Tubes in Tubeless Tires ?

Getting ready to replace my tires. Seems some people use tubes in tubeless tires. Is there any advantage to doing this or is it just over kill ?

 

It's a way to "stretch" extra life out of aged tires, not a common practice.

It's wholly unnecessary, and if you were to run tubes, you'd need to pull your valve stems out.

Just be sure whoever does your mounting and balancing, or if you do it yourself, replaces the valve stems.

 

Best advice yet, they should be replaced at every tyre change

 

The Wheels are Engineered for "Speed-Rated" Tubeless Tires.

The Valve Stems should be a High Speed Safety Stem.
A Metal Valve Stem with a Threaded Outside Diameter.
The Stem is inserted from the Inside and employs two O-rings to assure its Air Tight.

When running a Tube-type Tire, ... the Speed-rated Stem is removed and RETAINED for reinstalling when a Tubeless tire is mounted.

::: Resizing Failed :::

 

I disagree with Fitz - adding a tube in no way stretches the life of a tire.

On an XJ the only reason to use them is because of a crudded up rim keeping the beads from sealing. The better solution is to clean up the rim so the bead seals.

Tubeless installations are inherently safer because a puncture will cause a tube to rupture and rapidly deflate. A Tubeless tire will deflate much more slowly, sometimes even taking days to go flat.

On most wire wheels you usually have no option other than using a tube. Then it is just fine to put a tube into a tubeless tire.

 

I could have stated it better; the only reason I've seen it done was to go ahead and wear out a tire that's too old to be safe but still has lots of tread left.

It's NOT something I'd recommend nor is it a good practice; but it's been done.

 

I understand you weren't advocating it.

I doubt it does any good anyhow. When the tire comes apart the tube will last a few fractions of a second at best.

 

More to the point:

A tube tire is not necessarily air tight - it needs a tube to keep the air in regardless of the type of wheel it's mounted on.

A tubeless tire has an air tight lining as part of its construction. So long as it's mounted on the appropriate rim there is no benefit to using a tube. Since that lining is bonded to the carcass of the tire it won't rupture if punctured.

There are very few tube type tires still made. It's very common to put a tubeless tire on a wire wheel with a tube.

A tube has very little of its own structural integrity. When punctured it tends to tear and rapidly deflate. This is one of the reasons a tubeless tire is generally safer.

 

A Real-World Situation.

Brought the Bike in for Inspection with a Rear Tire that was two weeks old.
The Inspector notices a Sheet Metal Screw in the Tire.
He uses a Screwdriver and extracts the Screw.
The Tire blows bubbles at the spot where the Screw was.

My choice was:
Replace, Plug or Tube.

I went for the Tube.

::::: Crud-causing Air Leaks <> Cleaned Air-tight Rim :::::

Scrubbing the Rim with ScotchBrite Gray (Med) followed by ScotchBrite White (Fine), ... will restore the Rim to Air-tight Cleanliness.

 

In that case a plug should still be inserted to seal the hole to prevent moisture getting into the carcass

 

Thanks for the great advice guys