Mounting bias-plies/tubes

This'll be my first set of bias-ply tires and I'm wondering if there is anything in particular to watch out for when installing them and their respective tubes on the powdercoated steel rims. I have 16" Ford steel wheels, 4" in front with 16-5.50's, 4.5" in rear with 16-7.00's.

Anything like pinched tubes, damage to tire/rim bead, etc? Any special tricks for balancing/maintenance once everything is on there? Anything at all that some veterans of tire mounting/balancing can contribute to avoid a pitfall would be great. Thanks.

 

Buy some baby powder and take it with you to the place that is gonna mount the tires. If they look at weird, leave and go to one that knows what to do with it.

 

I'm thinking that's to coat the tubes to keep them from sticking? I know I've seen it all over the tubes for bicycle tires...

 

I dont trust anyone to mount my tires. I do it myself

 

Do you have a method for balancing them yourself as well?

 

I bought a computer balance machine. It is 3 phase and I havent bought a single phase motor for it yet.
So No I dont balance my own yet.
I usually run them unbalanced unless they need it.
Then I take them off my car and carry them to a tire store

 

Stick the tire on one side of the wheel

insert the rim band.

insert the tube, but not the stem

spoon the upper bead on

rotate the tire until the stem fits thru the hole.

use lots of soapy water on the beads.

Ive done a million bia both with a machine and by hand.

If your not in a hurry, like with a radial, you wont stick the tube between the rim and tire.

 

Do all of the above and then after you air it up and the beads seat, let all of the air back out of the tube. That lets the tube move around and gets any stretches/wrinkles out of it.

 

I took mine to a dude that mounts a lot of drag slicks. They know their shit, no problems and cost a whopping $20.00!! 35 Ford wires and new Cokers. Haven't lost a pound in over a year.-MIKE

 

I've done a million of then too,and theres a proper way.
Place the rim 'inside face' down,
If you have bands ,fit them now.

look at the tire case,there are two painted Dots.one red( or yellow) One white.The white dot goes next to the valve stem hole.


Place the tire on the rim,push ONE side on.
With tire bead on the rim,left the opposite bead up beside ther valve hole.
Push the valve stem of the tube into the stem,Without the valve insert.
Then push the inner tube into place.
Blow the tube up. So it lifts the loose bead up about an inch.
let the air go.
push the tire case down so the air is squashed out enough to allow the tire bead Opposite the valve stem under the rim.
Put your foot there,Squirt some soapy water around the bead.
Use your rubber mallet to pop the bead over the rim.
Stand the wheel up and gently bounce it to center the beads towards the rim edge and then carefully blow it up.
Takes about 3 minutes.

You blow the tube up first because if you don't ,the tube WILL get creases which leak.
By blowing it up first with one bead off ,the tube will untangle itself and stretch further than when it's in a fully mounted case and sit where it's supposed too.
Don't use tubes on Radials.look in a radial case and you can see raised lines running across the case inside diagonally.These rub on a tube which will leak every time.A radial case flexs ,unlike a cross ply tire with stiff side walls.This flexing is Death to a inner tube.

 

make sure and put the weights on the inside!

 

Won't the steel wheels run tubeless? I understand tubes with old wires, but I thought the steelies could run tubeless.
My bias ply setup is tubeless.

 

No one has mentioned the proper valve stem /tube positioning. The valve stem is positioned slightly off of the centerline of the tube. Place the tube on top the wheel/tire making sure that the valve stem is facing upward. If you put the tube into the tire upside down it will not allow the valve stem to properly seat in the wheel stem opening. The tire will inflate but the stem will be pressing against the wheel's valve stem hole which will cause the tube to fail in a short time.

 

If you want liners, the band that covers where the spokes come thru, go to the Harley shop.

 

Do you need liners/bands on regular steelies? How are tubes for high speed/long distance driving?

Yes, I know before there were tubeless, people drove places, but what about modern speeds and modern stop and go conditions?

 

When balancing, but sure to have the wheels mounted on the bolt holes, not on the center hole for the hub.