The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop to tube and not to tube?

I had a set of 225 75 15 radials put on a set of old rims that I had for the 58. They installed them without tubes.

As I was leaving one of the guys there told it might not be safe running no tubes on tube type rims.

What do you guys think?

thanks

I think that the concern is that the early tube type rims will leak. I put tubeless tires on my original '50 wheels and have had no problems loosing air.

Most of the older wheels had the centers riveted, not welded in. It's possible to get a slow leak at a rivet hole unless it's installed very tightly. Sometimes a good sandblasting job and several coats of an epoxy based paint like Imron will seal up leaky rivet holes.
Jerry

this guy was worried about no bead being on the rim and the tire collapsing on a pothole on a corner.
I never heard of this problem.

Back in the 50's when tubeless first came out, tires lost air while cornering hard. This is why manufacturers changed rim designs in 1957. Tubeless tires are perfected well enough now that this is no longer a problem, even on the old rims.

My tires on the '53 have never had an issue. I took them down and had Les Schwab take off the old bias plys and put on a good set of radials. Works like a charm.

Jeff

Don't put tubes in tires designed to be run tubless. It's a sure fire way to guarantee premature tire failure. Hwat happens is the friction between the tube and the inner impermeable liner of the tire causes exessive heat buildup, which degrades the rubber in both the tire and the tube. Usually what happens is the tube will fail, causing pressure loss, and also the sidewalls will deteriorate, causing sidewall failure. I've seen far too many tires fail because someone stuck a tube in a tubless tire. The failure time is increased with highway use. I've seen them go with under 100 miles after the tube was put in.