Re: radial tires on antique wheels

Posted by Craig the Clipper Man On 2013/5/29 9:24:27

I've got to think that if the wheels on 1954 Packards onward were spcifically designed to accommodate tubeless tires, then using tubes in tubeless tires seems a bit redundant, don't you think? The inflation valve is designed to attach to the wheel. Tubeless tires are designed to inflate and seal to the wheel. It seems to be that using a tube means feeding the tube's inflation valve through the hole designed for a different valve. Here are a couple of views on it:

"In general, tubeless tires do not need tubes, and you do yourself a dis-service by using tubes with tubeless tires. Tubes reduce the flexibility of tubeless tires, thereby increasing rolling resistance. This then consumes a bit more energy to make it go, which will consume a bit more fuel. The worse part is that this extra energy is turned into heat in the tire, and tires don't like extra internal heat. This could shorten the life of the tire rather dramatically if you run it anywhere near it's maximum load or speed rating." (MGA Guru)

Other sites that I Googled basically said the same thing -- using a tube in a tubeless tire actually reducing the efficiency of the tire, not to mention complicating things for no reason during the installation.

If tubes in radial tires were such a great idea, then why don't tire dealer push them when selling tires to unwary customers? After all, wouldn't they make more money if they did? They don't because that creates more problems than it solves. According to one individual who tried it, "in a modern radial tire the tube squirms around inside and quickly rubs a hole in the tube. I tried it and got those results. I think if you check you'll find that standard tire tubes and radial tires are not designed to be used together."

But as one other user notes: "I wear a condom when I'm not having sex just to be extra safe."