Thread: Are tubes okay in tubeless tyres?

Depends on the tyre. Some tubeless tyres are definitely unsuitable for tubes because they are too rough inside, but others are satisfactory.

I am not sure of the legalities - either whether it is illegal to fit tubes to tyres against the manufacturer's recommendation, or alternatively whether it is legal to fit tubeless tyres to rims without safety retaining ridges.
John

I've had tubeless tyres fitted to my old series rims and I've had tubes fitted to the Defender to repair a flat. No real problems, it's not like it's a race car doing 160kph. I think it's all within the tyres capability. Maybe 19" rims with low profile tyres will be another story, but LT 750R16s should be ok. - I'm no expert though,

Most tyres are fine with tubes and it is legal AFAIK. There are ribs inside but these are smooth and don't usually cause a problem. What can cause problems are stickers on the inside of the tyres, make sure they are removed or they can rub through the tubes.

Originally Posted by Wilbur

Hi all,

Local tyre fitter says tubes illegal and dangerous in tubeless tyres. If so, there are very few tyre options for Defender 130's with tube type rims.

Anyone out there know the truth of the matter please?

Thanks,

Paul

I asked my local tyre service and this is the reply:

Use them only to get you out of trouble. The reasons given were:

1)Heat disipation. Tubes will affect the ability of the tyre to disipate heat in the manner that it would normally. This means increased risk of tread separation.

2)As a previous poster said, the inside of the tyre can be rough and will wear through the tube, causing sudden tyre deflation. At the very least, remove any stickers from the inside of the tubeless tyre as they will wear thru the tube.

3)Rim design. The hole in which the tubeless valve is normally mounted may also chaffe the valve stem of the tube, again causing sudden deflation.

He said a few other things but I couldn't write them as fast as he was rattling them off.

Hope this helps.

Er, but your rims are tube type rims, as you said in your post so the hole is not an issue.
Agree with the other stuff. One Disco club member with tubes in tubeless went beserk with blowouts, which were tracked to the stickers in BFG A/Ts. Once the stickers were removed they were OK.

More importantly it is illegal to fit Tubeless tyres on tubed rims (without tubes of course) Tubed rims always/usually do not have JJ bead retention humps.?

Regards Philip A.

My tyre guy fitted tubless tyres onto tube type (Rostyle) rims for me. I haven't had any dramas (I don't use them much, they will end up on my trailer) but I have never deflated them for sand driving.

It is illegal to fit tubless tyres to rims that are not rated for tubless tyres.... But do you know how long its been since someones made a one piece rim that is not tubeless rated... even my old series rims are up to spec... the JJ/KK doesnt specify rated for tubes or not it specifies the shape of the safety ridges

IF you have ANY kind of safety ridge and the rim is is not slotted for use with split rims or a multi piece rim it will handle a tubeless tyre... Even if you did have non rated rims with tubeless on it would be an exceedingly anal inspector who managed to pick it.

If you have to put a tube in a tubeless tyre remove anything thats in there that you can get out and put in plenty of talcum/baby powder. inflate to seat the beads then deflate, rotate the wheel a few times to spread the powder then re-inflate.

My Rangie with the standard 16" Range Rover rims and Goodyear Wranglers has tubes in them.