Series tyres / rims, tubeless or not?

On or around 17 Aug 2005 01:36:05 -0700, "ChelseaTractor" enlightened us thusly:

get the tyres off, give the rims a damned good clean, and preferably pain 'em inside as well.

Loose rust flakes cna be sharp; replacing tyres can loosen flakes...

You can put "Wolf" rims on it, of course, which will let you run tubeless if you want. Cleaning the rims whoudl work equally well. Decent tyre-fitter should have done that, of course, rather than leave crud in there to wear holes in the tubes.

so ChelseaTractor was, like...

Generally, most tubeless tyres should not be fitted with tubes at all AIUI. The inside of the tyre can abrade the tube and lead to - well, several punctures in 2 months... If you've invested in new tyres, go the whole hog and get tubeless rims as well.

My understanding also, but this was largely die to poorer heat dissipation from the tube.

The army smothered mine with chalk, as a lubricant I suppose, I caught my first puncture for years last month, a piece of loose rust had gradually abraded a hole in the tube.

I prefer tubless where ever possible nowadays as if they do puncture they go down more gently.

AJH

Noting that Wolf rins are available in tubed or tubeless format. Personaly I always have tubes as well on my vehicles - the only proviso being that "the little rubber grommety thing" (which most tyre places have never heard of) must be fitted round the valve. I've not had any problem with punctures, but then Kevin The Tyre always cleans the rims with a soft wire brush and air line before fitting.

Richard

As the saying goes "never leave home without".....an inner tube in your tyre and a spare one in the box. You can fix 99% of punctures with a tube, even if the sidewall has been staked you can improvise a patch and use a tube to get going.

Based on my experience on what appear to be Wolf rims (not readily available here but I have a set that arrived on a vehicle) - If the correct inner tube is used (with a TR15 valve) the grommet thing it not needed - it is only used to adapt TR13 valves to the 5/8" hole used in these rims.

I wouldn't recommend using Wolf rims on a series, I believe you would find that the studs aren't long enough to even pull flush to the wheel nut. My experiance anyway with Wolf rims on a late 80's 110. New studs are rather steep at around ten pounds each....

Regards

William MacLeod

Thanks folks. Confusingly, I had a chat with my friendly local LR parts supplier, and he said there is no such thing as a (specifically) tubeless rim. He suggests just pulling out inner tube, and maintains that the valve "grommet thingy" will work on my old bog standard rims. Is he right? I guess I'll go and find out, but meanwhile, opinions are welcome.

He's wrong, it's dangerous. More on this tomorrow (my time) when I'm not on the wrong end of a hard day's work, my business partner's brother hasn't just died, and I'm not drinking scotch.

Thanks EMB. The guys at the tyre shop agree with you; the ridge inside the tubeless rim prevents a tubeless tyre falling off if punctured.

So my only options are to change the tyres or the rims. :-(

...if Wolf rims dont fit the Series 3 studs, any suggestions for cheap / used tubeless rims?

Most of the White/Grey/Silver modulars and eight-spoke wheels are either tubeless or available in that flavour.

Richard

On or around 17 Aug 2005 16:15:22 -0700, " snipped-for-privacy@macleod-group.com" enlightened us thusly:

odd, seeing as the wolf ones are pressed steel. mebbe the offset is different, or they don't sit right on drum brakes? I can't see the actual material being that much thicker - I put 8-spokes on my 1985 110, which are a thick (compared with standard wheels) material, but the nuts/studs were fine.

On or around 18 Aug 2005 02:04:22 -0700, "ChelseaTractor" enlightened us thusly:

Series rims and steel 110 rims are tube-type, because the centres are rivetted into the rim, therefore, they're not guaranteed to be air-tight. The Wolf rims as discussed are welded construction, and thus should be air-tight. Tubeless rims also normally have a ridge around the inside, where the tyre bead seats, I think this is supposed to make the tyre unseating slightly less likely, in the event of a deflation. Chances are, it doesn't work.

Your parts-bloke is not completely correct, although for standard steel LR wheels, he is. You should have tubes in all standard steel wheels ('cept for one specifically known to be tubless type).

Whoever made the comment about tubeless tyres is also right up to a point - tubeless tyres have a sealing bit around the edge of the bead, and some have internal ridges which can wear through the tube. Mind, I've seen 'em marked "tubeless" and then "on tube-type rim, use inner tube".

On or around Thu, 18 Aug 2005 16:11:23 +0000 (UTC), beamendsltd enlightened us thusly:

's true. And similar money to the wolf ones, at that.

On or around Thu, 18 Aug 2005 22:49:03 +1200, EMB enlightened us thusly:

bummer about the partner. Don't overdo the scotch, you'll regret it in the morning :-)

Thanks Austin. And I didn't overdo it - I was just unwinding at the end of what had been a fairly arduous day. This morning the sun is shining, there isn't a cloud in the sky and winter appears to have left us at least for a while.

It works resonabley well - yess they fall of if driven totally flat, but without the ridge they fall off when the pressure gets much below about 15psi (voice of experience here - I had a play with some tubeless

Unless he wants you to be a regular customer ..