Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
After retiring from 35 years in the medium commercial tire business, I can offer some info on tubes.
Radial tubes should have the following benefits over bias tubes:
*Heavier gauge rubber
*Wider splice overlap
*Heavier valve stem base
All characteristics to deal with the additional flex inherent in the radial tire’s construction.
Tubeless tires are tubeless because the compound of the inner layer of rubber, or liner, resists the migration of air molecules through it, plus they have a slightly tapered 7* bead angle that coincides with the same angle on the rim’s bead seat area. This helps lock the bead to the rim.
The tube is merely an air container to prevent air loss through the porous liner. Any penetration (nail) results in instant air loss and the potential for rapid tire deterioration and control issues.
The liner of the tubeless tire is designed to close around a penetration and minimize or stop the air loss.
The safety bead rolled in to the steel rim helps to keep the tire’s bead from being sucked in to the drop center of the rim under low inflation or high side load, again resulting in loss of stability and control.
Farm tubes are not intended for highway use; only slow moving, relatively straight ahead operation at speeds less than 20 mph. They lack every feature of a radial tube.
Don’t risk it!
Last edited by hotrodA; 03-19-2021 at 07:39 PM.
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