Damaged my tube
 

I just replaced 6 tubes. The last one started hissing around the valve stem on inflation. Now I was careful, bounced the tire a lot upon seating and inflating, did inspect the rim and it seemed OK, and used the rim 'tube protectors.

I think the problem is that for the rim/tire in question, I'm using an older tire and it isn't as flexible, and maybe a little harder on the tube. Also, I notice the tube is very "wide" by the valve stem and wants to get between the rim and tire there and I'm having trouble preventing that.

The spare tires are the two that are older tires. One was changed with no problem.

My thoughts are to heat up the tire with hot water first to make it a little more plyable like a new tire would be. Any other ideas? Anyone else have trouble with tube width by the valve stem? Snyder tubes.

Thanks in advance guys,
Tom

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Make sure you have rim liners on the wheels. Run your hand along the inside of the tire for possible nails, whatever, making sure it's smooth. Soap the tire bead so it easily slips into place. Make sure the tube is good; inflate it, check it in a water bath. Bend the valve stem back and forth... if they're the new, foreign-made tubes, they might be leaking from around the stem. Dry the tube. Use talcum powder in the tire so the tube is free to move about. install the tube in the tire with just enough air to hold its shape. Slide the tire on the wheel and position the stem. inflate gradually, making sure the tire is evenly centered on the wheel. Get a few pounds of air in the tire, bounce it around a bit to work out any wrinkles and inflate it to 35 pounds. Put a little spit on the stem to make sure the stem core isn't leaking. Screw on the cap. That should do it...

Richard

ps: make sure the tires are blackwalls... white ones won't hold air... just kidding.

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Tom are you sure it wasn't just air trapped between the outside of the tube and the tire? Filler up to 35# and wait a half hour, then check the pressure to make sure it isn't leaking.

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Are you using metal valve stems ...or rubber ones?

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Farrell, yes, definately a leak. It is right around the valve stem area but I haven't had it back apart yet..awaiting another tube. Brent, I'm using the rubber ones as it is a driver. I didn't do talcom powder, but followed all of the other rituals of tire installation. I don't do soapy water, I use the bag method and it seems to work well. Has anyone ever received a tube that didn't hold air?? I haven't ever tested them first, but that is probably a good idea. Also of note, it isn't the stem core itself, it is somewhere in the rubber and seems to be right near the stem hole in the wheel as I can change the noise as I move the stem around. As is always the case, thanks for all replies, Tom

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Might not be the stem itself, but an injury near the stem, and you hear the air escaping through the stem-hole in the rim... ( had this happen on several tube-tires on different vehicles. ).

Since you will likely have to break this wheel down again, when you get the tube out, check it over... if indeed the stem is damaged, you only option is probably to install a metal stem.

As for the base of the stem being wide and tending to get in between the tire and rim, I have a "stem puller" handle used for popping tubeless stems into rims, which I screw onto the tube stem(after threading the stem through the rim), and use that to push the stem deep into the tube while working the tire onto the rim...

Hope you can get it resolved !

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Mine made the same sound as the air around the tube escaped.

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Mine went flat! :)

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Sounds like you got the tube pinched then.
When changing tires and tubes last year I had one split when I test filled it. (I always inflate them a bit bigger than they would be in the tire first, as it shows up any imperfections before install). A lot of theses tubes are off-shore products and I believe pretty thin compared to old original types. I guess the synthetics are just cheaper.
Talcum is the trick to settling a tube in. I talc The tire and rotate it to distribute it around, install one side of the tire and install the stem. Then the tube goes in and its inflated just enough to straighten the tube in the tire and check for kink or twists. Than I deflate the tube and seat the last bead, keeping the bottom bead (opposite of where I start) well into the drop of the rim. . Newer tires are tighter and you will probably need an iron or spoon to get the last bit in and thats where I have pinched a lot of tubes by not checking to see if the tube is clear of the iron and rim. A bit of dish soap and water around both beads to help them slip onto the rim and inflate to 35Lbs.
So........... you have a decent patch kit? Lets get er done!

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Brent raised a good point, are you using metal or rubber valve stems?

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Why not remove the tire and tube and see what happened.

Re: Damaged my tube
 

I am using the rubber stems but I think the leak is below the stem, in the tube. Yes, I'm just looking for ideas and tricks for when I remount the tire especially using an older tire which seems a little harder than new ones(I replaced the tires on the ground and the spares are just getting tubes). 70+hr work week is keeping me from it, but next week looks better so I'll be finding out what went wrong soon. Thanks to all for the posts.

Re: Damaged my tube
 

45 years ago when I worked as a tire monkey in a Goodyear store, all truck tires had "Flaps" in the tires, over the tubes at the inside opening of the tire, that stabilized the stem and protected the tube from the wheel. I wonder if they ever had flaps for model A wheels and tires...

Re: Damaged my tube
 

Maybe not wide flaps as for multi-piece truck rims, but there were definitely rim liners thorugh the years...

My '28 came wearing a set of 1970's Allstates, and I switched-out a couple that had become baloney-skins with some even older Garfields that are plenty stiff ( but had nearly 100% tread)...

I re-used the Allstate tubes, used talcum (dusting, swished around with a rag, so as not to leave enough to form a "clump"), and once the tire was inside the rim edges, made sure to push the tube up inside the casing, to get the fat part of the stem/tube juncture in past the tire bead shoulders, then put air on it (no valve core), putting about 10-15 pounds in, the deflating, re-installing the core, inflating to 10-15 pounds, bouncing the tire around, then up to 25 pounds, more bouncing, then up to 35 pounds.

They have been holding-up fine since about June ( 1500 miles).

( I am NOT advocating that anyone else use old tires, just relating my experience mounting and using them...)