Re: radial tires on antique wheels

Posted by PackardV8 On 2013/5/30 6:41:23

I think anyone will agree that running tubes in a tubeless tire (radial or other) in unnecesary UNLESS there is somekind of air loss problem.

As for the tire inflation stems:
To the best of my knowledge there are two, exactly two and only two different size diameter stems and therefore only two wheel hole diameters. A big and a small. I do not recall actual measurements. Only two such stems for passengercar /lite truck vehicles late 40's (or possibly much earlier) thru at least early 2000 or maybe todate.

Tubes can be bought with small OR large stems.
Case in point:

I had a bottom of the line 1980 Dodge picup, a D-100. OEM equiped with radials. In 1984 i bought some bias ply because they were DIRT CHEAP. Marked "BLEM" and "TUBE REQUIRED". THe 'blem" and "tube requirde" words were BURNED into the side of each tire. But the tires were originaly manufactureed as tubeLESS and said so on the tires in the usual place. Bought them from a major tire dealer here in Nashville. Bought tubes with stems that fit the small hole perfectly. I ran that truck 12 years and 125K miles wearing out 4 or 5 sets of tires.

So it is not clear to me what all this talk is about "rims designed for tube" or "designed for tubeless" or "designed for radials" or "not designed for radials".

Unless someone can give specific characteristics about wheel design then at this point any claims of "rim design" is tantamount to claims of streight weight oil vs multi-grade engine oil requirements due to "engine design".