Tubeless or not? (Yes, another tyre question)

Landyjd · Oct 27, 2011

I'm looking to buy a new spare tyre for my 1986 Ninety (yes not a series Land Rover I know), but I am not sure whether I need a tyre with a tube or not.

The spare rim is a yellow-painted steel Land Rover rim, but I do not know whether this is one of the original rims off the vehicle as the other wheels on the vehicle on the vehicle are aftermarket, so I have nothing to compare it to.

I thought that maybe it was a rim off a Series Land Rover, but I don't know how to tell the difference between these and old Defender rims. I know that if it is a Series rim then I will need a tyre with a tube, and I was wondering if there is a way to tell whether the tyre on the rim has a tube in it or not. The tyre is an old Bridgestone Mighty Rib, size 6.5-16.

The Mad Hat Man · Oct 27, 2011

Has the correct tyre got a tube in it?

My understanding is that Series tubed rims had a larger tyre valve hole, at least mine did.

Landyjd · Oct 28, 2011

The Mad Hat Man said:
Has the correct tyre got a tube in it?

My understanding is that Series tubed rims had a larger tyre valve hole, at least mine did.

Are you able to tell me about what diameter the valve hole is on Series rims so I can measure, or do you no longer have them?

Also, do you know if the steel rims which came on Defenders in the Eighties were for tubed or tubleless tyres?

Thanks.

Fur Trapper · Oct 28, 2011

Landyjd said:
Also, do you know if the steel rims which came on Defenders in the Eighties were for tubed or tubleless tyres?

Thanks.

tubeless

Landyjd · Oct 28, 2011

That makes things tricky, as I may need a tubeless or tubed tyre depending on what sort of rim I have. If I find someone with a good knowledge of tyres or show it to someone at a tyre shop then they will hopefully be able to tell me whether the tyre on my rim is tubeless or not.

Thanks for your help.

chezvegas · Oct 28, 2011

Have a look at where the valve comes through the rim, tubes are easy to spot as the valve is not anchored on to the rim and is just pushed through, my guess is that it will be a tubeless rim but quite likely that someone has put a tube in it due to corrosion round the edges causing it to leak. I don't know if you can still get tubed tyres though, off hand I have never seen any advertised anywhere. Quite a lot of folk, including me , have put tubes in if there are corrosion issues on your wheels even with a tubeless tyre. The inner wall is t as refined so the tube may wear out but I have heard folk sayi g they can get about 20k out of a tube

jai_landrover · Oct 28, 2011

i was adamant that I wanted tubes and fitted tubes to my 90 all round so I could air down and repair in the field ect. now tho i'd stick with tubeless more reliable i have had several punctures caused by tubes and tyre fitters not being able to source and fit the rubber band that protects the tube against corrosion rivit heads on the rim itself. I have had tubeless now with only one puncture in years. I am slowly converting the tyres i have to tubeless.

Cheak the valve most 80's lrs had tubed tyres still depends if they have been swapped at any point. Also the rims are different shape.

lynall · Oct 28, 2011

Early inner tubes had larger valve bodies than later ones, apparently you can get an adaptor ( a grommet) to make small bore tubes fit earlier large hole rims
In a nutshell if the rim is riveted i would be going for a tube

Lynall

Landyjd · Oct 28, 2011

chezvegas said:
Have a look at where the valve comes through the rim, tubes are easy to spot as the valve is not anchored on to the rim and is just pushed through, my guess is that it will be a tubeless rim but quite likely that someone has put a tube in it due to corrosion round the edges causing it to leak. I don't know if you can still get tubed tyres though, off hand I have never seen any advertised anywhere. Quite a lot of folk, including me , have put tubes in if there are corrosion issues on your wheels even with a tubeless tyre. The inner wall is t as refined so the tube may wear out but I have heard folk sayi g they can get about 20k out of a tube

I will have a look today and see if I can tell. It doesn't matter if I put on a tubeless tyre with a tube really as it is just a spare and I won't be doing a great mileage on it (hopefully). I know that tubed tyres are still available as many in my off-road club still use them so they can air down much further, and those with Series Land Rovers must be able to find them somewhere? But I think that in these narrower sizes that Land Rover uses they must be harder to find nowadays.

Landyjd · Oct 29, 2011

I have looked at where the valve joins the rim and moved it around a bit. It definitely does not appear to be attached and I can move it just enough that there is a tiny gap between it and the edge of the hole. It is also at least a cm in diameter where it meets the rim, which seems quite wide.
the rim is still on the back of my truck, but I reached around behind it and I could feel the rounded tops of what I'm pretty sure were rivets, which seems to suggest from what others have posted that they are Series rims. Basically, I will have to either find a tyre that takes a tube or put on a tubeless tyre and stick a tube in it as it is just a spare.

Fur Trapper · Oct 29, 2011

Landyjd said:
I have looked at where the valve joins the rim and moved it around a bit. It definitely does not appear to be attached and I can move it just enough that there is a tiny gap between it and the edge of the hole. It is also at least a cm in diameter where it meets the rim, which seems quite wide.
the rim is still on the back of my truck, but I reached around behind it and I could feel the rounded tops of what I'm pretty sure were rivets, which seems to suggest from what others have posted that they are Series rims. Basically, I will have to either find a tyre that takes a tube or put on a tubeless tyre and stick a tube in it as it is just a spare.

Just put a tube in it and put a tube liner in ( someone refereed to it as a rubber band

)if you can't find a tube liner then make one from a old tube a utility knife works good for cutting them to fit

Landyjd · Oct 29, 2011

Fur Trapper said:
Just put a tube in it and put a tube liner in ( someone refereed to it as a rubber band)if you can't find a tube liner then make one from a old tube a utility knife works good for cutting them to fit

Sounds like a good idea to me. I use old bike tyre tubes for pretty much everything that needs protecting (the rubber is really tough) so I see no reason why I can't use an old tube from a car tyre. Thanks for your help.

Tubeless or not? (Yes, another tyre question)

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