why do you imagine that it needs to be removed?
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,396
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2670 Post(s)
Liked 3,465 Times
in
1,557 Posts
Likes For Koyote:
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 29,225
Mentioned: 198 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12764 Post(s)
Liked 5,060 Times
in
2,606 Posts
Likes For indyfabz:
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 39,893
Bikes: Ridley Excalibur, Gazelle Champion Mondial, On-One Pompino, Specialized Rock Hopper
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2543 Post(s)
Liked 1,812 Times
in
895 Posts
I've just scraped off the excess boogers with my thumbnail. But I'm not sure that's even necessary. Don't you want the old sealant to stay on the inner surface of the tire?
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I pick off any big pieces in the inner surface. I clean up the bead as much as possible. I find excessive old hard sealant on the beads result in faster pressure loss. It doesn’t seal quite as well.
#9
You need a Trail Chicken™
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#11
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 21,157
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 1,047 Times
in
764 Posts
It's good practice to pop the bead and clean the nasty stuff out. I never do on my own bikes though, I'm curious if some of the older tubeless tires have grown squids.
I think a dremel is more likely to do damage to a tire than help. Sure, the tire is getting marginally heavier over time as sealant dries on it, but probably it will wear out before that's particularly significant.
I think a dremel is more likely to do damage to a tire than help. Sure, the tire is getting marginally heavier over time as sealant dries on it, but probably it will wear out before that's particularly significant.
#12
You need a Trail Chicken™
Likes For HD3andMe:
#13
You need a Trail Chicken™
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It's good practice to pop the bead and clean the nasty stuff out. I never do on my own bikes though, I'm curious if some of the older tubeless tires have grown squids.
I think a dremel is more likely to do damage to a tire than help. Sure, the tire is getting marginally heavier over time as sealant dries on it, but probably it will wear out before that's particularly significant.
I think a dremel is more likely to do damage to a tire than help. Sure, the tire is getting marginally heavier over time as sealant dries on it, but probably it will wear out before that's particularly significant.
I'm just looking for justification to buy new toys.

I unseated the tire because I'm using race sealant, which may or may not plug up the valve stem.
#16
You need a Trail Chicken™
Likes For HD3andMe:
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#18
You need a Trail Chicken™
Likes For HD3andMe:
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 29,225
Mentioned: 198 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12764 Post(s)
Liked 5,060 Times
in
2,606 Posts
Likes For indyfabz:
#20
Senior Member
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,396
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2670 Post(s)
Liked 3,465 Times
in
1,557 Posts
I'm starting to understand why some posters believe that tubeless is sooo much work -- there are a bunch of people making it way more work than it really is.
#23
Non omnino gravis
I swap out tires every now and again, and all of my bikes are tubeless. I was doing an unsupported 140 miles day after Xmas, so I put on some tougher rubber in place of the happy-medium-style that were on the bike the day before. My method? Take off the sealant filled tire, take it outside, spray it with the hose, fold it up, put it away in the old Igloo Cooler that serves as my tire storage humidor (which currently has 9 or 10 pairs of tires in it.) The stream of water from the hose will take off ~95% of the sealant. There's no need to get a tubeless tire any cleaner than that unless you're planning on selling it.
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter

Stans race sealant.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,396
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2670 Post(s)
Liked 3,465 Times
in
1,557 Posts
I swap out tires every now and again, and all of my bikes are tubeless. I was doing an unsupported 140 miles day after Xmas, so I put on some tougher rubber in place of the happy-medium-style that were on the bike the day before. My method? Take off the sealant filled tire, take it outside, spray it with the hose, fold it up, put it away in the old Igloo Cooler that serves as my tire storage humidor (which currently has 9 or 10 pairs of tires in it.) The stream of water from the hose will take off ~95% of the sealant. There's no need to get a tubeless tire any cleaner than that unless you're planning on selling it.
But perhaps just ponder for a moment: what will happen if you inject it through the valve? How is the end result any different than if you pour it directly into the tire, other than that injecting it is easier and takes less time?