Tubes

[msmaron]

Forget the USA..that is over, Buy all your tubes now from Brattons or Snyders, and erase MACS of the Model a List totally., You will be happy, and make sure you use rim liners and your rims are clean of any debris or roughness..

[DougVieyra]

Has anyone specifically ASKED either Snyder's or Bratton's IF their inner-tubes are made in USA, or overseas ?

Seems to be little question that the quality is there, but some question as to where the tubes are actually made.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Has anyone specifically ASKED either Snyder's or Bratton's IF their inner-tubes are made in USA, or overseas ?

Seems to be little question that the quality is there, but some question as to where the tubes are actually made.

Bridgestone Americas Tube Business (BATB), a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, is based in Russellville, Arkansas. Since 1964, BATB has been committed to manufacturing quality synthetic and natural rubber inner tubes for both on and off the highway usage. We offer the most comprehensive product line in the industry ranging from Forestry tubes to Lawn and Garden tubes. In addition to inner tubes, BATB produces bladder stock for other Bridgestone plants to use in the production of tires. Today, BATB is the only inner tube manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada.

Here is their catalog;

http://firestonetubes.com/uploads/catalog_2011.pdf (I don't see anything 4.5")

[updraught]

^^^ The last four pages on safety and tube tips are worth reading.

[DougVieyra]

Winchester Repeating Arms Company have their headquarters and corporate offices in the U.S. They are 'An American Company'. "Selling the finest American products."

However, much (if not most) of their fire arms products are made in Japan.

So it is with this understanding of how wording is phrased that leads me to continue looking for specific and definitive - concrete evidence - that today's 'rubber' inner-tubes are actually MADE IN AMERICA - As in the old days, when AKRON, OHIO meant GoodYear Rubber, etc.

There is of course the MADE IN AMERICA label that has fine print indicating that the material was from XYZ & EBM, with components from EYC, assembled in ERT - all under the umbrella of 'Corporate Offices' in the USA.

"Based in", and "manufacturer" leaves room for some strong doubt as to exactly WHERE the inner-tubes are actually made. So I still wonder where the manufacturing plant is located that makes Bratton's/Snyder's inner-tubes.

[Mike V. Florida]

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Originally Posted by DougVieyra

Winchester Repeating Arms Company have their headquarters and corporate offices in the U.S. They are 'An American Company'. "Selling the finest American products."

However, much (if not most) of their fire arms products are made in Japan.

So it is with this understanding of how wording is phrased that leads me to continue looking for specific and definitive - concrete evidence - that today's 'rubber' inner-tubes are actually MADE IN AMERICA - As in the old days, when AKRON, OHIO meant GoodYear Rubber, etc.

There is of course the MADE IN AMERICA label that has fine print indicating that the material was from XYZ & EBM, with components from EYC, assembled in ERT - all under the umbrella of 'Corporate Offices' in the USA.

"Based in", and "manufacturer" leaves room for some strong doubt as to exactly WHERE the inner-tubes are actually made. So I still wonder where the manufacturing plant is located that makes Bratton's/Snyder's inner-tubes.

Given your definition of "Made in America" above, Bridgestone Americas Tube Business, cannot "make" any natural rubber tubes, as described in their catalog, in the US because there are no rubber plantations in the US. So even in the old days NO rubber inner tubes were made in the US.

[inex01]

Originally Posted by bill44

I am on my fourth tube since the first of the year. Two were from Tiwan and one from India. They all failed at the seams. Two were in the area where the valved is attached. I got the first two from Coker's when I bought new tires, and the other two from Mac's. I have rim liners and the wheels are powder coated, so no hazzards there. Anyone else have similar problems? Mac's tell me they have had no complaints; so will not give a refund. One tube failed before I even installed the tire on the car. Anyone know where I can get American made tubes?

Buy them from Brattons, I have not had a failure in the past 10 years except for a nail here and there but not a tube failure

[Dollar Bill]

Purchased one of the good inner tubes from Snyder's last year. There are three markings on the tube: T-K, 500/550-18/19, and Made in EEC.

Not being familiar with EEC I Googled it. Wikipedia indicates it stands for European Economic Community which means the tube came from either; Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain or the UK.

Never did decipher the T-K.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would trust tubes and many other products from Europe, but have yet to see any quality rubber products come from China or nearby countries.

[rocket1]

A friend of mine had tube problems and called Brattons,they said the tubes were foreign made to their specifications

[noboD]

Originally Posted by Dollar Bill

Purchased one of the good inner tubes from Snyder's last year. There are three markings on the tube: T-K, 500/550-18/19, and Made in EEC.

Not being familiar with EEC I Googled it. Wikipedia indicates it stands for European Economic Community which means the tube came from either; Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain or the UK.

Never did decipher the T-K.

A few years ago I bought six tubes for a non Ford antique car. All were marked EEC. Four were junk. The supplier insisted I pinched them installing them even though one blow up just putting air in it outside the tire. The supplier gave me 4 new ones and two of those were junk. The supplier is the largest antique tire Co. in the US. The tubes tore like an old newspaper.

[DougVieyra]

Thank you DOLLAR BILL (post # 26) for following through with my questions direction. You have 'hit the nail on the head' with your information, confirming what I suspected. Your diligence is to be commended.

Tom Wessenberg, post # 27: "I would trust tubes and many other products from Europe, but have yet to see any quality rubber products come from China or nearby countries."
__________________

I have been to manufacturing facilities in Western Europe and also to manufacturing facilities in Eastern Europe; I have some experience with the 'work ethic' of Western Europe and also of Eastern Europe. And while I would have a fair amount of trust in manufactured items from Western Europe, I still have some reservations about things made in Eastern Europe.

[1931 flamingo]

I don't see where EEC is any part of Eastern Europe...............................

Paul in CT

[DougVieyra]

31 Flamingo: "I don't see where EEC is any part of Eastern Europe."
__________________________________

That is true. However I was not addressing a reference to EEC; I was addressing a reference to 'Europe' (hence, my reference to Tom's post #27). Europe is generally geographically broken in to three components - Western Europe, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe. But often it has been simplified (since the 'Cold War') into two components: Western Europe and Eastern Europe. My remarks were meant to note that there might be a significant difference in quality between EEC and 'East Bloc' Europe. With the exception of Greece, all EEC countries are in Western Europe.

While both Germany and Russia are both in 'Europe', I would not want to buy a car from Russia - Not for reasons of politics, but for their noted lack of quality.

So, what I was trying to say was that there IS a difference in quality within 'Europe'. That is one of the reasons that the EEC is beginning to 'fray'.

[noboD]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

I don't see where EEC is any part of Eastern Europe...............................

Paul in CT

I'm told it stands for Eastern European Countries, which MAY include the ones listed. ALL I know for sure is the tubes I got from there were junk.

[updraught]

The UK production of Dunlop vintage car and motorsport tyres moved to Germany and France in 2014.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/ar...s-vintage-cars

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Dunlop

[Flathead]

Does the DOT enter into this?

[Greg Jones]

EEC=European Economic Community

[rscardina]

My bad. I had read here on the Fordbarn that Brattons has their tubes made in the US. I should have checked for myself.

[Ian in Mississauga]

I recently bought a tube from my local Model A parts supplier and specifically asked for a Brattons tube. The plastic wrapper was marked "made in China" and the tube had tiny Chinese lettering on.