Use of inner tubes

18 years ago

I have a slow puncture problem. I first noticed it in Luxembourg, took it to a garage where they found a nail in the tread and repaired it. The following week in Belgium I saw it going low again. The shop there found a bit of wire in the tread, fixed that. Now back home in Ireland I have completed two weeks rehab with no driving allowed following spinal surgery to find that same tyre flat again. My patience is beginning to run out. I have no doubt as to the competence of the two garages I used for puncture repairs as I have used them before for both cars and lorries so I am assuming that there is a very small, hard to find hole and the nail and wire intrusions were just a coincidence. So I am considering having an inner tube inserted as there is still a good 6mm of tread left on this particular tyre. What affect does this have on the performance of tyres? I do drive on the unlimited stretches of the Autobahns in Germany where I reach a speed of 200km/h or more, can an inner tube cope with this?

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Comments (3)

ky114
18 years ago
This is not something I've ever heard of anyone doing on a modern car tire. The way the valve stem is designed, I can't see how you could put in an inner tube, although there may be a way. If it were me, I'd have it checked again at a good local tire dealer. I assume they used patches to fix the leaks, and those can leak. I have had these go flat even when done by competent people - the success rate is not 100 percent.
jemdandy
18 years ago
I've got no experience with running an inner-tube in a tubeless tire. It should work if the valve stem fits. The valve stem for the tubeless tire has to come out since an inner tube has its own stem. However, I view the inner tube as an emergency measure to get oneself home. You mentioned speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph). This is race car speeds. The tire with a tube will likely heat more and that could lower its speed rating, which is very important in your case.

There are three more places where your tire may be leaking:
o At the interface between the tire and the wheel.
o A porous wheel.
o Valve stem.

Sometimes, the wheel (rim) is not smooth where the tire bead fits against it and the sealing flap of the tire can not make a good seal. This is a common problem in the northern tier of states in the US where road de-icing salt is used. I have seen this problem solved after the rim has been cleaned and smoothed.

In rare cases, a wheel itself may leak especially if it was made in two halves, then welded together. If the wheel is a cast, aluminum alloy, wheel, then the casting may have porosities that were not adequeatly sealed.

A good tire shop should be able to find these problems if they are tipped off to look for them. A tire technician may not look for these problems if he does not know the history of your problem.

In any event, I'd be cautious about driving 200 km/hr on a patched tire. Your next visit to the hospital could be disasterous.
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johndeere
18 years ago
The biggest problem with a tubed tire is.If you get a puncture they go Kaboom rather then loosing air slowly.Todays tires are mostly radial and do no have flat sides and corners.At high speeds a inner tube would create more heat and again could go Kaboom.Thats why they do not use them.Flats seem to happen in threes do not ask me why?You just having yours on the same tire LOL.

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Use of inner tubes

Comments (3)

ky114

jemdandy

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johndeere

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