The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Rim Flaps! Another $112 + bucks?? come on.

oldmotorsguy · 05-31-2012, 06:35 PM

Great philosophical discussion, this tube flap flap.

On the one hand, you have the worry worts: do it just like the book says, and make sure you disinfect the rim with denatured alcohol, then take the surface down a micron or two with some 480 grit sandpaper, and make sure to cover every single square millimeter, lest disaster result. And to ensure maximum reliability, melt some gold into all the uneven surfaces of the rim (only 24 karat gold, that cheapie stuff will fail, trust me...). If you really want to be safe, then melt pure platinum into all the crevices, this will ensure maxium reliability. That, or buy flaps....but these worry worts tend to go with the platinum...

Then comes my crowd: duct tape. The physics involved here are simply friction creating a pinch point against a plyable tube. Minimize it, and allow the tube to do what it's designed to do. Duct tape will indeed do this with virtually minimum chance of failure, assuming you cover all areas where the tube will want to erroneously wander.

Jim, your concern is well founded. Flaps were not original equipment on Model T's, these were invented by tire companies, who know that worry warts are a great market.

Duct tape at Home Depot: $1.99 a role, on sale. Your best bet.

05-31-2012, 06:35 PM	#22
oldmotorsguy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Crossville, Tennessee Posts: 157	Re: Rim Flaps! Another $112 + bucks?? come on. Great philosophical discussion, this tube flap flap. On the one hand, you have the worry worts: do it just like the book says, and make sure you disinfect the rim with denatured alcohol, then take the surface down a micron or two with some 480 grit sandpaper, and make sure to cover every single square millimeter, lest disaster result. And to ensure maximum reliability, melt some gold into all the uneven surfaces of the rim (only 24 karat gold, that cheapie stuff will fail, trust me...). If you really want to be safe, then melt pure platinum into all the crevices, this will ensure maxium reliability. That, or buy flaps....but these worry worts tend to go with the platinum... Then comes my crowd: duct tape. The physics involved here are simply friction creating a pinch point against a plyable tube. Minimize it, and allow the tube to do what it's designed to do. Duct tape will indeed do this with virtually minimum chance of failure, assuming you cover all areas where the tube will want to erroneously wander. Jim, your concern is well founded. Flaps were not original equipment on Model T's, these were invented by tire companies, who know that worry warts are a great market. Duct tape at Home Depot: $1.99 a role, on sale. Your best bet.