How to get a quality inner tube

SDE · Aug 18, 2015

There is a new inner tube listed at a local on-line auction. How can you tell if it is a cheap piece of garbage or if it is a good quality tube? The photo shows that it was in a white plastic bag and there is a number showing on the tube. It looked thin, where it was folded over. The number was HB3 36BC 100108C.
Thank you
SDE

Ray · Aug 18, 2015

How old is the tube? Better off to purchase one locally than off the net. As far as good ones,i don't know,i haven't had much luck.

Bob Harvey · Aug 18, 2015

Yah get what you pay for. Quality is easy to find, BUT, can be spendy. Lots of 'inexpensive' apcray out there. If you want longevity---$$.

cool hand · Aug 18, 2015

We try to buy only American made Firestone tractor tubes. We've had too many failures of the Korean tubes.

tim s · Aug 18, 2015

And the China tubes are really bad..

Geo-TH,In · Aug 18, 2015

Tire barn installed new tube in front tractor tire. $15 including labor. They have my business. I can't see saving a few bucks and working that hard.

casecollectorsc · Aug 18, 2015

Where do you get USA made Firestone tubes??? Local Co-op has Firestone tubes made in china on the bag.

DeltaRed · Aug 18, 2015

Buy it locally from your farm tire dealer.You know you will get a quality product.By the time you pay frieght,you wont save a dime going 'online'..Help the little local guy stay in business.

cool hand · Aug 18, 2015

We've requested them from our local tire center. They manage to get them through their supplier. Also got them from Riley Park Tire in Greenfield, IN.

black · Aug 18, 2015

Depending on what's available in the tire size , go with a Forestry tube . For example , I can buy a tractor tube for my 18.4 x 34 skidder tire @ 110.00 or a forsetry tube @ 250.00 . The latter will outlast the former .

Robert Major · Aug 18, 2015

Hi
Another good brand is kleber tubes. After a huge debacle with china junk, thats all one of our local tire shops will fit. He will flat out tell you to take a hike someplace else if you want him to fit made in china/ Korea tubes in anything tractor or implement there.
They are made of good thick material and will handle the cold winters up here in Canada. Most of the china and Koreans don't have enough real rubber content and they go hard and brittle in the cold. Plus the just junk the rest of the year quality issues.
Regards Robert

cuby · Aug 19, 2015

Went to Farm and Home store the other day asked for a 5.50X16 tube came back with 6.00-6.50 X 16 tube,i questioned it as not the right size,clerk said they are now universal. I did buy at 22.00$. Thought kind of expensive,but nothing cheap anymore.

hd6gtom · Aug 19, 2015

Cubby that is the wrong size for your tire it is too big, yes they are somewhat universal but they will say on the bag the size that is covered. As for the rest Yes cheap tubes are just that-CHEAP TUBES- I've put thousands of tubes in tires over the years. Cheap tubes have a seam separation problem. they are glued together and where the 4 corners meet they separate. We got away from them years ago by going to heavy duty tubes both radial and bias. Some other problems of the overseas built-the valve stems come off the tube, not from mis application they actually come unvulcanized from the tube body. We have had them leak between the metal part and the rubber on the stem. SDE if that tube has been laying on a shelf for a long time it may be no good, with age they crack and go bad where they are folded even though the bag may never have been opened. As stated go to your local farm tire store and buy 1 that is fresh.

SDE · Aug 19, 2015

Thank you everyone. I have seen my tubes, that are on the shelf crack at the folds and so I guess i will buy a tube when I need it.
SDE

How to get a quality inner tube

SDE

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Ray

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Bob Harvey

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cool hand

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tim s

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Geo-TH,In

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casecollectorsc

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DeltaRed

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cool hand

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black

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Robert Major

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cuby

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hd6gtom

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SDE

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