Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I currently have 6x16 bias ply tires on my '38 Deluxe Fordor that need replacing. Reading the many tire posts I've decided to switch to Diamondback Auburn Deluxe radials. To the best of my knowledge the 16" wheels are original. My question is do I need to also use inner tubes with the new radials?

Thanks in advance. Stay safe and healthy.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

All DiamondBack tires are tubeless, so if your wheels are in good shape you should not need tubes.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I have radials on the wide fives on my '39 p/u and run them tubeless. The rears hold air fine but the fronts loose a couple of pounds a week. Don't know if the front wheels leak at the rivets or if they loose air due to flexing during turning. My guess is flexing since the rears are fine. Hard to believe that both fronts leak at the rivets but the rears are fine. As for now I just keep an eye on the tire pressure. Someday if I catch up on everything else I may dismount the tires and seal the inside of the wheels.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I Did the Diamond backs on my 46 Cadillac , no tubes required. You will love those tires on your ford. They are high end Toyo tires . Do not put tubes in radials as they can generate heat and cause other problems as well do to stretching in different directions at the same time. I would have the rims media blasted and powder coated. If they are riveted rims like mine I would and did spray the riveted area with some parts house spray can bed liner to make sure it was air tight. Tim

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I have Diamond backs on my '36 Ford sedan...no inner tubes. I think their direction for rivets inside tdhe wheel was to cover them with something. Can't remember what i used. I've had no trouble at all after 5 years. Terry

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

A little jb weld buttered around the rivets will work as well. No tubes for radials.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Why not? Is there some problem with tubes in a tubeless tire?

Seems like belt and suspenders to me. I don't trust my original wheels to be clean enough for a good seal. Don't want to come to garage after weeks of storage and find a flat tire.

When I bought DiamondBack Auburn (see the avitar) I asked the salesman about this. His response was up to you, tubeless or with tubes either way is OK.

So why not use tubes? What harm?

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

No harm in using tubes designed for radials but why the extra expense if not needed? Using a tube designed for a bias ply tire in a radial will fail.

Some people get away with things we shouldn't do, like driving on 15yr old tires. But does that mean we should all do it?

In the end you have to make the decision that you feel comfortable with no matter how many opinions and facts you receive.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Thanks to everyone. Based on all the posts I will not be using inner tubes. I am using a super shop (hotrodders) for my tire mounting. They will checkout the wheels and correct everything as needed. Again thanks!

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Thanks for the info. Yes, I got the "radial tubes" from DiamondBack with the Auburn tire purchase. In 2017 the tubes were only $9.90 each. Peanuts compared to the expensive price of the specialty tires.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Coker also markets radial tubes. They are usable on any wheel but they are very necessary on wire spoked wheels that are laced & trued. Some manufacturers try to seal the spoke nipples with epoxy but it rarely lasts and they start leaking around the nipples. Flaps would have to be used on wire wheels as well if tubes are installed.

A person has to drive carefully in corners when the rims don't have the safety ridge in the bead and radials move around a lot more than the bias ply types.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I've run radials on Kelsey Hayes wires on my 35 since the mid 80's. Because of the construction of these wheels, I've had to run tubes. The problem with 'radial tubes' is that they have a smaller valve stem, which necessitates running a plastic 'reducer bush' in the valve stem hole of the rim. I now run 'tractor tubes', these have the bigger valve stem that suits the rims, and they are of heavier construction....I've had zero problems with this combination. Incidently, I also run 'dynabeads' in the tubes, the fun part is the filling, but they are most excellent!!

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Tubeless tires and tubes don't mix, and I don't care how many people are running tubes with tubeless tires. Do your research; listen to the professionals, not the know-it-all.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Thanks Brian. You've answered my question before I had a chance to ask it.

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Actually...it was my local [professional] tire dealer who recommended the tractor inner tubes!

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Here's my take... Back in the 90s I had a truck with multi piece wheels. I wanted to run radials so I did. I even went the extra mile and made sure I had tubes for radial tires.... Well, after fixing my second flat my tire guy at the gas station pointed out that tubeless radials have these ribs on the inside of the carcase. Sort of in a radial pattern, I think we have all seen them. Well, according to tire guy they chafe on the tube as they flex (and boy do radials flex) and then wear through the tube and cause failure. Now this was a truck I put 20,000 miles a year on back in those days and last month I mounted some radials on the same split rims. I used radial rated tubes, but on this one I doubt I will put 500 miles per year. Judge your usage from that....,. Less miles, less chafe?????

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

On my avatar I run tubeless radials on my wide 5s - like someone else had said my fronts also lost a few pounds every couple of weeks. I broke the bead and used some bead sealer and it hasn’t happened since and that was 4* years ago. I usually run normal modern passenger car radials save for the smaller 16” fronts. I was running Austones (spelling?) - the British taxi cab tires - but they have been replaced with Stais (spelling?) at Universal tire. When at Fall Carlisle I checked in with them and they were out of stock. Hopefully they are back for those in need ....

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

Well, only slightly off track here, but the normal tubes made today are of such shit quality that some folks run the radial tubes in bias tires because they are of much better quality, and i believe made by real companies and not a shack in china. As far as being safe, most of us are old enough to remember that tubeless tires came out many years before the rims ever had that extra "safety" bump around the wheel. I believe that bump is only an aid to help get a tire to "air up" when mounting, and has nothing to do with keeping a tire on the rim if you have a flat at speed. I have no radials...yet, but i plan to. I know from an old brand x thing I switched to 15" radials in the 80's, drove like a whole different car

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

I have a set of Coker 600x16 Classic WW radials and also a set of Diamondback radials, 750x16 rears (Yokohama's), & 550x16 fronts (Michelin's). Both sets use tubes made specifically for radial tires and have been mounted on '35 Ford wire wheels that are powder coated. Both sets of tires have been on my cars for about 10 years and both sets have gone many miles including two cross-country trips. Knock on wood.... I've never had any problems with either set. At the time I bought these tires, both companies suggested using the correct type tubes, and the local tire company who mounted them also recommend using radial type tubes that I purchased from a local Ag (tractor dealer) along with the plastic valve stem spacers/grommets.
I'm now guessing by one post I've quoted here these professionals were "know it all's" :) ;)

Re: Inner Tubes for Radials?
 

JFYI, Dodge introduced the safety wheel in '40, many years before tubeless tires were first used here in the U.S. by Packard in '54. Also the purpose of the safety wheel is to help keep the tire on the wheel during low or complete absence of air pressure. And I'm not that old! :)