Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Somewhere here I remember someone mentioning sealing their rim so they could run the tires tubeless. I checked back through a number of threads here but didn't run across it in the posts.

Thanks John

What year and what type of wheel? Drop-center Packard wheels as far back as 1938 or so should hold tubeless tires as is with no problems assuming the bead-seating surfaces are in good condition. If you're speaking of the postwar wire spoke wheels, yes the spoke heads need to be sealed if you want to go tubeless. Randy Berger has been thru this and should be helpful to you in how he did it.

A 1951 200 series is the wheel I was looking at.

John

Tubeless is fine on those rims. If the bead area is badly corroded then you have to address that first.

My rims were all pretty rusty, I bead blasted them clean and smoothed the few nicks I found on the bead sealing aurfaces with some sandpaper, then painted them with some Rustoleum rattle can paint. New radials and no problems so far in a year with any of my 5 wheels.

I see it talks about those rims having a ridge to help keep the bead from coming off the rim in case of a flat. I always thought that was a fairly modern thing.
Sounds like we can go tubeless then. Thanks John