The Ford Barn

RalphM · 07-01-2018, 08:13 PM

I’ve pulled apart a lot of early Ford wheels and never came across a red inner tube. Just curious where these came from?
I don’t see any name on it.

OK here we go again, can’t load pictures

paul2748 · 07-01-2018, 08:16 PM

Haen't seen one in a long time, but I have seen them

JSeery · 07-01-2018, 08:27 PM

Seen them in a lot of bicycle tires.

Ole Lou · 07-01-2018, 08:32 PM

Red rubber inner tubes used to make the best sling shots

JSeery · 07-01-2018, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ole Lou

Red rubber inner tubes used to make the best sling shots

Yep, I was thinking that as well!!

cmbrucew · 07-01-2018, 08:56 PM

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I believe they were aftermarket. People said they were the best, they were heaver.
Last one I saw was a truck tire tube. Seems like I remember a yellow rubber tube.

Bruce

GB SISSON · 07-01-2018, 08:57 PM

I pulled one in the early 90s. It was extremely supple. I'm sure I could have re-used it if I had needed to.

tubman · 07-01-2018, 09:36 PM

When I was a kid, the word was that the red tubes were "natural rubber", while the black ones were synthetic. I have no idea if this was really the case, but it might explain the slingshot angle.

RalphM · 07-01-2018, 09:59 PM

I better save this one then, as I’ve been saving ball bearings for years for slingshot ammo.

ford38v8 · 07-02-2018, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphM

I better save this one then, as I’ve been saving ball bearings for years for slingshot ammo.

If you're like I was as a kid, I would shoot accurately at targets, and give it a little extra when shooting at a bird. Invariably, that extra hard pull would break my rubber, which of course was a genuine pain to the shooter. Years later, I made slingshots for my boys using surgical tubing. They somehow weren't interested, but pity those birds of my youth if I had had surgical tubing!

dumb person · 07-02-2018, 05:33 AM

I have one. They had antimony added to the rubber to make them tougher, so the legend has it. Best inner tubes i've ever seen. Long lasting. Very tough. When they used red rubber as tire treads they outlasted everything else, apparently.
Long ago lost to the mists of time... take good care of any you find.

Dak Rat · 07-02-2018, 07:40 AM

In the 50's at our lake cabin, the red inner tubes were the most popular for swimming--they wouldn't get hot in the sun and lasted for years with no rot.

JSeery · 07-02-2018, 08:07 AM

Did a quick search, it looks like Black Tubes (Butyl) are synthetic and Red Tubes are natural rubber.

rotorwrench · 07-02-2018, 08:45 AM

Natural rubber, not vulcanized, is white. When vulcanized it sort of turns gray. Adding carbon black makes them black. My thoughts would be that they were made in a time where carbon black was hard to get. Generally during war time. WWII & Korea were both such times. The rubber was cured & vulcanized with some form of red colored material added. I figure it was red lead since it was a curing agent used for some formulas of rubber.

Flathead · 07-02-2018, 11:01 AM

How about red radiator hoses? Similar rubber?

rotorwrench · 07-02-2018, 12:27 PM

The red heater hoses are likely a similar material. I can remember red rubber hot water bottles and squeeze bulbs on the battery & radiator hydrometers and other gizmos. A lot of that stuff was natural rubber. Most tubes are made from butyl rubber these days but they weren't always. I still remember red rubber flaps inside the tires to protect the tubes

woodiewagon46 · 07-02-2018, 02:04 PM

I saw one in a Model A once, but not in a V-8.

RalphM · 07-02-2018, 03:29 PM

Don’t know what’s going on with the pictures,
This is out of a 6.00x16. 1948 Ford

RalphM · 07-02-2018, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphM

Don’t know what’s going on with the pictures,
This is out of a 6.00x16. 1948 Ford

Darn it, wrong picture. And it’s the picture I took right before the inner tube!
This is too strange. It will not load the inner tube.

OK it’s getting even weirder, this is a screenshot I took of the picture that wouldn’t load.

ford38v8 · 07-02-2018, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphM

Darn it, wrong picture. And it’s the picture I took right before the inner tube!
This is too strange. It will not load the inner tube.

OK it’s getting even weirder, this is a screenshot I took of the picture that wouldn’t load.

Ralph, If a picture won't load, it's either too big, or of an unsupported type. Check the notes on what's compatible.

07-01-2018, 08:13 PM	#1
RalphM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 2,651	Red inner tube I’ve pulled apart a lot of early Ford wheels and never came across a red inner tube. Just curious where these came from? I don’t see any name on it. OK here we go again, can’t load pictures

07-01-2018, 08:16 PM	#2
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,980	Re: Red inner tube Haen't seen one in a long time, but I have seen them __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

07-01-2018, 08:27 PM	#3
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Red inner tube Seen them in a lot of bicycle tires.

07-01-2018, 08:32 PM	#4
Ole Lou Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 239	Re: Red inner tube Red rubber inner tubes used to make the best sling shots

07-01-2018, 08:56 PM	#6
cmbrucew Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: North of sandy ago, CA. Posts: 2,064	Re: Red inner tube Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I believe they were aftermarket. People said they were the best, they were heaver. Last one I saw was a truck tire tube. Seems like I remember a yellow rubber tube. Bruce __________________ Works good Lasts long time

07-01-2018, 08:57 PM	#7
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,916	Re: Red inner tube I pulled one in the early 90s. It was extremely supple. I'm sure I could have re-used it if I had needed to. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

07-01-2018, 09:36 PM	#8
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,304	Re: Red inner tube When I was a kid, the word was that the red tubes were "natural rubber", while the black ones were synthetic. I have no idea if this was really the case, but it might explain the slingshot angle.

07-01-2018, 09:59 PM	#9
RalphM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 2,651	Re: Red inner tube I better save this one then, as I’ve been saving ball bearings for years for slingshot ammo.

07-02-2018, 05:33 AM	#11
dumb person Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South pacific island Posts: 1,724	Re: Red inner tube I have one. They had antimony added to the rubber to make them tougher, so the legend has it. Best inner tubes i've ever seen. Long lasting. Very tough. When they used red rubber as tire treads they outlasted everything else, apparently. Long ago lost to the mists of time... take good care of any you find. __________________ <Link> This is how we roll<Link> "I'm Convinced that no one really reads posts anymore; they just fabricate what they think the post says then ramble on about red herrings."--Bob Outcasts rules of old cars #1 Fun is imperative, mainstream is overrated #2 If they think it is impossible, prove them wrong #3 If the science says it impossible you are not being creative enough. #4 No shame in recreating something you never had #5 If it were not for the law & physics you would be unstoppable

07-02-2018, 07:40 AM	#12
Dak Rat Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Minot, ND Posts: 217	Re: Red inner tube In the 50's at our lake cabin, the red inner tubes were the most popular for swimming--they wouldn't get hot in the sun and lasted for years with no rot.

07-02-2018, 08:07 AM	#13
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Red inner tube Did a quick search, it looks like Black Tubes (Butyl) are synthetic and Red Tubes are natural rubber.

07-02-2018, 08:45 AM	#14
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,425	Re: Red inner tube Natural rubber, not vulcanized, is white. When vulcanized it sort of turns gray. Adding carbon black makes them black. My thoughts would be that they were made in a time where carbon black was hard to get. Generally during war time. WWII & Korea were both such times. The rubber was cured & vulcanized with some form of red colored material added. I figure it was red lead since it was a curing agent used for some formulas of rubber.

07-02-2018, 11:01 AM	#15
Flathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 1,497	Re: Red inner tube How about red radiator hoses? Similar rubber?

07-02-2018, 12:27 PM	#16
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,425	Re: Red inner tube The red heater hoses are likely a similar material. I can remember red rubber hot water bottles and squeeze bulbs on the battery & radiator hydrometers and other gizmos. A lot of that stuff was natural rubber. Most tubes are made from butyl rubber these days but they weren't always. I still remember red rubber flaps inside the tires to protect the tubes Last edited by rotorwrench; 07-02-2018 at 12:34 PM.

07-02-2018, 02:04 PM	#17
woodiewagon46 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island,NY Posts: 1,555	Re: Red inner tube I saw one in a Model A once, but not in a V-8.