Thread: Tubeless Rims for 130 Defender

There are tubeless wolf rims around if you can find a s/h set. Otherwise you can do like a lot of us have and just remove the tubes and fit a tubeless valve stem. Insurance wise it's not legal but imo they would have to prove this caused an accident. I have been doing this for about 20 years now.As you have found out it's a right pita patching tubes all the time.

I've experienced the same problem with tubes, keeping the sand out on a hot windy afternoon changing tubes seemed impossible to me. I bought tubeless King brand rims but at 16 x 8 (the size recommended by Maxxis) they weren't a good fit with the 255/85s and seemed flimsy compared to the 130 rims. So now I'm back to tube type 16/6.5s with tubeless stems, like I always used to have, and no more flat tyres, even on a 10500 km Canning trip.
Some of the wolf type rims were tubeless, I take it yours aren't?

I also run Cooper 235s on my 130 and have had a run of punctures and have been thinking it is the tyres that is partly causing the problem.
However the last puncture was repaired by an old time garage and the bloke said when ever you fit a new tube you must remove any stickers from the tubes
as they will rub on the inner tyre cause and cause a leak. Sure enough that was where the hole was. He reckons most young tyre fitters would be unaware of that.
Cheers Pat

Just run your tyres tubeless,I've been doing it from way back in my series days,never had an issue. Pat

I just fitted 235/85 tubeless tyres (without tubes) onto wolf "tubed" rims without a problem- the guys at the local tyre store just fitted the larger valve stems. Although theoretically "illegal" heaps of people,including the UK military have been doing the same for years without issues.

Are you putting a lot of talcum powder in the tyre with the tube? This stops a lot of the friction.

Have a look at Beadell Tours website for a lot of tyre tips.

Beadell Tours - Tubes for Tyres by Mick Hutton

Regards

John D - Defender 110 2.4

Would it be possible to have a 'safety bead' added to the rim? I have also have tube problems, mostly related to the quality of tubes available, and tyres having a rough inner surface, ending up having to replace tubes at around half the tyre life.

I have toyed with the idea of going to a wheel works and having the outer rim removed and replaced with one with a safety bead, if one is available in the right size. Hopefully it would be cheaper than new ones and still look original. I also saw a pic the other day where someone had welded in a safety bead.

You can buy tubeless 110 rims from Paddocks in the UK, but they are way more than Wolf rims.

http://www.paddockspares.com/rrc5036...er-coated.html

Jeff

Hi

I have a 130 2012 Defender with stock rims. It's stock throughout.

How do I tell if the wolf rims are tubed or tubeless?


Clive