Rim Liners?

[Dick Steinkamp]

What are your recommendations on the use of rim liners? These are the 1 1/2" wide rubber strips that go around the inside of the rim supposedly to protect the tube.

I know all the suppliers sell them, and I use them on my British sports cars to protect the tube from the ends of the spokes that poke through the rim, but it seems like they may not be necessary in a Model A rim with the welded spokes.

Thoughts?

[CarlG]

I used them, cheap insurance.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Thoughts?

1. Does it hurt your feet to wear socks?

2. Inner steel surfaces of 80+ year old rims can vary from smooth to rough.

3. How long will it take for a sharp piece of rim metal to wear a hole in a rubber inner tube?

4. At 45 mph, how long will it take for a tube to go flat and cause an accident?

5. Reply No. 2 , appears to be a good "thought" .... cheap insurance.

In not thinking too deeply, no doubt, many, many, more "thoughts" can be "thought" of for rim liners.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I've got them on hand, so no additional expense to install them with my new tires. The tires/tubes I removed did not have the liners.

Is there any downside to using them might be a better question.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Surely many thousands of Model A's traveled thousands of miles without them; but a "thought " for a downside appears a bit difficult.

[Art Newland]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

You don't want to get a flat up at Artist Point do you? Better put them on.

[jm29henry]

I use them! !!!

[J Franklin]

I use them and if the rim is real rough you should consider flaps. I believe the car came with liners when new.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

I use them and if the rim is real rough you should consider flaps. I believe the car came with liners when new.

The Model A Instruction book, page 36 says "Caution: never use a tire flap when mounting tires on Ford Steel spoke wheels."

I wonder why this is the case and if the advice would change with less than new wheels.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Dick,

Thoughts? Just a wild guess.

Never "thought" of the page 36 remark; however, prior to WWII much of the rubber used for rubber tire tubes was pure rubber extracted from caoutchouc trees, and imported from Annam; i.e., the then central colonized region of today's Vietnam.

My grandfather, born 1867, bought his first car in 1912. From what I saw in our old barns, was that the old pure red rubber tubes touching old pure rubber tubes could breakdown chemically after time and become cohesive where pure rubber could stick to pure rubber like glue with heat.

Very possible prior to WWII, pure rubber tubes, with friction heat in tires, could stick to pure rubber liners; hence, where removing pure red rubber tubes stuck to pure rubber liners could turn into a mess.

Prior to toughening of rubber with early chemical vulcanization, this pure rubber was very sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat.

When I got my Model A in 1958, all of the 15 tubes in the 15 tires were red rubber, (with patches), but none of the wheels had rim liners.

FWIW: Old red rubber tubes made far better sling shots than modern vulcanized black rubber tubes.

[Benson]

After powder coating wheels last summer I FOUND sharp edges of powder coat inside where liners are placed.


06-07-2016, 03:23 PM #7 Benson
Senior Member

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Central Highlands, Cen~Col
Posts: 1,180


Re: powder coated wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce
Our powder coater puts a wire all the way around the rim and hangs it from a loop in the middle. The finished product has a wavy line in the drop center where the tire flap snaps in. You'll never see the wire mark when the tire is mounted.


This is "same same" as my wheels were done ...

One word of caution ... in case you use tubes and do not use a "tire flap" :

On three of the 5 wheels I had done recently there was several very sharp pieces of Powder coat left where they removed the wire ... Sharp enough to cut an inner tube.

Since this is inside the wheel / tire I just chiseled off the sharp edges and painted the bare metal with LustreCoat fuel proof glossy paint.

It dries in 20 minutes to the touch and completely in 24 hours. Just in case some water gets inside the tire!

[Synchro909]

I've taken to running liners after a had a series of flats caused by the spokes pulling off the rim and taking a bit of the rim with them. Liners wouldn't have stopped the problem but I think would have stopped the tyre going flat as quickly as it did.

[johnbuckley]

Is adhesive tape - "Gaffa Tape" or "Duct Tape" over here- an OK alternative?

[Ron Lachniet]

I used duct tape when I put new tires on last year and after about six thousand miles I haven't seen any problems. The reason I put the tape in was that after powder coating there was still some rough areas inside the rims.

[fundytides]

Dick. I think a "tire flap" is a different animal. Back in the day we used to use a flap to line the tire if the casing was broken or torn so that the tube wouldn't get pinched by the tire. Many otherwise unusable tires could be run for a few more miles especially during the war years when new tires were not available. Not especially safe but usually did the job. I was able to run a model A tire that had a silver dollar size hole in it by using a flap. Worked until I was able to afford a better used tire.

[barnstuf]

I am not an expert but I am old enough to have lived thru the 1930's depression years. A rim liner to my knowledge is for a drop center wheel such as the Model A wheels. A flap is for mostly flat surface rims, such as for trucks or large heavy older passenger cars. A tire liner was used to prolong the life of worn out tires.

In 1954 I purchased my 1929 Phaeton which I still own. The original owner was a farmer who during WWII qualified for new tires and they were S 2 synthetic rubber tires. They had been mounted with no rim liners. All was well until I made a 2000 mile trip and had three flat tires all caused by lack of rim liners and were caused by chafing. I strongly recommend rim liners.

By the way those WWII S 2 synthetic rubber tires wore out one by one after 45,000 to 50,000 miles. One is still on my spare.

[ronn]

two words-

duct tape...............

[Dick Steinkamp]

Thanks, guys. It sounds like most use them (or duct tape). I have them so I'll use them.

[CarlG]

The wheels that came with my pickup had some sort of adhesive liner applied that was a b***h to get off when I went to have them powder coated. I just used the big "rubber bands" I got from Coker when I went back with my new radials.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by CarlG

I just used the big "rubber bands" I got from Coker when I went back with my new radials.

I got mine from Bratton's but I'm sure they are the same.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by CarlG

The wheels that came with my pickup had some sort of adhesive liner applied that was a b***h to get off when I went to have them powder coated. I just used the big "rubber bands" I got from Coker when I went back with my new radials.

I have one wheel with the original cardboard rim liner still in place.
It's a solid cardboard, like a thick cereal box.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I have one wheel with the original cardboard rim liner still in place.
It's a solid cardboard, like a thick cereal box.

Note to self. Save those cereal boxes.

[LeRoycoupe/N.Y.]

Duct tape is ok but last Labor Day (emergency) I used an old
bicycle tube.
Next flat I`ll get the size.

[rocket1]

I've had the rim liners in the tires for over 40 years,no flats as of yet,knock on wood.

[Fred K-OR]

Yes, some type of liners are good to use. If you have rusty rims(like I had on my old rig) the rust will mess up your tubes over the years.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

Yes, some type of liners are good to use. If you have rusty rims(like I had on my old rig) the rust will mess up your tubes over the years.

I had to use a sharp knife to scrape off the flaky rust on my inner tube, then I brushed on some muriatic acid to finish removing the rust. Stay upwind of the acid fumes, because they are really bad.

[al's28/33]

If you have your tires and tubes off the rims already ---- YES install the liner. First sand down the inside of your rims anyways to create as smooth a surface as you can. Light coat of primer, light coat of rustoleum allow to dry then install your rubber liner and proceed to install the tire and tube.

I did mine in 2001 and have not had any issues with flats! Check your tire pressure along with all other routine maintenance and you will not have any issues!

[figment]

The flap that is mentioned is probably what we (Michigan) called a boot. like someone above mentioned they were used to get more miles out of a otherwise bad tire. Some were so large that you could feel the thump as you went down the road.

[CarlG]

From Coker's web site;

Flaps ......................................... Rim Strip

[J Franklin]

A flap is not a boot and maybe not the best for a drop center rim I guess.

[Mitch//pa]

Would u put on pants without underwear

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Would u put on pants without underwear

Not sure what the term is over there but that is called "Going commando" here. Only happens when the husband arrives home early.

[glenn in camino]

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

Is adhesive tape - "Gaffa Tape" or "Duct Tape" over here- an OK alternative?

I've used duct tape when I don't have liners. Worked ok.

[ronn]

Is adhesive tape - "Gaffa Tape" or "Duct Tape" over here- an OK alternative?

I prefer it, because I cover the whole rim with it, whereas the rubberband only covers the center.

[KGBnut]

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

Is adhesive tape - "Gaffa Tape" or "Duct Tape" over here- an OK alternative?

Sorry to nitpick, but it is properly called "Gaffer's" Tape. Gaffer is a theater/film term for an electrician. And, it is not the same as duct tape. It is not intended to be permanent.

Personally, I like Gorilla Tape. It is like duct tape, but much more durable.

[johnbuckley]

Originally Posted by KGBnut

Sorry to nitpick, but it is properly called "Gaffer's" Tape. ...

Surely KBnut if we are into nitpicking there is case to be made for moving the apostrophe to "Gaffers' Tape" or even (if its not a trade name) "gaffers' tape",

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

Surely KBnut if we are into nitpicking there is case to be made for moving the apostrophe to "Gaffers' Tape" or even (if its not a trade name) "gaffers' tape",

But if there were only one gaffer, gaffer's tape.

[KGBnut]

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

Surely KBnut if we are into nitpicking there is case to be made for moving the apostrophe to "Gaffers' Tape" or even (if its not a trade name) "gaffers' tape",

John,

Would you believe me if I said that was the American spelling? My wife found that excuse worked for almost anything when she studied in Oxford.

Actually, I debated where to put the apostrophe, so I actually took a moment to look up how the sellers spelled it. I found three variations: Gaffer's Tape; Gaffers' Tape; and Gaffer Tape. The most common I found was Gaffer's Tape.

Ken (the chagrined)