Adding a tube to a tubeless tire

SDE

Well-known Member
When you put a tube in a tire, is it recommended that you drill a new hole in the rim for the valve? It seems that if you use the same hole for the tube as what is in the wheel, that the valve stem is crooked.
SDE
 
Putting a tube in a tubeless tire is one of the 'not recommended' things we do to get by. The problem is that if you don't plug the original valve hole somehow, the new tube will blow out through that hole.


So you either weld up the old hole and grind smooth on the inside or else you twist the tube and hope for the best. My experience trying to plug the old hole with say, a carriage bolt, didn't work. The tube still failed at the bolt head.

Most people just put the tube in and hope for the best. I work in a mower shop and we have well over 95% success rate just putting the tube in and use the old valve stem hole. Probably closer to 99%.

Use some common sense about it. On most tubeless wheels you can see the tube will twist less with the tube valve installed one way versus the other.
 
Every time and I have done it a lot I just pull the old tubeless valve stem and put the tube valve stem out of that hole simple as that. My troy built tiller that my dad got in 1972 still has the same tires on it as it did when new but now has tubes since the tires will not hold air with out the tube and it has been that way for 5 plus years
 
I have put tubes in tubeless mower tires for as long as I can remember. Even have them installed on new equiptment fisrt chance I get. I have yet to have the first problem with them.

No you do not have to, nor do I reccomend drilling the rim. Just creates a place for water to enter the rim along with other crud by having an extra hole.

When adding tubes. I like to use good ATV tubes with threaded valve stems.

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With the poor quality of baseline tubes these days, a great idea....will pay for itself with a one time effort rather than recall/revisit, for sure. Wink!
 
t.r.k. Why is it "not recommended" to put a tube in a tubeless tire? I know it isn't good on a high speed tire as the tube friction is supposed to generate excess heat, but on anything farm equipment related I don't think the speeds would be high enough for this to be a problem.
 
I have had several tubeless rear garden tractor tires that tire shop put tubes in and never drilled new holes.
 
I have put about a dozen tubes in tubless tires, just not on highway vehicles. As for the stem diameter difference, they make a sleeve for the tube stem. I have several in my tire kit. It is a plastic flanged sleeve that can slide over the stem and then insert into the rim. A flange against the rim holds it from inside the rim. No welding needed. They are cheap and should be available from any reputable tire store. I know that M.E. Miller Tire, Wauseon, Ohio, has them.
 
One of the handiest tools you can have is a valve stem fishing tool. Worth every penny. Just pulls that valve through the hole soooo slick.
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One other tip. Just before you are ready to stick the tube in....grab a bottle of baby powder. Give the inside of the tire a little puff of powder. Also rub a little on the tube. This makes things go together much easier and will let the tube settle in much smoother. You just need a tiny bit of it.
 
no just put little air in tube first to see where stem offset is then flip it so it best lines up with current hole, deflate and install. worst problem is do not pinch the tube when you put tire back onto rim. done tubes for years.
 
The more I think about this and the more replys you get it sounds as if the person drilling a new tube hole didn't have the correct tube. Some have the tube dead center and others have the tube a little to the side. Lawn Tractor tires need to be to the side. Offset
 
Sde. I owned a tire shop for 22 years. We put hundreds of tubes in tubeless tires. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. In your case the tube is not lined up in tire or the tube is in backwards. Carefully let the air out of the tube while holding on to the stem, when the air gets out of the tire, wiggle the stem it should straighten up. Do not drill another hole in the rim. Who ever told you that has no idea what they are talking about.
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